In 2019, God called me to move from my newfound home in Kansas City, Missouri to Chicago, Illinois. At the time I was working at a Neuropsychology clinic, in a nationally ranked hospital, and I was actively looking for Ph.D and Masters in Counseling programs. After I had stumbled upon North Parks counseling program in an internet search, a few weeks later, the head Neuropsychologist at the clinic, who I deeply admired, casually mentioned attending North Park University for his undergraduate studies. At the time, little did I know, I would end up in Evanston, to start my graduate school career at North Park University.
For months I wrestled with the idea of moving away from my new found home in Kansas City. Although I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Kansas City was where I planted after I finished my bachelors. It was “home” and my church was “home” too. Although I would never openly admit that I loved Kansas City, I did. But as my sense of urgency to move grew deeper overtime, I knew it was finally time to take a leap of faith.
Although Kansas City was “home” to me, there were some practical reasons that led me to believe it was time to go.
The first reason was opportunity.
Upon finishing high school, I was in Kansas City for 6 years. Each year, I was on a mission to build both my academic and professional career. I wanted to add as much relevant experience to my resume as I could, and I knew I wanted to be involved in the modeling industry. However, after I graduated, it felt like I had tapped out of my resources and job opportunities. I felt like I had worked at all the neuropsychology clinics I could work at, in my area, (there were only 2) and I had been exposed to all the behavioral health organizations. Not to mention, I had already reached my longtime goal of modeling in Kansas City Fashion Week, and I had already decided that the modeling agencies there weren’t a good fit for me.
Don’t get me wrong, Kansas City does have good opportunities for certain fields. But I felt like I had run out of opportunity in the field and industry I was called to be in. At that point, I knew I had extinguished my resources.
Moving to Chicago meant moving to a bigger city, with a bigger job market, and more opportunity. Missouri has a few neuropsychology clinics, but Chicago had countless. Missouri had some relevant behavioral health organizations, but Chicago had hundreds. Not to mention, Chicago is one of the fashion capitals of the world, so I knew I would have no problems getting involved in the world of modeling there.
Chicago began to look more and more like the land of opportunity. And I knew it would be a place I could ultimately grow.
Another one of my reasons for moving was community.
Although I was heavily involved in my church in Kansas City, I didn’t feel a sense of community there. I felt like I was “home” in a sense that I loved the atmosphere and I loved my pastor, but I didn’t necessarily feel like I belonged. Oftentimes, when I was immersed in my church’s culture, I felt an outsider. Getting involved in my church wasn’t easy, it felt forced and unnatural. I had to really “put myself out there” to show my desire to volunteer. Plus, I felt like I was struggling to “fit in” with the people and the energy there. Although, I love myself and I know that I am uniquely me, this saddened me. I just felt like I couldn’t find “my people” there, even when I tried.
Moving to Chicago would give me a fresh start to build real community and new friendships with people within the church and the city. Although I loved my friends in Kansas City, I wanted a chance to expand my circle and network with others. I longed for a close knit community and transparent friendships, and I struggled to find that in Kansas City.
Lastly, I wanted new experiences.
As an introvert, I am very picky when it comes to my type of fun. I am a big fan of recreational fun, like paint and sip, movies, brunch, wine tasting, nature walks, poetry nights, etc. Although Kansas City is filled with fun things to do, I felt like I’d “done it all” in Kansas City. My favorite spots to go felt like they’d been overdone and overplayed at one point.
Moving to Chicago would give me new places to explore, and a change of pace in my day to day life. As Chicago is a big city, it is full of aquariums, wineries, museums, nature sanctuaries, and things to do. As a girl in my 20’s I didn’t want to miss out on the sweet things that life had to offer.
Moving to the Evanston/ Chicago area was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I can honestly say that living by the lake in Evanston, has truly been lifegiving and healing for me.
Sisters, don’t become complacent in where you live. Remember that the world is BIG, and your possibilities are endless. When God wants to plant you somewhere new, He will show you! He will use family, school, career opportunities, and much more to get you in motion. It’s just up to you to listen and take the leap of faith!