Green Means Go
Oct 4, 2020 | by Nancy Newbrough
My husband and I have been married for 24 years. Since the day we said, “I do,” he has desired to move out of California. But I was born and raised there, and our entire family has lived in one city connected to one main street! I was not on board. God was going to have to make it very clear to me if moving was His will.
Five years ago, completely on a whim, we decided to take a trip to visit my sister and her family in Katy. Afterwards as we were leaving to fly back home, the Lord told me: “This is your new home!” That caused me a little frustration because I am so close to my family, and I knew our three older daughters most likely would not move with us. Nevertheless, I laid my heart and desires before the Lord and prayed, “Your will, Lord, not mine.” Peace continued to fill me even though I felt a stirring within to move.
Every year - for five years - we have visited Katy, trying to see what His will was, where we should live and when we should make this monumental life change. We laid many fleeces before the Lord in the meantime. One of them was my husband’s job. He works for a wonderful company in Sacramento and had no desire to leave. So we prayed for the Lord to soften the heart of his boss, specifically to allow my husband to work remotely. Because it is a small company, that would be a miracle! My husband was waiting on the Lord to show him the right time to talk to his boss.
Last October we came for a visit again and felt very strongly that 2020 was going to be our year to move. Arriving home from that trip brought a very unexpected surprise. My cousin was arrested, and her 5-year-old daughter was taken into custody by Child Protective Services. Without a second thought, my husband and I had 48 hours to become CPS-certified so we could take this girl into our home and become her foster parents. At that point we thought, “Nope, the move is not His will anytime soon.” But there was still a stirring in our spirits!
Everything in me knew our time in California was temporary -- and the move was coming! In June we were told by CPS that our foster daughter would be returning to her dad on July 15th. That seemed to be the signal that the time had come, so we asked God to clearly guide us in relocating to Texas.
With a trip already planned to Texas on July 25th, we decided to decisively move forward and see if the Lord was giving us the green light. On July 9th my husband spoke to his boss and got the all clear to move -- with his job intact. That was the first answered prayer! I spoke to our landlord two days later and let him know we were considering a move. His response was that he had been considering selling the house for the last two years and felt this was a good time. So we had 60 days to move! That was our second answered prayer. The light was staying green!
The day before our foster daughter was to return to her dad, I was informed that he tested “dirty” and would not be taking custody at that time. When we let her CPS worker know of our plans to move out of state, the agency went before a judge and requested that she be allowed to go with us. It was granted! Our third answered prayer!
On July 25th, we flew to Texas and immediately began looking at houses for sale. With Covid 19 creating a sellers’ market, we looked at 30 houses in three days and found our home. Closing was set for September 4th. This was our fourth answered prayer!
On July 27th, I had a job interview at Treasure Cove, The Fellowship’s weekday preschool. I was offered a position starting on September 8th. Answered prayer Number five! It was truly clear at this point … we were moving.
One more obstacle stood before us -- the relocation expenses. It is very costly to move out of California across country. Within the next couple of weeks, the Lord showed His power once again! He provided every single cent needed to move! It was not only the cost of the moving van and workers, but also our expenses for gas, hotels, and food for our three-day drive to our new hometown. Our sixth answered prayer!
We are absolute proof that where God guides, He provides! Our new life in Katy began four weeks ago. I am believing God for one more unspoken prayer to be answered to complete this transition from California to Texas. With such a display of His incredible faithfulness thus far, my heart is overflowing with hope.
M.V.
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love
for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I
should go, for to you I lift up my soul.
Psalm 143:8