Table of Contents
Toggle
Lately I’ve been a complete mess of emotions—laughing, crying, and staying up late going through my closet over and over, trying to decide what to keep and what to let go. Through it all I’m deeply grateful for a God who loves more than I deserve and whose plan includes our family. He’s provided for us in ways that still feel incredible.
A little back story…
We took a trip to visit friends in Oregon who started a church plant about 18 months ago. We went for several reasons: we love vacations, we’d missed our friends, and August’s airfare wasn’t due until after her second birthday. We had considered joining the church plant when it launched, but the timing didn’t feel right then. During this visit, though, God began tugging at our hearts. We fell for the place, the people, and the church. We felt a burden for those who don’t yet know God. In quiet moments of prayer both my husband and I sensed God calling us to that place—over 2,200 miles from our small town in southern Illinois. We kept praying and seeking counsel from trusted people for months to be sure this was truly God’s leading.
God provides..
A few weeks ago my husband flew to Oregon for job interviews and to look for housing. God provided not one but two job offers. He chose a position that was new to him but offered better pay and family benefits—something rare these days. He even met the man he’ll eventually replace, who shared that he’d considered retiring two years earlier but the timing wasn’t right—echoing our own experience when the church plant first began. It felt like confirmation that God has been at work.
One of the perks of the new role is that I can continue staying home with August. I’ll also visit the office regularly with her, and we’ve already met kind, welcoming women there. I truly believe God arranged each detail.
The housing market in the area is intense—rentals are gone almost immediately. We had several properties on a list, and most were rented by the time my husband could see them. While driving with a friend, they found a house that had been on the market for three months. It checked nearly every box: a great neighborhood, open floor plan, 1.5 baths, on-site laundry, a ground-level house rather than a third-floor apartment (which was our other option), pet-friendly (they agreed to allow both our dogs), and a yard with garden space. The sellers had just reduced the price to move it. It felt like more than coincidence.
God has also provided the funds for our move, plus friends and family have offered help. Over and over, we’ve experienced provision at just the right moment. For example, when our air conditioner failed this summer, my grandma gave us part of our inheritance unexpectedly—before she even knew the AC had broken. After we returned from Oregon we discovered a large hole in our roof. Many contractors advised us not to file an insurance claim, but we did, and the insurance covered much of the roof work. Now our home has a new roof—a selling point, and another reminder of God’s care.
What now?
We’ve packed up, closed the door on the moving truck, and said tearful goodbyes to our dear friends in southern Illinois. Leaving them has been the hardest part. These people have been family to us, and I often wonder how I’ll ever find another Libby. Thankfully modern life—and this blog—means we’ll stay in touch. I’m grateful for the relationships God placed in our lives; they’re irreplaceable, and distance won’t dissolve them, though it may require extra effort. We’ve kept an extra bedroom ready for visitors, and I’m excited to see how God uses us in Oregon. And for the friends who moved there 18 months ago—get ready, we’re coming to join you.
On a practical note, I’m selling our renovated house in southern Illinois. I trust God’s timing for that sale; juggling a mortgage and rent will be interesting while we wait.
Full disclosure: I cried through most of writing this and find myself tearing up each time I reread it. Change is hard, but we step forward trusting God’s goodness and provision.