God is Faithful, even Relocating in Difficult Times

United States of America

After several relocations during our marriage, we finally landed in Austin in 2005 – we had two young daughters, and I was seven months pregnant with our third. Being in Texas meant we would FINALLY be closer to family and grandparents – a huge dream for us. Then, in 2008, the market crashed, and my husband lost his job. After almost 14 months of job searching, Chris found a job in Los Angeles, CA. He was relieved, but I was devastated. 

During those months of job searching, my mother was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer, and I wanted to be near to help her (she lived in Houston, about three hours from Austin). It took everything I had to keep my sanity – I was torn between the needs of my immediate family and helping my mom during treatment. How was I going to be of any use living so far away? My mom was a very faithful woman – in fact, I credit her for my faith because she was never shy about sharing her love for God and Jesus. Growing up, she regularly took me to church, even though sleeping in on a Sunday morning after working long hours all week as a single mom would’ve given her much-needed rest. 

Although she was incredibly sad to see us leave, she unselfishly supported us every step of the way. I was terrified about the move. I couldn’t understand why God would move me away from my mom, who needed me and my group of dear friends. I didn’t know a single person in Los Angeles, plus my daughters needed me to be strong to help them adjust. 

We moved to LA in January 2010. Thankfully, I found a small prayer group in my new neighborhood that anchored me during those early months. My husband worked more hours than he anticipated, so it was up to me to manage our daughter’s lives, the household, the pets, and my freelancing work. But I remembered my mom’s advice: put God first – always. Pray. Tell God everything on my mind and watch Him go to work. So, I did things I never would’ve made time for before, like listening to Christian podcasts, reading my Bible after dropping the kids off at school, and surrounding myself with people who shared my values. As a matter of fact, some of my best friends to this day are the ones I met at my lowest, which is an unexpected blessing. 

My mom’s disease progressed while we were living in California. But visiting us gave her soul a reprieve. California reminded her of Cyprus, the little island where she grew up in the Mediterranean Sea. 

I remember the prayer I prayed the minute we moved to Los Angeles: Lord, please help! And, please get us back to Texas if it’s in Your will. By early 2012, it was clear that my mom wasn’t going to make it.  I continued to fly back and forth from LA to Houston to be with her as much as possible.

Then, in October 2012, Chris got a call out of the blue about a job in Austin. My mother passed away four months later, in February 2013, and we finally sold our house and moved back to Austin in July 2013. 

Maybe it looks like my prayers weren’t answered, but here’s what I hope you see: 

• I prayed that we wouldn’t have to move away, but we did.  I had to lean on God – there was no other choice. During those years, my faith grew in ways I NEVER thought possible for my daughters to witness. God was faithful. 

• I was terrified of leaving the safety of my friends and family in Austin. I prayed for support, and God put me in a neighborhood with a prayer group that welcomed me like an old friend. He gave me some of my best friends who have stood the test of time and distance, and I can’t imagine my life without them. God was faithful. 

• I prayed we would move back to Texas before my mom passed away. We didn’t make it in time, but knowing that we were coming back gave my mom tremendous peace before she died. God was faithful.

• We were in Los Angeles for about 3.5 years. Looking back, I needed that time to lean on God completely, without the distractions of my former busy life in Austin. He created a beautiful life for us. We had a yard with blooming roses, citrus trees, climbing wisteria flowers, and stunning surroundings that took my mom back to her childhood. She was happiest when she was there during her final months. That’s something she would’ve missed had we not been there. God was faithful. 

• We moved back to Austin in July of 2013. I prayed that my mom wouldn’t die before I could be closer to her, but she passed away the previous February. I’ll never understand why God timed things the way He did, but I can see how His hand was in everything, including my mom’s death. God was faithful. 

What I’ve learned is this: God always answers our prayers, just not always the way we expect. I didn’t know I had best friends waiting for me in LA, who would buoy me during my time there. I didn’t know how much my mom needed a mental reprieve when she visited us. I didn’t know that we would ever move back. I didn’t know what solely leaning on God looked like until I had to. 
There were a lot of things that I didn’t know. But He knows, and that’s all I need to know.