As I drove away from my sister’s house in my Buick, I cried for the first 45 minutes of my cross-country move. I was heading from the East Coast in Charleston, SC, to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Just two months before I moved, my best friend invited me to live with her in Colorado, and since I wanted to live there for over two years, I hoped it was the right time. Yet, there were still two obstacles: finances and emotions. So, I prayed.

I prayed that finances would work out. I’m unsure if you have ever moved, but I am guessing you most likely have. A move takes money, especially a cross-country move. I needed to have work done on Goldilocks (the name of my car), and of course, money for the drive and some for when I got there since I did not have a job lined up.

What was amazing was how I started getting better tips at my job as a waitress at Applebee’s. There were even a few times people gave me $100. I mean, I was a decent waitress, but not $100 at Applebee’s good! My coworkers even made me a money bouquet. If you love flower bouquets, trust me, money ones are even better!

The other thing I prayed about was my emotions. Previously, when I even considered moving to CO, my heart would break. I loved my family and friends and my life in Charleston. I would get anxious and could not see me ever leaving.

Yet again, though, I saw God provide what I asked for. Suddenly, I was ready to move. I was still sad, of course, but there was no more prolonged anxiety. There was, instead, peace and excitement.

When I said yes to moving, I knew it was in line with God’s will for me and that his timing was perfect. When I got to Colorado, I also decided to say yes when people invited me to do things. Instead of looking for reasons not to do things, I was open to making friends, experiencing new things, and building memories.

As a result, I had a wonderful life there, doing things like camping, skiing, hiking, and even whitewater rafting and cliff jumping. Even more important than those more significant memories are the smaller ones of going to movie and game nights and enjoying numerous coffee shops and bookstores.

When I said yes to the move and opportunities to hang out with others, I made special friendships and beautiful memories that have lasted to this day. I grew as a person and my faith grew stronger as I spent more time with him and other believers. When I listened to the voice of God and trusted that his timing was perfect, moving halfway across the United States was one decision I will never regret.