Our Unexpected Transition

It is hard to believe it has been thirteen years since we moved to Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America, in 2012 to be closer to family.

This huge metropolis was certainly not a place we would have chosen for relocation at this stage in our lives. Our children, who wanted us closer to them, would never understand the daunting emotional stress of our move—the loss of home, friends, work associates, church members, neighbors, and community. They were young.

We were seniors. “Lord, help us to adjust and make new friends” was my simple prayer. The closest church to us, postmove, had over three thousand members. It was way too large for my liking, but we could get there without getting on the congested interstate. So, we arrived at Sabbath School early enough each week to claim our favorite aisle seats—row six from the back on the left. We reviewed names as we traveled to church and did our best to put names with faces so we could smile and speak with others before Sabbath School, during greeting time, and after church. The Wednesday evening service was also a great place to meet members. We learned that several members had relatives who lived in the Midwest, where we had lived for forty-eight years: Kansas City, Missouri; Kansas City, Atchison, and Leavenworth, Kansas; Denver, Colorado; and Omaha, Nebraska. We met others who knew at least one of our children. I thought that perhaps other transfer and new members wanted friends as we did. With that in mind, the clerk, with approval, provided me with their names and phone numbers. I welcomed them to our church by phone, and we met them after the service.

We invited them, along with others, to our home for a meal.

This became an awesome Holy Spirit–led ministry that was such a blessing to us. We made friends for life. Hopefully, this ministry can be resumed soon.

One of the beauties of being part of God’s family is being able to stay connected with friends—no matter where you live. Several of our Kansas City friends have relatives who live here in Georgia. Others have visited while on business trips.

Some have come just to see us. Whatever the case may be, their visits have been a blessing. Our children were kind enough to invite us to move closer.

We just had to put our feet in the Red Sea and let the Lord do the rest.

Shirley Sain Fordham