When God Says “Go” Before He Shows You Where (A Genesis 12 reflection)

Genesis 12 stops me in my tracks.

Because when I read about Abram leaving everything familiar to go to a land God had not yet shown him, I don’t just see a Bible story anymore. I see a memory.

I see Cebu.

I see packed bags.

Two kids in tow.

A husband and wife holding hands tightly.

And hearts full of faith… mixed with fear.

When Leandro and I decided to move to Cebu to start SOVA, we didn’t have a blueprint. No relatives. No safety net. No guarantee that things would work out.

We only had a quiet conviction in our hearts that God was saying, “Go.”

And sometimes that one word from God feels both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

Because when God says go, He rarely gives the full plan.

He doesn’t show the timeline. He doesn’t reveal the outcome. He doesn’t hand you the map.

He gives the next step. And asks you to trust Him with the rest. So we stepped out in faith.

We left what was familiar and walked into the unknown with our children, holding onto one promise: God will not abandon us.

And slowly… step by step… we saw His hand.

People showed up at the right time. Doors opened we didn’t even know existed. Provision came in ways we never could have orchestrated ourselves.

That’s when we began to understand something deeply: God’s blessings are never meant to stop with us. They are meant to flow through us.

The students we met. The lives we encountered. The people who helped us start SOVA. God was blessing them too. His plans were always bigger than our comfort.

But here’s the part we don’t always talk about: obedience does not make the road easy. In fact, sometimes the tests come right after the calling.

Running a business stretched us in ways we never imagined. Marketing, finances, operations, sleepless nights, silent prayers whispered in the dark. Battles only we and God truly knew.

And then the whispers of fear started to creep in.

What if we fail?

What if we misunderstood God?

What if we are not safe here?

We say, “Lord, we trust You with our future.” But if we are honest, sometimes that trust becomes partial.

There came a moment when fear grew louder than faith. We chose to return to our hometown because it felt safer.

And that’s when Abram’s story became painfully real to me.

Abram left the Promised Land and went down to Egypt because of fear. He thought Egypt would be his security. He even lied about Sarai to protect himself.

The father of faith… ran.

The father of faith… feared.

The father of faith… failed.

And suddenly, I felt seen.

Because faith does not mean perfect courage. Faith does not mean perfect decisions. Faith means continuing even after fear and failure.

And this is the part of Genesis 12 that gives me so much hope:

Even when Abram ran, God protected him.

Even when Abram feared, God remained faithful.

Even when Abram failed, God did not cancel His plan.

Our failures do not cancel our calling.

Yes, there are consequences when we step out of God’s will. But grace is always bigger than our detours.

God escorted Abram and Sarai safely out of Egypt. And He continues to guide us back when we wander too.

Abram’s story didn’t begin with perfection. It began with a step of faith… and a whole lot of grace.

Maybe yours does too. 🤍