Why Waco?

I don’t know why but maybe this year felt so long yet short at the same time. It feels long because it feels like we’ve been living in Waco for a long time already, but it’s short since it’s only been over a year since we moved to this town.

I shared before why we moved to Waco and I thought of continuing it…

I know a lot of other Texan “city” dwellers find Waco to have absolutely nothing to see, of course compared to big cities like Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin. I’ve been to Dallas (and some of the suburbs), Houston, Austin and San Antonio and they are all charming cities. Each city has their own character (although I’m still trying to figure out the character of Houston).

So, this post is not about comparing Waco with these big cities of Texas. Keep that in mind. This post is about why we chose Waco and what made us appreciate this quaint and thriving little city of Texas.

Waco can be found in the heart of Texas, literally in Central Texas. It’s  an hour and 5 mins to Dallas and almost 3 hrs to Houston. It’s known for so many things in the past and unfortunately, it was of unfortunate events. However, Chip and Joanna of Fixer Upper helped bring this sleeping little town into a vibrant one.

So, most of you know now that Waco is the home of Magnolia. Previously, it was just a market, then it had grown exponentially and within a year during the pandemic, it’s now the home of Magnolia Network, the center of commercial during weekdays in Waco downtown. Around it, it has a thriving community of shops and businesses. And yes! during the pandemic, it wasn’t just Magnolia that has grown, it was the whole Waco! Food trucks started opening their own stores, new restaurants and shops started popping in. It’s vibrant all week and slows down during the weekend, making way for families and students (from Baylor University) to gather not just around shops and restaurants, but also in the vast natural trails and parks that the city offers.

Why we choose Waco?

Coming from the Philippines, I’ve had my fare share of travels. From various islands in the Philippines, to some major cities here in the US. I had a chance to live for a short time in the Bay Area of San Francisco California, experienced the southern hospitality in North Carolina and lived in a diplomat’s town house in New York. I got married to the love of my life in a quaint lovely town called Winona Lake in Northern Indiana.

My husband and I both came from a family who’s grown up in a town where our families are deeply ingrained in the community. In the house where I grew up, I’m in the 5th generation of our family who lived in that house.

Then in our first year of marriage, we moved to Ohio, and then Kentucky, Indiana, Philippines and then back to Ohio. Our most recent move was from Ohio to Texas. In my married life alone, we’ve moved a total of 8 times!

So, why Waco? I did asked myself that in 2019 as I processed the questions thrown at us from each directions.

Honestly, what really opened our hearts in Waco was unknown at the time we were packing our small moving pod filled with bins and 3 beds. It was not until after a year being in Waco that God completely revealed to us why He brought us here.

We’ve tried to justify within our own finite minds what can be the reason to move here, to appease the people around us because we’ve always been drawn to please people. But those are reasons we’ve given ourselves to make us feel good about our decision.

A lot of times, we are unsure of the decisions we make.
You may be unsure with a business venture you’re starting or if He’s calling you to move somewhere.

So, the question goes back to “Why Waco?”

It wasn’t really the wonder in this little town. We moved here because God called us to move here. That’s it. Period. The rest is history…and stories that continues to unfold.

We learned that…

It’s okay if you don’t have all the answers.

It’s okay if you cannot fully explain the “whys”.

You don’t owe anyone an answer.

You don’t owe anyone an explanation.

So the why now or in the future may not be clear, but I want to encourage you that just like us, you’ll get there.

Be patient and trust Him, because He will take you there.

It’s almost 19 months and it feels like we’ve been living here for years. God is so gracious, He has always taken care of us in different places we’ve lived. He always provided people for us to connect and a community.

And yes! The story continues….so stay tuned.