A Moving Story

A journey of faith...

Heather in Indiana

My adventure began in 2001 when my husband graduated from Northern Arizona University and got a job in Texas. Married less than two years, we left everyone we knew with all our stuff and our four-month-old baby boy in tow. I was recently married, a new Christian, and a brand new mom in an entirely unfamiliar place. It was new and challenging, yet at the same time, it felt exciting and daring to start a new life.

Although I didn't realize it at the time, that was just the beginning of my adventure. A job promotion for my husband meant moving our family to the suburbs of New Orleans in 2003. In 2005, two months after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, we were transferred back to Texas. Then last year another promotion brought us to Indiana.

Moving around every few years does have its benefits. I've found that each new place is unique and special in its own way. I've met some wonderful, interesting people and seen some remarkable sights. I've learned about myself and others and their warm-heartedness. I've been given several fresh new starts with new things to see and do and have become much closer to my husband and boys in the process.

Of course, moving around has also meant facing some new realities. Realities like the constant pressure to get involved, to get to know new people, and feeling incredibly misunderstood along the way. It's meant never feeling fully settled or having a sense that I'm truly home. I'm not outgoing by nature and becoming part of a larger community is difficult when you don't stay around for the long-term.

Leaving the known behind has been a strange mix of fun, excitement, awkwardness, and difficulty. I haven't done it as gracefully as I would like to say I have. In some seasons I have grieved and withdrawn from everyone. In others, I've rushed boldly and confidently into the newness. Mainly I have just fallen forward while trying to find my way.

Through this process, I have found that only God can love me the way I need to be loved. He has remained so faithful to our family. He has never failed to provide us with a wonderful church home, a safe, friendly neighborhood, and great schools.

In the midst of the newness and uncertainty, one thing has remained certain: my faith in Christ. The flame that God lit in my heart when I committed my heart and life to Jesus continues to burn brightly. He has given me a desire to live everyday with extraordinary faith. He has challenged me to make the effort to bloom where I'm planted and to embrace the newness and the people that come and go. Knowing Him is what has carried me through my journey.