For a very long time, I’ve wanted to move, not to a different house within the same city, but to a different state.  Away from the desert landscape and wildlife to greenery and ocean breezes, away from the pain and despair caused by grieving the loss of loved ones to a place filled with hope and new beginnings.  

Window shopping for a new place to live in various parts of the country is easy.  But once I began to pray and seek God’s face for direction things began to change.

Researching “affordable beach towns to live” I found some home styles I didn’t like and other cities where I wasn’t sure of my safety.  When I asked the Lord for guidance Corpus Christi, Texas came to mind.  It was listed in the article, but not up for consideration.  In fact, I’d not considered the state of Texas at all.  Over the past few years, so many people were moving there, and I wasn’t sure it was a good fit for me.  However, as I read about Corpus Christi and its laid-back lifestyle, I realized it was exactly what I was looking for.  And the homes were beautiful and affordable.  

Hearing from God is one thing, but I needed confirmation.  I remembered the story of Abraham and how the Lord led him to move to a different country.

“Now the Lord had said to Abram:

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.

I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-3 NKJV

In the footnotes, my bible says that Abraham’s faith journey was approximately 1500 miles.  A quick Google map search reveals the distance from my old house to my prospective new home is approximately 1500 miles.  I find that interesting and am grateful to have a car, unlike Abraham.  But what blew me away was learning what the name Corpus Christi meant.  According to Wikipedia, it means “body of Christ” in Latin.  My mind was blown for so many reasons. 

However, deciding to move and moving forward are two different things.  Especially in an economy where inflation is high and home mortgage rates are above 7%.  Enter the call of God to “trust him” and move forward “by faith” (Hebrews 11:8).  Which meant selling my house and deciding to move in this market and praying for a buyer.  Would you be surprised to know that He answered?  Neither was I, but that now meant I had to get moving.  With the house under contract, I became afraid.  My anxiety increased and I was unable to sleep.  I wondered “What have I done” until I remembered my reason for wanting to move.  I reminded myself that “I can’t stay here” grieving.  It’s time to live my life.  I long for a fresh start.  I even thought of changing my mind with the recent weather in the Houston area.  But a bit of research (and rational thinking) helped me to see that the storms were in the opposite direction of where I am moving.  I was reminded of how dire flooding sometimes is here in Vegas and that I am not impacted by it.  This is why my new home search was strictly limited to non-flood zones and a safe distance from the beach.

I won’t pretend that I’m not afraid of making this life-changing move, but in truth, I’m more afraid of staying.  Remaining in Vegas is not good for my overall well-being and I’m excited for this new journey.  Wish me the best.