Trusting God When He Whispers Move After Empty Nesting

Can I tell you something? I love stories where God whispers first and then asks us to move. Ladies, friends, hand to heart, that’s exactly what happened for Margie, and as I listened to her tell it I felt that familiar mix of awe and hope. I remember sitting across from her and thinking, here is a woman who trusted long enough to be surprised by God.

Margie is a Texa Rican, married 25 years, and a mom of four. For years her life looked a certain way - the house, the plans, the remodels, the busy-ness of family life. As the kids started to leave home she realized that the life that looked right on the outside wasn’t fully reflecting what she and her husband felt on the inside. They planned a dream trip to Fiji, and when they finally slowed down and really got quiet, God spoke. Not through a dramatic sign but through worship, community, and that gentle nudging that says, let it go. Sell the house. Move.

You see, God often meets us in the ordinary quiet. In our conversation Margie said something simple and true: God speaks loudest when we actually get quiet. They were in a church where everyone from the youngest to the oldest was singing and it felt like the voice of God coming through that moment of worship. They came home convinced and then watched the logistics line up in ways that felt completely guided - an immediate offer, buyers with a newborn, contingency timelines that resolved in days, not months. It was one of those moments where the details felt signed, sealed, and so very sweet.

Here's the thing I can't stop thinking about: obedience often feels risky and messy before it feels freeing. Margie told me about listing the house, juggling holidays, trusting friends who helped pack, and a friend who said, we either get stressed for nine days or get stressed for nine months. She chose the nine days. That practical friend-say was such a gift because obedience didn't mean reckless panic; it meant choosing trust over control and taking practical steps forward.

Scripture kept coming to mind as I listened. Proverbs 3:5-6 invites us to trust the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to be still and know that He is God. Margie’s story is a tender example of both scriptures working together - stillness to hear, trust to act.

If you want to put this into practice in your life, here are a few things I said to myself and to you as I reflected on her story:

• Carve out a real quiet - not short bursts of noise reduction but intentional time to listen. Pray with an open question like, what do you want me to let go of?
• Test what you hear against Scripture and community. Ask a trusted friend or pastor to listen to what you sense and to help you weigh it with biblical wisdom.
• Make a practical plan for the obedience you sense. Break it into small tasks so obedience becomes a series of doable steps instead of a looming leap.
• Let go of the need to control outcomes. Surrender looks like trusting God with the timing and the details, even when it stretches your comfort.

Margie’s timeline was messy at times. The family had a conference, holiday travel, and unexpected deadlines. But she also had friends, a realtor who asked hard questions, and neighbors who showed up. Can I tell you something honest? Trusting God is rarely a solo sport. We need people to pray, to help pack boxes, to remind us of truth when we want to cling to the familiar.

I think many of us will relate to that misaligned feeling Margie described - when life looks okay but doesn’t reflect your heart. If that’s you, maybe the first faithful thing isn’t to overhaul your whole life but to get quiet, ask God one question, and listen. You might be surprised how God meets you in the small moments and then changes the big picture.

So what did I want you to take away from this episode? I want you to hear that God is present in the ordinary, that obedience can feel both uncertain and guided, and that practical steps matter. Trusting God doesn’t make the push easy but it does make the path honest and often unexpectedly joyful.

Friends, if this episode stirred something in you, I hope you'll sit with Margie's story, journal one small next step, and reach out to a friend who can pray with you. And now, I'd love for you to listen to the full conversation, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave feedback about this episode so we can keep bringing these real-life perspectives into practice. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.