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Better than a bucket list: by Jen Hansard

Starting a church has never been on my bucket list. Ryan and I went to art/design school and dreamed of traveling the world— painting, writing and eating really good food. Those plans changed when we turned 26. God knocked on our door and called us into ministry. The idea is still crazy to me, really. But over the last three years, we have adjusted to this plan, and I can honestly say I am really excited!

Our house went up for sale a month ago, we bought a trailer on Craigslist to lug our necessities across the  country and we have been selling off our other possessions every day. I am learning how beautiful simplicity is (less things to dust or vacuum around is amazing!) and how far you can stretch a buck. Living off unemployment really stretches a family of four, yet it also opens up doors of creativity.

Friends and family have asked us "You really want to do this?"And I can honestly say yes with a big smile on my face (and a little sense of disbelief in what God has in plan for us). God really does have a sense of humor and I am glad he pours it out on us. We all can use a laugh.

Yes, there are days when we get overwhelmed. Sometimes it spans a week. Yet we are always lifted out of this darkness with an amazing story. For instance, Saturday afternoon I found a trailer on Craigslist. It was exactly what I have been looking for the last three months and the price was right. I contacted them instantly and that night we drove to Sun Valley with our kids to meet the owner of the trailer in a church parking lot at 9pm with $2800 in cash. 

My dad thought I was crazy, and it sure sounded crazy. Yet when I spoke to the owner Kat on the phone about the trailer, it just felt right. So we raided our savings account, packed the kids up and headed to Sun Valley. A couple times I did think of the horrible things that could happen — get robbed, steal our truck, take our kids. I do tend to think of the worst case scenario and then whatever happens is a relief. 

We pulled into the church parking lot and saw the trailer—it was perfect. Big, white and gently used. The lady came out of her SUV with her husband greeted us with warm smiles. Turns out they just moved from Texas to Los Angeles to go to seminary. They are missionaries who felt called to leave the mission field and go back to school. They used the trailer to get them to LA, where God called them to be for the time. So we bought the trailer, and have it as our way to get us to our missions field in Florida. What are the chances of that?!

The whole drive home, Ryan and I felt at peace about our lives. Yes, we were surrounded by chaos— unemployed, selling a home in a horrible market, raising two toddlers, moving across country away from our family and friends, a brand new job with very little pay, no health insurance... I could go on and on.  Yet Saturday night, God reminded us that everything will be okay and he will continue to open the doors if we choose to go through them. 

God's plan is way better than my bucket list and I am learning to enjoy the ride.