an uncertain future

"These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon...It said: ⁴Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ⁸For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,^* for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the Lord.
For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart,⁴I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile." Jeremiah 29.

Unsettling and unsettled.  These words describe how I have been feeling for awhile now.  Not just since the presidential election, which really intensified these feeling and thoughts.  I have been feeling like this for some time because life in American culture is unsettling today. 
My wife is a full-time teaching in a public school position that is stressful and exhausting emotionally, mentally, and physically for her.  My boys are growing up.  My oldest son is in middle school now.  Changes are happening with him that we anticipated, but feel ill equipped sometimes to address.  We want out kids to be well-adjusted, feel safe and secure, have good friendships, learn new and challenging things, and have activities they enjoy.  We want to them to feel successful in school and we want them to be compassionate and caring toward others.  We are well-intentioned parents, but sometimes feel like we don't devote enough time to the project of forming healthy adults.  We feel like we are still maturing, changing, learning, and struggling too.  And there are a lot of moving parts in daily life---Caring for ourselves, maintaining a calendar of activities, nurturing relationships outside our home and family, doing meaningful work, and maintaining a house are time- consuming and leave little room to pause.  We also don't want to project our anxieties and frustrations on our kids.  We want to breathe in peace and breathe out love.  We want to be consistent in our actions and show devotion to things and people we care about.  And sometimes we just want to check out.  We want our home to be a sanctuary and it sometimes feels like a production factory.  I see work every where I go.  Time set apart for reflection, rest, and relationship-building is hard to find.  I suspect we aren't alone in all of this.
Alongside these things, we are attempting to live in community with others who are called to be church, the people of God following the way of Jesus.  And not in a traditional congregation.  I am a mission developer helping a 128 year old congregation give birth to a new expression of Christian community.  And we are at a point in our development where both communities feel a little unsettled, uncertain, and tentative about their futures. Some people are moving on. Some people are experiencing life changes and challenges. Some people come and go.  Some people are finding their way, tentatively, into the community that gathers around an open table of welcome. It all feels very loose, unstable, and unsettling.  What if nobody comes to dinner church?  It sometimes feels like it could all just end.  And then it sometimes feels like its just getting started.  Its hard to know if we're on a right heading sometimes.   
Then I read this text from the prophet Jeremiah.  It is a reminder to me that when I feel unsettled, uncertain, and anxious I can trust that God is near.  I can trust that we will have what we need when we need it. I can trust that God has a future planned that I cannot see.  I can trust that God is at work to bring about that future. I can trust that I am where I am because I was sent, planted, exiled, and moved here by God for God's mission.  Though I sometimes feel like uprooting my family and moving on, I hear these words and trust that this is home.  For now.  And for now, that will be enough.