On a lighter note today (read my initial thoughts about the government shutdown in yesterday’s post), I’m going to write about feeling settled and “at home” here in North Carolina.

Looking back, I lived in Florida 35 of the 37 years between 1976 and 2013. For Rebekah it was 43 of the past 46 (1967-2013). Atlanta, for graduate work, accounted for the difference.

So Wake Forest, 680 miles north from Brandon, amounts to a significant change in scenery, culture, and climate. But there’s something very familiar here, and I believe that it’s more than just the warm welcome from 750 or so Presbyterians. To me this place just feels right.

Maybe it’s the two-story brick house we’ve moved into, reminiscent of 12 Avereng Road back in Folkestone, where I grew up in the UK. Maybe it’s an echo of the fact that Rebekah’s Alexander kin lived in North Carolina from the early 18th Century. Maybe it’s the climate and the onset of a beautiful fall. Maybe it’s because Rebekah and I started and ended September right here.

Regardless, both Rebekah and I are moving into October with a growing sense of rootedness; we’re less torn, less transitory, less grieving, and more settled in our spirits.

SUNDAY MORNING: This past Sunday morning turned out to be a watershed moment, and I wasn’t even here! I was in Kansas, in the middle of a weekend with friends from the Disciples of Christ, so Rebekah had to go to our new church by herself.

She found herself dragging, out of rhythm, and feeling disconnected. But when Rebekah arrived at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church, and found herself caught up in the spirit of the worshipping community, it was as if the unfamiliarity was washed away. She engaged, she relaxed, she felt the moving of the Spirit of God, and – most importantly – she felt at home.

PROCESS: We understand that this is a process, and that there will be bumps in the road. But, having shared with you the homesickness from a couple of weeks ago, I’d be remiss if I didn’t report on this subtle yet strong shift toward a new grounding here in Wake Forest.

This morning Rebekah and I met with a couple from the church for a long breakfast. It was good to simply share life together, and to soak in the promise of new and meaningful friendships. There is so much hope here, so much anticipation, so much commitment to promise, so much undaunted belief.

In faith, in belief, and in the hope of real promise – DEREK