Living life with open hands
Where are we moving to?
I've been getting quite a few messages wondering where we're moving to, why we're moving, and other questions surrounding us moving. So, I thought I'd make a quick blog post sharing some details on what we're up to!
Why are we selling/moving?
There are a lot of reasons why we've decided to sell (many of which I'm not going to share) BUT one major reason was the current housing market. The current market is great for sellers, and when we realized what homes were selling for currently vs what we had paid for our home 3.5 years ago, it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. We didn't necessarily want to sell our home (we love this house you guys) BUT given the financial gains we could have via selling, it was worth at least exploring. In the end we listed the house and prayed that God would make it clear whether He desired for us to sell or not. God ended up selling our house only 48 hours after listing it.
Where are we moving to?
We have zero desire to leave Bemus Point and are planning to stay here! Of course we are always open to God's nudges and if He were to push us towards elsewhere we would listen, but currently we feel He has us staying in Bemus.
Where are we living now?
For the time being we will be moving into my parents home and using a portion of their home as our own apartment. We are extremely grateful for their generosity as we figure out where God will have us next!
What's next?
Honestly, we have no idea. We had a plan, but a few weeks ago God ended up saying "no" to that plan. More on this in tomorrow's podcast episode. 😉 We are taking it slow and waiting for God to speak and show us where He desires us to be for the next season of our lives!
"There are a lot of paths we could take that are very appealing, but they would all be selfish paths. We want to be where God desires us to be, and we recognize that we are in a unique position where our options seem limitless."
Katie Lauren Graham h5>
Ultimately, we are trying our best to practice open handed living and listen to God's nudges in our lives. There are a lot of paths we could take that are very appealing, but they would all be selfish paths. We want to be where God desires us to be, and we recognize that we are in a unique position where our options seem limitless. Also, it feels fun to be back in the brainstorming phase. Jackson and I love brainstorming together, so it's been a pleasant surprise to be back in that phase together again.
If you've been reading this blog or Your (Mess)age Mag for any period of time, you know that I believe strongly in the power of transparency. My hope is that by sharing what we're going through in our own home search, that you would be encouraged as well. Finding a home is a big decision, but we don't want to make in selfishly. We want to be where God desires us to be. I would encourage you to be continually listening for God's nudges, and see where He desires you to be. It may be exactly where you are, and that's great! But it also may be elsewhere, and this is where living with open hands comes in. Be willing to act on the nudges He gives, following through with His commands.
You may struggle to recognize what is a nudge from God vs something in your head, or--a perhaps more sinister option--something from the enemy. I know I definitely do sometimes! If this is the case, my advice is to get to know God better. When you know someone really well, you're able to pick their voice out in a crowd. You know where they are without seeing them because you can hear them. Spend time in His word and learning about His character, how He desires us to live, and how He spoke to people in the Scriptures. As you get to know Him better, you'll be able to more clearly discern when He's speaking to you vs other options. This will help immensely in making big decisions with His will in mind!
Keep scrolling through this post to see some images of Beckley hanging out in a chair my Grandma and Grandpa made for me when I was young. I pulled it out of storage while we were packing and she instantly loved it!
Cheering you on always!
Katie xx