Two years ago this January we sold our house in Boston...
it's been since then that we've been believing for a house here in the desert.
We've been dreaming and praying and looking, but to no avail,
until November 1st. :)
That was the day Trav "found our house".
But let me back up.
In August, we came to a pretty frustrating point in our house hunt.
It came after another long outing with our friend and realtor Stan...
hauling four kids around in and out of car seats to look at a LOT of houses.
NONE of them (again) suited what we were dreaming for.
It wasn't that we were finding all these houses we loved and just weren't
getting the bid...we couldn't find what we liked in the area where we wanted
to be. So we came home a little discouraged and I really began
to wonder...does what we want even exist??
So--we went ahead and signed another year lease in the house we're currently in,
and re-upped in our hearts to believe God for the best for our family.
A few evenings later Trav was looking at houses on the computer and
found nothing. He shut the computer and began to pray and ask God
what we were supposed to do in regards to finding a house for our family.
Up until this point, it really felt like we were just spinning our wheels...
and then God spoke.
Travis felt like God said, don't look at any more houses for 77 days.
Turning to Psalm 77, he felt as though every time we would be looking for a house to instead...PRAY.
To call out to the Lord, seek His face and believe for His favor.
Turning to Psalm 77, he felt as though every time we would be looking for a house to instead...PRAY.
To call out to the Lord, seek His face and believe for His favor.
So we didn't look online, didn't drive around and see what's for sale,
didn't go to open houses, we just prayed.
didn't go to open houses, we just prayed.
So random--77 days! But we went for it. What did we have to loose??
That took us to November 1st. He had closed his computer that night in August
at 10pm...so it was at 10pm on the 1st that he opened it again!
(love the faithfulness of my husband to obey God completely!)
I was in the kitchen and he was sitting on our couch and I heard him say as he
began to look...
"Well, I found our house...
but it's pending."
So we had been praying and believing for this:
a large plot of land (with a house on it!), close to where we are currently
living, for cheap enough that we could redo it and make it what we wanted
for how we live life.
It doesn't sound like this would have been so hard to find...HOWEVER,
it was impossible up until this point.
I remember saying back to him, don't even show it to me...if it's already
pending then it must not be for us. (oh, me of little faith!)
But Trav continued to investigate the property...
He was beginning to feel and sense something about this house but at the
same time, knew it was too late.
But because Trav is the kind of person that likes to try and push even closed doors open,
he made a call on it and we went to see it 3 days later.
We didn't have much time that day because we were heading to soccer practice, but as we pulled up and began to walk around the land my eyes filled with tears...I sensed the presence of God and something began to resonate in my spirit. We quickly toured the house and as we left I said kids,
put your hand on this door and ask God for this house! My heart was full of faith but really had no idea how this was going to work out!
The next day we asked the owner about submitting a back-up offer and he said that just that day he had thought it would be great to have an accepted backup offer. So he gave us a few stipulations such as a quick close and using his title company and signed our backup offer that day even though there had originally been 5 offers put on the house. So we were technically in 2nd place for the house at this point.
In the meantime we started a campaign as a family to pray and believe for this house.
It was all we had been believing for and more.
A mile and a half from where we live now, lots of land for our kids, and for hosting,
a good size house for parties and lifegroup, etc...
So everyday the kids and I would drive around the neighborhood and pray--
there are a lot of animals around too so that made the praying that much more fun.
Horses, ponies, sheep, goats, chicken, and a bull!
As we would drive and pray tears would stream down my face. I felt like this was it,
there wasn't a doubt in my mind that it was, but I had no idea how God was going to make it work.
We'd wait on the Lord each time and the kids would get words...
Ellie one time said, "God told me that this is our house."
Gracie too, heard God say..."You're going to be able to have lots and lots of kids over at this house"
Gracie too, heard God say..."You're going to be able to have lots and lots of kids over at this house"
And even sweet Emmy...one day we had driven and prayed for a little while and then we were on to another errand and I heard her say, "He said I would always be there!"
I asked her, "Who said you'd always be where??"
"God said I'd always be at that house!"
Such sweet words from my little ones. At this point I knew that we had fully brought our kids into this process and there was a good chance they would be disappointed if a miracle didn't happen for us to get this house. But I didn't care. I'd rather pastor them through what happens when we don't get what we were expecting rather than keep them from seeing a mighty move of God!
So we saw the house first on a Monday, prayed Tues, Wed, Thurs...then Trav took the kids over there on Friday and felt like God said, get everyone out of the car, get on your knees in the front yard of the house and pray...I know, crazy (the house was vacant though).
They did, and then got back in the car. Moments later Trav hears from the realtor...
the owner had called him and wants to know if we can close in two weeks.
Yes!! We can! And basically...the rest is history. The current buyers had asked for a two week extension and the owner didn't want to give it to them...so they accepted our back up offer!
We had to go through a 3 day "cure" period for the other party to try and "cure" their problems,
We had to go through a 3 day "cure" period for the other party to try and "cure" their problems,
and then it was ours!
We weren't exactly sure when that cure period ended so we kept praying...on Wednesday the 13th we were driving around the house and Gracie said, "God said he's going to give us this house today."
Sure enough--that day we got the call and signed the papers.
Two weeks later--we closed.
As of yesterday, the house is ours.
Our dream...and then some.
The place we will more than likely live for year and years.
So crazy, that after near two years of looking, then taking ourselves off the market for 77 days and then 27 days later we have a house! How good it is to trust God and not make things happen in your own strength.
So crazy, that after near two years of looking, then taking ourselves off the market for 77 days and then 27 days later we have a house! How good it is to trust God and not make things happen in your own strength.
Pecan trees!
A pool!
Orange trees!
I am blown away. The turnover in this neighborhood is so low--houses rarely come up on the market here because people have lived there for years and years...but God made a way!
So once renovations are complete we will move from Alameda to Esquire.
When we moved to Alameda I wrote this post. Alameda means "a promenade through
the trees"...our promenade has been much longer than we ever expected but
it has been well worth the wait!
I love walking with God. He always has the best in mind for us.
So as I write this on Thanksgiving morning...
THANK YOU GOD FOR OUR NEW HOUSE!
