Location, Location, Location!

It's taken me about a week to figure out exactly where I live now. I mean, I know my address, and the immediate surrounding streets, but when asked the basic-yet-surprisingly-profound question: "Where do you live?" I have responded with hums and sighs and a lot of muttering. Am I an east- or west-sider? What am I close to? Am I south or north of downtown? Which of the three rivers am I near? Our poor neighbor, Joe, has tried to patiently explain it to me, but from his very male-minded perspective, and I am incurably female-minded. So... Main Street is over there... and... somehow if you can get there, it will take you to our neighborhood.

I finally decided to look at a map. And guess where I am? Right in the middle! Yes, I live in Central Fort Wayne now. I am a mile from the heart of downtown, and am within a short walking distance of the confluence of all three rivers: St. Joseph is to the north, Maumee is to the south, St. Mary is to the west, and they all collide in a lovely greenish-brown spot close by. I have figured out the major roads that are nearby, and which way they go, so now I am pretty sure - pretty sure - I can tell anyone from any part of the city how to get to my house!

Being in the middle is a good place to be if you are wanting to be available and accessible to the community... which I am! And as I put this under a spiritual lens, I think about how much I want to be in the center of God's will too. And I realize that it takes some initiative to get there... God is the one who moves me there, but I have to be willing to be moved. I don't want to be on the fringe, doing the minimum and therefore receiving the minimum blessings. I can't expect to live fully if I just tiptoe around the edge of his plan like a swimming pool, looking in and wondering if it is safe or worth it... I have to jump in with both feet and trust that his promise is true - his plans are good and his will is higher, greater, more wonderful than anything. Lord, take me deeper - further up and further in - until I am dwelling in the center of your will.