Lessons from the Road: Home in Nashville Tennessee

Rebuilding rhythm, redefining sabbatical, and trusting God in the messy middle.

After six weeks of traveling through New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and Japan, we’re finally home—back in Nashville, Tennessee. We called it a “working sabbatical,” which sounded great in theory. But now, standing amid half-unpacked boxes and echoey rooms, I’m asking: Did it work? What did we learn? And what’s next?

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The Transition Tornado

Before we left, we packed up our entire rental home into three storage units. We closed on a new house while we were away—but the seller still lived in it until we returned. We came back to an empty shell with fresh paint and carpet, and needing cleaning with all the utilities yet to turn on! (Including gas which meant we got to enjoy cold showers or a quick trip to the local YMCA). Life didn’t pause while we were gone. It accelerated. And now we’re in the thick of it, still catching our breath.

Yet something feels different. Life is always in transition but this feels like the end of a SEASON of transition after three years...

From California to Pennsylvania in 2022

From Pennsylvania to a rental property in Tennessee in 2024

From the rental into three storage units as we traveled six weeks in 2025

From the storage units into our own home in Nashville...

And in every move, we’ve had plans. But more often than not, those plans met divine redirection.

Walking While Waiting

Isaiah 26:8 says, “Walking in your ways, we wait for You.” That’s been our anchor. Waiting isn’t passive—it’s active trust. It’s not standing still singing kumbaya. It’s taking steps, listening for the still small voice behind us saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”

We’d signed a 12-month lease in Tennessee. But while filling out our kids’ student aid applications in January 2025, we realized that the money in savings from selling our previous home would hurt our financial aid eligibility. That nudged us toward buying instead of renting. One house fell through due to hidden issues. Then—while at an executive retreat in California—I paused and listened.

That’s when the second house appeared. A street named Palomar—meaning a place where the dove (Holy Spirit) roosts and breeds. The subdivision? Christiansted—a serene, peaceful community. One of the house photos even had a wall sign that read, “Not to spoil the ending, but it’s probably going to work out okay.”

Sometimes God's direction doesn’t feel divine until you look back.

Working Sabbatical: Did It Work?

I imagined 40 days of journaling, sitting daily for an hour listening to God, soaking in scripture. Reality? It didn’t happen. The schedule, time zones, responsibilities—none of it cooperated. But what did work?

Every week I paused to ask:

What did we do?

What did I observe?

What did I learn?

What is God saying?

Those pauses became priceless. While the sabbatical didn’t follow my ideal rhythm, God still moved—through reflection, conversations, and recalibrated expectations.

What Now?

Now that we’re home, we’re leaning into what feels like a second 40-day window—not just of travel, but visitation. After Jesus’ resurrection, He remained on earth for 40 days, appearing to people, bringing clarity, peace, and purpose. What if we positioned ourselves for the same kind of encounter?

So starting this week, we’re opening our home on Tuesday nights for worship and encounter. No fancy plan—just streaming a worship set, having communion, praying together, and welcoming God to meet us in our home, not just our meetings.

We’re also setting time aside for strategic listening—what many would call planning. But it’s not about the plan. It’s about aligning with His plan.

Action Steps for You

If you’re navigating your own version of transition, uncertainty, or even spiritual static, here’s how to respond:

1. Schedule a weekly pause
Write out what you did, what you observed, what you learned, and what you believe God is saying.

2. Read Isaiah 26 slowly
Ask God to speak through His word. Let it guide your pace, posture, and priorities.

3. Create sacred space in your home
Host a worship night. Light a candle. Take communion. It doesn’t have to be public—just intentional.

4. Plan to listen
Block time in your calendar this week not to “do” more but to hear more. Strategic listening leads to supernatural clarity.

5. Trust in the messy middle
You don’t need to know the whole path to take the next step. If you're seeking Him wholeheartedly, you can trust He’s guiding—even through what feels like detours.

6. You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just have to listen, lean in, and walk.
Let’s keep navigating this messy intersection of faith, family, and business—together.

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