Faith Journeys

Faith Journeys

The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

When we think of “traveling across the plains” to start a new community, we think of pioneer settlers long ago. But it’s not unusual today for the Amish to pack up everything, join with other families, and start new communities all over the United States.

With large Amish families there is only so much land to go around, and new farms are needed. Late spring is a good time to begin a journey to a new settlement. Families from Pennsylvania and Ohio move to places such as Kentucky, Florida, and Texas. Sometimes whole church districts pack up and move. Other times only one or two families go. But when a new Amish community is settled, other Amish from around the States soon join them.

When looking for a new community, they search for good farmland in a place that’s not too crowded. For the most part the Amish are welcomed into a community, but one has to get used to watching out for horses and buggies, horse droppings on the road, and misconceptions about the Amish.

While there is a sense of adventure about these moves, there are also worries and questions. Like Abram, these families pack up and leave everything they know to follow God’s desire for them. They leave behind a familiar place. They leave behind family, too—fathers and mothers, aunts and uncles, sons and daughters.

Sometimes faith calls us to do hard things. Hebrews 11:8 says, “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.”

God went with Abraham, and He always goes with those who love and serve Him. No matter where we travel, we always have our heavenly Father as our traveling companion. Following God, wherever He may lead us, may take huge steps of faith, but He is our guide and our great reward!

Dear heavenly Father, the first step is always the hardest. Give me faith to follow where You ask me to go.