Going Where God Leads
Life is not static, certainly. And, even though our circumstances may change, we can rely on an unchanging God whose love for us does not change. His Word is true, and no matter what we do or where we go, we can trust the Lord. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 43:
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3a For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...
For years, a certain hamburger restaurant has become synonymous with California. There are those who travel west of the Mississippi who will encounter the iconic sign of In-N-Out Burger, which has become known as a company that exalts the Lord.
Well, the President of the restaurant chain recently announced that she is leaving the Golden State and taking the company's headquarters with her.
The New York Post reported that: "Billionaire In-N-Out Burger heiress Lynsi Snyder revealed...that she is relocating her family from California to Tennessee, months after the popular burger chain broke ground in its eastern expansion." The article continued: “There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here,” Snyder shared on Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” podcast. “Doing business is not easy here.”
The article noted that, "Snyder, a mom of four, has been married to Sean Ellingson since 2014...," adding, "The company, founded by Snyder’s grandparents Harry and Esther Snyder in 1948, plans to close its Irvine, Calif. headquarters by 2030. and return to its office in Baldwin Park."
The article went on to say:
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3a For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...
For years, a certain hamburger restaurant has become synonymous with California. There are those who travel west of the Mississippi who will encounter the iconic sign of In-N-Out Burger, which has become known as a company that exalts the Lord.
Well, the President of the restaurant chain recently announced that she is leaving the Golden State and taking the company's headquarters with her.
The New York Post reported that: "Billionaire In-N-Out Burger heiress Lynsi Snyder revealed...that she is relocating her family from California to Tennessee, months after the popular burger chain broke ground in its eastern expansion." The article continued: “There’s a lot of great things about California, but raising a family is not easy here,” Snyder shared on Allie Beth Stuckey’s “Relatable” podcast. “Doing business is not easy here.”
The article noted that, "Snyder, a mom of four, has been married to Sean Ellingson since 2014...," adding, "The company, founded by Snyder’s grandparents Harry and Esther Snyder in 1948, plans to close its Irvine, Calif. headquarters by 2030. and return to its office in Baldwin Park."
The article went on to say:
Snyder shared grievances ranging from crime to the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s requirement to make restaurants check customers’ vaccine cards during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“There were so many pressures and just hoops we were having to jump through,” Snyder said.
“You’ve got to do this, you have to wear a mask, you gotta put this plastic thing up between us and our customers and it was really terrible you know. And I look back and I’m like, ‘Man, maybe we should have just pushed [back] even harder on some of that stuff and dealt with all of the legal backlash.'”
In-N-Out’s refusal to check vaccine cards shut down stores in San Francisco for a “brief moment, but it’s worth it,” Snyder added.
“There were so many pressures and just hoops we were having to jump through,” Snyder said.
“You’ve got to do this, you have to wear a mask, you gotta put this plastic thing up between us and our customers and it was really terrible you know. And I look back and I’m like, ‘Man, maybe we should have just pushed [back] even harder on some of that stuff and dealt with all of the legal backlash.'”
In-N-Out’s refusal to check vaccine cards shut down stores in San Francisco for a “brief moment, but it’s worth it,” Snyder added.
Lynsi and husband, Sean, have a ministry together called, Army of Love. A Focus on the Family article published in 2021 shared about the respective spiritual journeys, stating:
Just eight years ago, Lynsi saw herself as pretty broken, even though she was the billionaire president of the popular burger chain. Business success and wealth didn’t lessen the impact of losing her father or prevent the pain of three failed marriages. But once Lynsi was able to feel whole as a person, not needing the love of a man, and was able to accept God’s healing over loss in her life, everything changed.
She now sees her marriage and life as evidence of God’s unfathomable grace — a grace she wants others to experience.
“This is what I told Sean,” she says. “ ‘I never thought I could love God more. But the fact that His grace has given me you has made me love Him even more.’ “
The couple considers their marriage and ministry as no small gifts, given the struggles both have experienced in their lives. Lynsi and Sean’s story is one of healing and thankfulness — as well as the desire to share God’s love with others who are desperate for hope. And they know what that desperation feels like.
She now sees her marriage and life as evidence of God’s unfathomable grace — a grace she wants others to experience.
“This is what I told Sean,” she says. “ ‘I never thought I could love God more. But the fact that His grace has given me you has made me love Him even more.’ “
The couple considers their marriage and ministry as no small gifts, given the struggles both have experienced in their lives. Lynsi and Sean’s story is one of healing and thankfulness — as well as the desire to share God’s love with others who are desperate for hope. And they know what that desperation feels like.
About the ministry, Army of Love, the website relates:
The goal is to “enlist, train and equip an Army of Love to help people from all walks of life that are in need of support, prayer, encouragement, healing, direction, and freedom.” Volunteers “enlist” on the ministry’s website and take a discipleship training course before “deploying” to serve others in a variety of ways.
Sean and Lynsi see the ministry as the “outstretched arm of the body of Christ.” If churches and other Christian organizations become overwhelmed as they serve their communities, the Army of Love can provide manpower and resources.
Sean and Lynsi see the ministry as the “outstretched arm of the body of Christ.” If churches and other Christian organizations become overwhelmed as they serve their communities, the Army of Love can provide manpower and resources.
The Ellingsons have found a place in Jesus, and are operating by His Spirit to raise up fellow believers to minister to others. Now, their physical place is about to be changing. Reading the cultural winds in California, Lynsi senses it's time to move - after announcing plans to move In-N-Out's headquarters.
Each of us is walking a path in our lives, and we have to recognize when He is moving and be obedient to God's direction. But, wherever we go, we can be convinced, if we have prayed and sought the Lord, that He will meet us there because He has led us there.
When we consider the "next step" of our lives, whatever that may be, we can rely on God's sound principles for decision-making: being grounded in the Word, devoted to prayer, listening for His direction, and being willing to go when He says go. That will produce a sense of confidence and reliance on the God of our lives.
Each of us is walking a path in our lives, and we have to recognize when He is moving and be obedient to God's direction. But, wherever we go, we can be convinced, if we have prayed and sought the Lord, that He will meet us there because He has led us there.
When we consider the "next step" of our lives, whatever that may be, we can rely on God's sound principles for decision-making: being grounded in the Word, devoted to prayer, listening for His direction, and being willing to go when He says go. That will produce a sense of confidence and reliance on the God of our lives.
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