Lessons Learned While Moving from Ship to Shore

Moving is always a gargantuan task, and moving from ship to shore is no exception. The past two weeks have been both exciting and exhausting, but my home is finally taking shape as belongings find their place and cardboard boxes slowly disappear.

Life experiences offers valuable insights into spiritual realities. Here are a few I’m learning during this transition.

Lesson #1 – Purging is good

Sailor-Man and I purged nearly all our earthly belongings when we moved fulltime onto our sailboat in 2018. We found this process to be freeing and discovered that joy isn’t bound up in belongings. We did, however, keep a few items that I couldn’t bear to part with at the time.

While unpacking boxes on the weekend, I discovered a set of four seaside-themed pictures. My first thought was, “What was I thinking when I kept these?” My tastes have changed, and since I didn’t miss them over the past eight years, there’s no reason to keep them now. They’re now in a box filled with other such items destined either for a thrift store or a garage sale.

Just as purging is a good thing in the physical realm, so it is a good thing in the spiritual realm because sometimes we collect negative attitudes and habits. They serve no useful purpose in our lives, but we justify holding onto them anyway. Meanwhile, they take up emotional and mental space. Here are a few examples:

• Procrastination
• Unforgiveness
• Envy
• Self-pity
• Comparison
• Perfectionism

What others might you add to the list? Everyone struggles with negative attitudes and habits at some time. Let’s not justify holding onto them. Instead, let’s choose to get rid of them, okay?

Sometimes we collect negative attitudes and habits. They serve no useful purpose in our lives, but we justify holding onto them anyway.

Grace Fox

As followers of Jesus, we don’t have to strive to do this in our own strength. The Holy Spirit, whose power raised Christ from the dead, lives in us, and He will help us. However, some of these things can become so deeply engrained that letting go might require accountability and professional counseling, and that’s okay.

The apostle Paul gave sound advice when he wrote these words to the believers in Ephesus:

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. (Ephesians 4:21-22 NLT)

In other words, bid good riddance to the rubbish. Throw off those old attitudes and habits. Don’t let them take up space in your heart any longer.

Lesson #2 – Make a fresh start

When we returned to our townhouse after renting it for 12 years, we discovered that the vertical window blinds were broken. In fact, the one that had covered the sliding glass door was gone. The bathtub drain, fan, and vanity were broken as was a cupboard shelf, and the pantry door was missing.

The drywall in the bedrooms was seriously damaged. Ceiling tiles and light fixtures were cracked or missing, and the carpet—though professionally cleaned—remained stained.

Sailor-Man and I hired a contractor who came to the rescue. Tradesmen repaired and painted the damaged walls and ceilings. They replaced fans and fixtures. They fixed the cupboard, and they ripped out the stained carpet and replaced it with new.

The difference between “before” and “after” astounds me. My townhouse looks and smells fresh. It’s bright. It’s cheery. And it’s beautiful to behold.

In the spiritual realm, the Holy Spirit renews and restores the broken and hurting places in our lives and gives us a fresh start. When the apostle Paul told the Ephesian believers to throw off the old sinful nature, he also gave them these wise words:

…Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. (Ephesians 4:23-24 NLT)

The God who created and loves us wants us to flourish. He sees the hurtful habits and attitudes we’ve allowed to take root in our lives, and He knows best how to remove them. He knows how to refurbish our hearts and minds to make us righteous and holy. To make us more like Jesus. Thankfully, He promises to complete the good work He has begun in us, just as the contractor completed the work in our townhouse.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6 NLT)

The transformation process hurts sometimes, but let’s allow the Lord to do His work in us. He won’t stop until He’s finished. Have no qualms—the outcome is worth it.

In the spiritual realm, the Holy Spirit renews and restores the broken and hurting places in our lives and gives us a fresh start.

Grace Fox

Lesson #3 – Enjoy the outcome

I dropped by our townhouse to speak with the contractor a few days after his crew began remodeling the place. I’ll be honest—I wasn’t prepared to see demolition to that extent. Thankfully, subsequent visits over several weeks brought hope for a good outcome as I watched progress being made, and my hope was not disappointed. The tradesmen’s diligence left my townhouse transformed. 

In preparation for moving in, I began searching Facebook Marketplace and thrift stores for good deals on nightstands, lamps, furniture, and small home decor items. Score! The living room lamps I bought add ambience. The yellow buffet runner bought at a thrift store adds a splash of happy color. The white candlestick holders add a touch of elegance. The wall décor—not yet complete—will add beauty and inspiration. I’m very much looking forward to inviting friends in for coffee or a meal soon.

Likewise, as we purge the negative from our life and allow the Holy Spirit to renew us, we reap the blessings of a beautiful outcome. Here are a few life-transforming things the Lord does in us:

• He wipes away our tears.

• He heals our broken hearts.

• He removes our shame.

• He turns our mourning into dancing.

• He replaces our fear with courage.

• He makes us strong to face our enemies.

• He produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit in us.

• He equips us to fulfill His calling on our lives.

The list of outcomes goes on, each one an evidence of God’s faithfulness as He re-creates us to make us more like Jesus and make us a blessing to others.

Moving from ship to shore opens wide the door to new insights, new opportunities to serve, and new friendships. Thanks for being part of this journey with me. When all the boxes are gone and all the pictures hung, I’ll share a few photos with you.

In the meantime, let’s allow the Lord to transform us and make us more like Jesus. There’s no better outcome than to reflect His beauty to a hurting world.