You can live any place you choose when you work from home!

During much of the pandemic, some businesses let employees work from their houses. People often felt restless indoors for long weeks. Some thought about moving away from big cities. They hoped to go to less crowded areas. They also wanted to save money.

Many places want to attract more people to live and work. New people buy local products. Restaurants get more business. Grocery stores sell more. More homes are sold. More people means more tax money going to those states and cities.

What if a state offered you $10,000 to move to it? That’s a big reason Ahmed Zuhairy (zoo-harry) and Anela Malik (muh-leek) packed their bags. They were living in a small apartment in Washington, D.C. They moved to a three-bedroom house in Arkansas.

Both worked from their apartment. They were getting in each other’s way! Mr. Zuhairy and Mrs. Malik searched online. They hunted for places that offer what they enjoy. Mr. Zuhairy wanted bike trails. Mrs. Malik wanted restaurants. Both love being in nature. Northwest Arkansas kept popping up in their research.

Life Works Here is an Arkansas program. It invites people to apply for money and other prizes. Winners move to Arkansas to stay for at least a year. There were 35,000 applicants. Mr. Zuhairy and Mrs. Malik won!

Several other states offer similar programs. Kansas, West Virginia, Georgia, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Vermont all say they will pay to draw new neighbors.

Having more space and saving money are great perks. But people matter most. James 2:8 teaches, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mrs. Malik says, “It was the people here that made up our minds for us when we came.” 

When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. — Proverbs 11:10

Why? Where you live is a big decision! Think about the kind of places you’d like to live—and ask yourself why. Think about the people you will share life with.

Pray you will have wisdom about where you live and how to love your neighbors well.