A Dancer's Story Part 2 by: Ann Sterling

Hello again! I am back to share more of God’s faithfulness in my story! While I was trying to decide and discern where God had called me to in the next season of my life, Texas began to come up a lot in random conversations with people. Interesting…I will say more about that later. I started going to the Hillsong Church in NYC, and heard some incredibly powerful messages from the pastor there. One Sunday, a woman from Dallas, TEXAS spoke, and I believe the message was literally for ME! She spoke about John 10 and how Christ is our great shepherd, and that we, as His sheep, have the privilege of hearing His voice and knowing His will! But in order to hear His voice, we have to know His voice..know HIM! “The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voie. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all of his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” -John 10:3-4. I started crying while she prayed at the end, because she said that for those of us who were waiting for an answer from God about a decision, that it would come! I also realized that I had been so focused on trying to figure out where I was supposed to be and not who I was supposed to be! The weight of my main purpose in life hit me clearly and with freeing joy…it is to know Christ!!

Thus I knew that God would direct me to where I was supposed to go and give me peace if I would trust Him and trust that He would provide for me an not let my foot slip. Now, I also have to share with you that as the time drew closer for me to make this decision, I prayed a Gideon type prayer…not really sure if I meant it but it went something like this…”God, if I am supposed to move to Houston, will you please bring up Texas two more times?" Ohhhhohhooo be careful when you pray things like this because God is listening and hears your prayers!  : ) He must have known that I needed assurance in the form of signs because He literally brought Texas and even Houston up about five times after that! I don’t think that was a coincidence.  I went to my best friend’s church in North Carolina while I was home last summer and started talking to a guy in the church and asked him where he was from and he answered, “Houston, Texas.” I was like, “Whaaaat??” I threw my hands up in the air basically laughing in disbelief and thought to myself, “Okay God…I think I get it!”

Also, that same week I was home, I went outside on my front porch and sat on our lovely white rocking chair and was journaling and praying and then all of the sudden I thought to myself, “I think I want to go to Houston.”  I was surprised at my certainty and peace when I said that. However after that, I begin to doubt again and realized that I was afraid. I was fearful of this big step into the unknown and complete change in my life. I did not have jobs lined up or an apartment to live in…but I knew that I needed to trust in the Lord that He would provide.  After talking with my dad to make the final decision, I decided to go to Houston because it was a great opportunity.  Thus, I packed up my life in New York, flew home, and the adventure to Houston, Texas began!!! Side note: my aunt of course asked me if I was going to get some cowgirl boots and I laughed and said I probably would!  Part three coming up ladies and gentlemen!!