You do not need a perfect plan. You do not need full confidence.
And if we’re being honest, you probably won’t ever get either.
Sometimes the life you are meant to live begins in the middle of fear, exhaustion, and a decision that looks a little insane from the outside.
For us, this was not the first time stepping into the unknown.
Back in 2020, our family spent two years serving with YWAM in Hawaii, Mexico, and Panama. It was one of the hardest and most beautiful seasons of our lives, a time that shaped our family deeply and strengthened our walk with Jesus. We grew together, learned to trust God in unfamiliar places, and saw firsthand that the world is far less scary than we had once believed.
Then life brought us back home to Canada.
We told ourselves it was temporary. We said we needed time to sort things out, rebuild, and return to “normal life.” And for a while, we tried. We wrapped ourselves in practical reasons and respectable excuses, the kind that sound responsible enough to keep fear comfortable.
But two things never stopped pulling at my heart: the desire to travel, and the desire to use storytelling and social media in a way that serves God’s kingdom.
That pull never really left.
So we did the wild thing again. We sold everything. Again. Only this time, it cost even more.
I walked away from the candle business I had worked so hard to build. I left my job as market director running vendor markets and craft fairs. Warren stepped away from his work as a tow truck driver, technically while on paternity leave, which, yes, is exactly as chaotic and mildly unhinged as it sounds.
We were postpartum. We were exhausted. We were financially unsure.
We had some money coming in from paternity leave, but that also meant we had a deadline ticking quietly in the background.
And underneath all of it was the fear no parent wants to say out loud: What if this all fails? What if we end up stranded in a foreign country with our children and no way home? That fear was real. But so was the feeling that waiting for the perfect time meant waiting forever.
The moment that made it painfully clear came around Halloween, when we realized our oldest son was now “too old” to go trick-or-treating. It hit me all at once. Time with our children is not endless. There will always be another reason to wait. More money to save. A better season. A more stable plan. But childhood does not wait.
So we stepped out anyway.
Not fearless. Not fully certain. Not with a flawless roadmap.
Just with enough faith to take the next step.
If you know YWAM, you know the saying: sometimes 51% certainty is enough to move when you believe God is leading. That was us.
Fifty-one percent faith. Forty-nine percent fear. Still walking.
We left on November 24, 2025, on Warren’s 35th birthday.
And almost immediately, God met us there in ways we never could have planned.
A financial cushion arrived when we needed it most. Provision showed up in unexpected ways. Grace met us in motion. Because sometimes clarity doesn’t come before the step.
Sometimes it comes because of it.
A Different Life Is Possible
If you’re here, maybe you’ve been feeling it too. That pull toward something different. A life that feels slower, more present, more aligned with the family you actually want to build.
Maybe it feels exciting. Maybe it feels terrifying. Maybe both.
That doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. It means you’re human.
Fear is not always a stop sign. Sometimes it’s simply the edge of something new.
If you feel like God is leading you somewhere that looks impossible from the outside, trust that He is already in the next step. You do not need to see the whole path. You only need enough faith for the next yes.
A Few Practical First Steps
Because faith and wisdom can absolutely coexist, despite our best efforts as humans to separate them at times, they actually do best as a team.
1. Talk as a family
Start with honest conversations.
What does everyone want? What are they nervous about? What would make this feel exciting instead of overwhelming?
2. Decide what learning looks like
If you’re worldschooling or homeschooling, think about what education will actually look like for your family.
Keep expectations low and flexibility high.
3. Start with one destination
Don’t pressure yourself to plan the whole world.
Pick one place that feels safe, doable, and aligned with your family’s needs.
4. Choose gear that works for real life
Luggage, baby carriers, backpacks, tech, learning supplies.
Pick what makes movement easier, not prettier.
5. Book family-friendly stays
Look for places that support your real rhythm: kitchen access, sleeping space, laundry, walkability, and room for the chaos of kids.
6. Let the first version be imperfect
The first trip does not need to be your forever plan.
It only needs to be your first step.
For The Families Still Waiting
If you’re in the someday phase, this is your reminder: Someday is built out of small brave decisions.
Not certainty. Not perfection. Just movement… Start before you’re ready.
Your kids won’t remember whether the plan was flawless. They’ll remember that you were there. That you chose the life in front of you. That you trusted God enough to walk.
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