I am moving in a little more than a month. I am leaving behind my life here in Oklahoma, filled with friends, family, a job, a car, a home, and I’m heading with my husband to Ramstein AFB in Kaiserslautern, Germany. I am going there with no job lined up, no car to drive, no home to move to, and unsure of most aspects of what day-to-day life will be like there.

This is a test of faith for me, a test of my bravery, to leave all of the life that I grappled with and built for myself. To leave behind the house I have owned for the past four years. To set down my career knowing I may not be able to teach for the next three years. To see my friends and family only occasionally. It’s a hard thing to leave all of this behind for a nebulous, undefined future. But I have faith that it holds exciting things for me.

I love traveling and moving to Germany provides me with a chance to see places I may not have ever had the opportunity to see otherwise. I can make new friendships and use this time to decide if teaching is a life-long career or just a step on the path to another. I can create a new home and a new future with Ben, building our little family and letting love grow. I can plant a garden, bless it with patience, and see what sprouts.

A couple of birthdays ago, my best friend gave me a framed print that says “Be open to whatever comes next” and that has become my personal motto. I am scared. I’m nervous. I’m worried about finding a job and building my independence in a brand new place. But I’m also open to whatever comes next.