(Part I)
Dear Readers, I am still leaning so much from this testimony so I am revisiting this experience with you as well.
“It’s all in God’s timing.”
We hear this quoted quite often when waiting to see answers to our prayers. But I believe we have used this theology to paint a wide stroke over prayer needs, in error.
I would like to share a testimony, with scripture, to illustrate this point.
Back in June 2021 the Lord put it on our hearts to look for a new home.
We had lived in our house for 28 years, that I am so grateful for, but it was small with limited space, well, everywhere. The food pantry was about 2 ft. wide and 3 ft. deep, and the washer/dryer were located in the kitchen as well.
We had the best neighbors on a quiet cul-de-sac street so that was a blessing, but really no privacy. I know we were a “bit late” on this decision, but with my husband about to retire it was needful to find our forever home.
So one night, my hubby and I sat down at our kitchen table and discussed what we wanted. White picket fence, large porch, plenty of cabinet space in the kitchen, farm sink, granite countertops, large private back yard, and lots of character!
After a couple of weeks we had completed the vision and wrote it down according to Habakkuk 2:2-3.
“Then the Lord answered me and said: ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it, For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
And we also asked the Lord to put an agreement of peace in both of our hearts when we found the right one. We pinned that vision on our fridge as a reminder.
We began to search in earnest, with the help of a dear friend of 35 years who is also a Realtor. Every night I logged into Har.com to look over the listings. Now, this was when home values had begun to skyrocket, along with the shortage of homes on the market.
Every day I would read our vision on the fridge, declare the verse (God’s promise) over it, and thanked the Lord for our new home.
Needless to say, during that period the pickens were slim, and by the time October rolled around I was more than a little weary of the whole process. I was praying every day for the Lord to “show us our home”
We went to several showings along the way, and even put an offer on one of them only to lose out to someone else.
One home showed promise, yet it wasn’t exactly what we had in mind, but again, we were so tired by this point, and worn down, ready to compromise on the vision pinned on our fridge.
It was a nice home and we found out that we even knew the family who were selling it. It had been on the market for a few months, and the price had just been reduced. It was reasonable for that current market, and in an established neighborhood. And even though there was some minor foundation repairs needed (they had started them, but had not completed the job), our Realtor advised us “to take this one into serious consideration.”
In a rush, my hubby met me after work to look it over, and it had many of the things we had written down on our list. Besides, the foundation, it did need some touch up work, but nothing major that we knew of.
Again, it was a really nice home, but in my spirit something didn’t feel right. Yet, the pressure to “grab it before it was gone” set in and we put an offer on the house that day. (Here’s a good reminder, the Devil always pushes, the Holy Spirit leads.)
I have to tell you, in my heart a real grief/dread set in. There is a verse in Colossians that tells us to, “… let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (NKJV)
That word “rule” is used in the context of an umpire. As we move in a direction Holy Spirit will either give us peace about it, or unrest in our decisions. If we stay sensitive to His leading.
Well, during that entire night I did not sleep, I had less and less peace about our decision. It wasn’t fear, it was shear dread. In truth, I had such a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach just imaging us purchasing that home. But my hubby seemed to think the decision made sense, dollar wise, and again, it was a nice home.
The next day we told our son about it, he works at a bank in the Southern part of the county, and was helping us with the financing. He was very excited about the selling price and that the home showed promise with some minor touch-ups. So, thumb’s up from him, which was nice.
Because of the unrest in my spirit, I contacted our Pastor about it, and found out that my Pastor’s parents had actually built that home!!! What???
They said that they prayed over the property while it was being built and over the years they held many Bible Studies and prayer meetings in that home.
Some of your reading this might think, “Well, theirs your confirmation!’ Yet even with this news my mind found some consolation, yet in my spirit the unrest was still there, maybe even a little stronger.
My Pastor agreed that it was a nice home, but as a good Shepard, we were wisely counseled to, “go with what Holy Spirit is telling you to do.”
That same day, the seller’s accepted our offer and even said that “since they new our family, they would finish the repairs in the foundation and pay all closing cost. Talk about pressure!! Everyone was telling us to grab this house. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly for us to buy this home. It looked good! (But just because “it” looks good, does not always mean it is God.)
Some people said I was experiencing “buyer’s remorse,” but it wasn’t a fear, it was shear dread, and it was getting stronger with each “good” report. (But you know, “compromise” is the language of the Devil. If he can’t get you to change your mind, he will try to wear you down and accept less than God’s best.)
At the same time, my hubby’s job was extremely busy, so he was coming and going so much with long working hours. When I kept asking him if he liked the home he would reply, “Sure, it’s a nice house.”
He had been so busy he didn’t have a lot of time to help me look, so I knew he just wanted to see us done with the whole process. So, he would reply, “Whatever you want, I’m good.”
We barely had time to talk, but finally, in passing that evening, I stopped him and looked him right in the eye, “Honey, tell me. In your heart, what do YOU think about this house?”
He looked at me a long minute and quietly said, “Sweetheart, it’s a good house, but, it’s not ‘our” house!”
Immediately the peace of God flooded my heart and soul.
Instant relief, and I knew what to do …
Please look for Part 2 continued in next week’s Alvin Advertiser Newspaper.
Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com
