No matter how much you desire to move forward, if your heart remains wounded, you'll continue to find yourself returning to the same places. I know that because I lived it.

I remember the season when God released me to leave the church where I had faithfully served for years. It was there that I was licensed, ordained, and given the opportunity to serve in various leadership capacities. I often say that leaving wasn't the difficult part. Once God released me, I knew what I needed to do. The difficult part was obeying.  For nearly two years, I wrestled with what I already knew God was asking me to do.  I wrestled with the fear of missing out on what the ministry would become. I questioned whether leaving meant I was being disloyal. I was uncertain about what was next, and I carried the weight of walking away from people and a ministry that had become such a significant part of my life.  Although I knew it was time to move on, I couldn't yet see what God was leading me toward. At the time, I didn't have the language to describe what God was doing. Looking back now, I realize I wasn't wrestling with leaving a church—I was wrestling with obedience. God wasn't simply changing where I served; He was refining me.