Moving — the Rest of the Story

Last Updated on May 30, 2012

I remember the day Hubby came home from work with that look in his eye, “Well, they are moving us!”

I remember thinking…I cannot do this again.

If you are in for a move and you find yourself thinking, I cannot do this, I am here to tell you that you are wrong. You can, and you’ll be better for it in the long run.

Starting over stinks. And this from someone who actually enjoys the adventure of moving. The physical aspects of moving I can handle, it’s the emotional aspect of moving—the starting over—that is the hard part.

I have moved seven times in my adult life and basically each time I was excited about the change and what God might have in store, but I was still unhappy at the prospect of starting over. Sure, I enjoyed the house hunting and checking out the new town. But I was never excited about saying goodbye to all my friends and feeling all alone in a new location.

If you are about to experience a move and you are dreading it, I do have good news.

Physically: It is fun to start over and experience a whole new setting and to rebuild your nest in a new tree … really!

Emotionally: In the long run God will use it for tremendous personal growth—you just have to be willing to allow Him to … really!

My tip to you: Spend time in the Word. If there has always been an aspect of God that you have wanted to study, now’s the perfect opportunity. You will have a lot of time on your hands to sit around feeling lonely, but do not allow yourself to go there—be with God.

With time and a good attitude the new friends will fall into place … really!

And if you are concerned about your children, don’t be. Just remember that how they react to this move will be based on how you react. They will be watching you closely. Your motto needs to be “moving is an adventure” and that is how they will see it. A move will actually draw you closer together as a family because you have to rally together!

To understand how to better help your children deal with a move listen to Susan Miller share her thoughts in the FamilyLife Today radio broadcast “Helping Your Child Move.”  She has also written the article “10 Ideas: Preparing Your Heart for a Smooth Move.”