Lindsay shares the story of her calling to start Fishhook Denver and the vision of expansion.

"On my sabbatical, I heard God calling Fishhook to expand," Evan shared over our first team lunch back together, one year ago today. "Fishhook in three time zones. Can you picture it? And, the McBrooms feel led to the central time zone in Nashville."

My heart began to race and I leaned in. He paused. 

"And, the other time zone is mountain ... in Colorado. I believe there's someone here that He is calling to lead this effort." 

He paused again.

Out of character for this introvert, I didn't think. I didn't carefully choose my words. I didn't have to. I raised both my hands, smiled and without hesitation said, "It's the Dudecks. We're supposed to go."

We both began to cry.

Because, a few months earlier, while Evan was on sabbatical, my husband Joe and I heard an inaudible whisper telling us Indiana would no longer be our home. Instead, there was a vision ahead, away from here, that we were to prepare for.

We journaled about it. Prayed. Wondered. And, kept it to ourselves. I wasn't about to walk into Leah's office, while Evan was on sabbatical and say, "Hey! I know things are tough right now, but I wanted you to know I think I'm supposed to leave Indiana. You good with that?"

To be honest, the summer of 2017 at Fishhook was difficult. We were all stressed; client loads were heavy; nerves were fried; teams weren't operating at full strength and we just felt off. It would've been an easy time to just leave. But, we endured, together, and became stronger because of it.

By the time Evan returned from sabbatical, God had prepared my heart to receive the news and to say yes. Colorado had been the whisper on our hearts for 18 years – the place Joe and I honeymooned and where he declared on our flight from Denver to O'Hare, "We'll live in Colorado some day!" 

A few days after that October 4 lunch, Evan and I had breakfast together (we're always eating around here!) and compared notes in our journals from the past few months. Similar whisperings. Similar questions. Similar prayers. Still a bit in awe of what was beginning to happen, my mind was racing with so many questions and things to do. (Aw, the lives of dreamers and do-ers intersecting – Evan and I just recently chatted about this in a podcast.)

But, before my mind flooded with all the possibilities, Evan shared with me that in his prayers about this, the Spirit had shared with him a message for me. He had written down in his journal:

"Tell my daughter, Lindsay, everything will be okay."

Everything will be okay – the mantra I had been soaking up for months – "All shall be well. And all shall be well. And all manner of thing shall be well."

This mantra from Julian of Norwich. This promise of God's faithfulness. This reminder to not be anxious. This message He gave to Evan to give to me. HE knows this about ME! The message wasn't something like "Keep dreaming" or "Have patience!"

Instead, it was a reminder, specifically crafted for this overly-responsible, ISFJ, enneagram six-type soul. The one who wants to jump straight to the to-do list. The one who will figure out the "how" before living in the "wow". That, no matter what ... no matter how big and crazy this dream ... all these things will be well.

There is a big vision in front of Fishhook that I will help fulfill and my family and I are ready, willing and excited to move! We're hoping to move to the Denver metro-area in the spring of 2019 and hit the ground running!

The way has been and continues to be prepared for Fishhook out West. It's all so indescribably bittersweet. I'm simultaneously filled with nervousness and peace. Many endings. Many beginnings. All a part of the eternal cycle of life, death, and resurrection.

If you want to keep up with Lindsay and our westward expansion, you can follow the journey on Instagram!