The number one question we get when we tell people we moved to South Carolina from Hawaii is, why in the world here out of all places!? I kind of agree, why South Carolina? LOL We don't really know yet, but we love it and one day we will know the full story. But for now here's how it all happened.
When we moved to Hawaii, we kinda knew right away that we weren't going to stay there forever. The first time we contemplated on moving from there I found out soon after that I was pregnant. So with that kind of news we decided to stay and have the baby first. That all changed quickly when we found out we were actually having twins, so we buckled down and decided to stay there until the kids got a little older. All the while though we talked of moving, where, when and how. During those years I prayed hard because my husband was leaning towards Alaska...
Alaska in the summer!
We moved to Hawaii from Alaska because we felt our season there was over, it wasn't the same as when we left. We had kids and life there with little kids was different than it was without and on top of everything it was COLD! It's breathtakingly gorgeous but it doesn't change the fact that it's so cold! We were only in Alaska for six months after Texas so it wasn't hard for us to get up and move to Hawaii. Anyway I had no peace about moving back there, so I prayed and prayed. Deep down I knew I wasn't doing right by keeping my husband in Hawaii almost against his will. LOL So when I watched a close friend submit to her husband and release the decision into Gods hands, I knew I had to do the same. And so I did, I remember the moment in time that I told my husband, I'm letting this go and I'm handing it over into Gods hands. I told him that I will go where ever he leads us, even if it's Alaska. After I made that decision and told my husband he took some time and sought the Lord on this and the Lord spoke to him. He told him that He would bless us no matter where we decide to go but that if we let go of the past (which was Alaska for Kyle) then He will show us what He has in store for our future, though it would require trusting Him and letting go. After Kyle heard that from the Lord, we didn't have any more discussions about moving unless we were both just excited and wondering where in the world that would be!? Maine, Washington or maybe California are some states we were thinking about. But from that time on we just waited and prayed. Kyle had a great job and we loved our home, we were very content.
A little side note. A month after we moved to Hawaii Kyle got started into woodworking and we both fell in love with that trade of work. The only thing was, were we lived business for that was slow and he got laid off every summer with different shops because they didn't have any work. After the third time that he got laid off he told God "I don't know how, when or where but if it happens again that will be a sign for me to move off the island."
Another side story. Every Wednesday evening we would have a girls get together at my mothers house. We were there one night as usual and mother announces that her and dad will be flying out Friday night.. (Wow seriously!? My parents are very spontaneous like that) They were going to a cousins wedding here in South Carolina. Little did I know that my parents' trip to SC would change our lives. They came back from their visit saying that the next place they are moving to is SC "it just feels like home" they said. I was all up in walls not knowing what to think. But Kyle got interested, asked questions and started his research. We prayed and talked about it and we both couldn't deny the fact that we felt as if our eyes were opened and we knew this was the place we were to move. Within all of this decision making Kyle gets the news at work on a Friday that he's laid off. That weekend we made the official decision to move, him getting laid off was conformation for us. But our God is awesome and on Monday his Boss calls and tells him to come back into work! Kyle worked up until the last days of us being there. God is truly our provider! We decided to move in April I believe and flew out September 1st. For anyone that knows me that is not how I like things done. I like to be safe, prepared and plan, plan, plan but since I let God have control and trusted my husband to lead us I had to let go of all that and allow them to lead. It was hard I will tell you that.
What I want to share next is really important when it comes to living by faith and not feelings or circumstances. When God speaks his word to us the enemy will always come with physical evidence and try to sway us away from obeying and doing what God called us to do. We made the decision and knew it was God leading us but just about every single day we questioned that decision, in one way or another. It was hard to let go of the life we had there. After Kyle told his Boss that we had decided to move, he offered Kyle a healthy raise and not laying him off again. Kyles cousin and brother were saying that they would be moving there. One thing after another made it seem like we were making the wrong decision. We had to remind ourselves and each other that this was from God and we were going to follow his leading no matter what came our way. At the same time all of that happening to us was in a way confirmation that were on the right track. But I promise you it wasn't easy. I had to constantly go to people close to me to remind me the word of God for us. I'm so thankful for those of you (you know who you are) who helped us and obeyed the Lord and spoke his word into our life when He asked you to!
The journey as well was very difficult. With four little kids, moving all the way across the country, selling just about everything we owned and having to do that on our own with little time and being sick on top of everything. I wouldn't want to re-live it, that's for sure! But it's all behind us now :) Praise God!
My kiddos on one of our last days in Hawaii. (Thanks Lucy and Nastya for taking them out for ice cream!)
Life their was beautiful and we loved it! But on a more practical/honest level for us it was very expensive. We wanted to own our own home with land but it was practically impossible (cost wise for us) within reasonable distance of work, church and town. Living there we couldn't afford to leave the island but thank God we never got island fever! Paying for six tickets was not something we could do on a single income. So the one time we left Hawaii was to move LOL. The weather was perfect for me a little too warm for my husband though, we didn't have AC in the house because we were high enough up the mountain to not need it. Because we weren't able to ever leave it was a little hard to get used to warm "winters" for us who grew up in Alaska. We loved our season there but we knew it wouldn't be long term.
For anyone thinking on moving my advise to you would be to tell God your desires from the biggest to the smallest detail. He cares and wants to give you the best He has for you. Trust me we are living proof of that! I can't promise it will be easy but it's worth being patient. I wrote about how he provided a home for us in my post Learning to Trust. I hope it will encourage you to trust God for your own personal family miracles. That reminds me, I should share with you about how God provided work for Kyle here in South Carolina. These stories might not seem big or significant but they are part of a much bigger picture and they are part of our little life :)
I also want to write about what it's like living here so far, so stay tuned! Subscribe to the emailing list to not miss anything! If any of you still have questions feel free to contact me :)
Blessing,
Nataliya