A Dream Shift

Five years ago, a young couple pregnant with their first drew up plans for their dream home. It had a very open concept with lots of windows to overlook the valley of their dream location. They set goals and planned. They were on the right track to have construction start in five years. The home would be built and livable, but not completely finished, right away. It would be finished out as they lived in it.

This was a wonderful dream…but God had other dreams for them. Five years later, they have three kids and a fourth on the way. Living mainly on one source of income, and quickly growing their expenses, they saw their plan of five years stretch to ten. Then realizing that the size of their family now meant they would need to finish out more of the house for it to even be livable, it stretched to fifteen. Now their oldest is graduated and gone and the others are not far behind.

This is us. What is the point of building a dream home for just the two of us, when we have raised our family and built a home in another location? As a stay-at-home mom, building a home for my family is a top priority. I am not talking about boards and sheetrock, but rather the space and atmosphere they call home.

Looking at the reality of our wonderful life as a family, Brett and I realized simultaneously (without the other knowing at the time) that our “dream” home was no longer our dream. The Lord had rearranged what we thought our life would look like five years ago, and with that came new dreams and new visions.

After going through “You and Me Forever” by Francis and Lisa Chan, the Lord has given us a stronger motivation and passion for an eternal mindset. We needed that study and challenge for us to realize that we would be working really hard for fifteen years to build our kingdom here.

Through that study and the encouragement of others in my life, I have found a satisfaction and joy in the simple. The simplicity of what we actually need live a full life for the Lord, and that no matter what I do here on earth, it will not mean anything unless it has eternal value. What I thought my dream was for our family, was no longer my dream at all.

Three weeks ago, we were still planning on building…eventually. Now, we are breaking ground to move in a house the end of August! It is not even remotely close to what our original plans were for a dream home, but it has quickly become our dream home, and we cannot wait to move in September. It is simple and perfect. We are moving to our dream location in a home that will fit our family so wonderfully.

It has been a crazy three weeks! The Lord has opened doors and provided in so many ways. It has been and will continue to be a journey of faith and trusting in Him. We had a lot of unknowns going into this, but the Lord made it clear this is what He wanted for our family, and we stepped forward in faith trusting He had a plan.

I want to share our journey thus far, because it is a testimony to God’s never-ending faithfulness and His provision.

It all began three weeks ago when I came across a Facebook listing for a double wide mobile home. Neither Brett, nor I had considered living in a mobile home. Yet, this one was in great condition and actually had more square footage than the current house we are living in. I didn’t even think that was possible with a mobile home.

We went to see it but not having talked to our banker or even having land to put it on, we could not put in an offer and the house sold that day. Yet, this began our journey of exploring the double wide mobile home world, and if it was a cost-effective reality for our family.

A few days later we found another large double wide that needed some TLC. We went and looked at it and it was a definite NO! We, or should I say, I love fixer upper projects. I get energy around making something new out something old and giving it new life. Yet, this house was way too far gone.

That really made us evaluate if we want a fixer upper or a move in ready home. We were open to a fixer upper, but only if the fixing was strictly a facelift, not down to the bones of the home.

Then the Lord threw a home in our lap that was slightly larger than the first one we went to go see the weekend before, and much nicer. We came home from a trip to Wyoming on Saturday late afternoon, caught a few hours of sleep, left the kids with Brett’s folks, and headed to South Dakota at 2:00 a.m. to look at the home the following morning. On the way there we prayed and set our ideal price. We prayed that if it was the Lord’s will, the owner would accept our offer. It was much less than he was asking. We also prayed that if this house was the Lord’s will that the ideal move time for the seller would line up with our schedule practically as well, seeing as we hadn’t even started buying the land yet. End of August was most ideal for us.

We were instantly in love with the home. Most homes I walk into and ponder the things I would want to change. With this house it just fit. From the marble countertops to the barn wood trim, I was in love. Four bedrooms and two bathrooms with a total of 2,000+ square feet, meant it would fit our family perfectly. We asked the owner when he wanted it moved out by and he said ideally by September first. Answer to prayer #1. Brett then asked if he would take what we were wanting to pay for the house, and he didn’t even counteroffer. Answer to prayer #2.

The Lord had provided this home for our family.

The next phone call was the county. The location we wanted to put our house was down a minimum maintenance road, and if the county would not gravel and maintain it for us, we could not live up there. We were praying again. There was a possibility we would have to cover the cost to bring the road back up to snuff, and then they would maintain it from there for us. This was an expense we would obviously love to avoid.

Turns out, the road actually is not categorized as a minimum maintenance road, but rather just is not maintained often. The county agreed to gravel it and maintain it on a regular basis at no charge to us if we lived up there. Praise the Lord!

We then visited the bank to get the ball rolling. Only to find out that we couldn’t get a normal mortgage loan, because we were moving in a house. The only time you can move in a home with a normal loan is when it is coming straight from the manufacture. Therefore, we were looking at a construction loan. Which still worked great for us but involved a little more paperwork and time.

Meanwhile, another buyer was interested in the house. We reached out to the homeowner and let him know that we could make a downpayment but would be unable to close on our loan for 30-60 days. We gave him time to think. Meanwhile we were praying that if this wasn’t the Lord’s will, that He would close the door, and the homeowner would choose the other buyer.

The homeowner agreed upon a downpayment with us. The door was held open, and we signed a purchase agreement.

That night Brett and I were pulling out some of the gold we had invested in to sell in order to make the rest of the downpayment. As we sat their looking at a portion of what we had built up, we pondered if this was the Lord’s will. We wanted to be wise with the funds the Lord had given to us and longed to follow His leading. We wanted to be positive this was His will. We joked that if only God would speak to us like He did Moses and tell us exactly what he wanted us to do.

After lightly chuckling at the thought, we both looked at each other. I asked Brett if God made His will for our family clear, would we move forward without hesitation even though there were lots of unknowns and risks involved? He quickly replied yes. I agreed. The money we had wasn’t ours to begin with, it was a gift from the Lord. If He made His will clear and we held on to such on earthly thing so tightly that we missed out on something great the Lord had in store for us to learn, then what are we doing? No amount of money was worth not following where God was leading. In the end, if we lost it all, what are we really loosing? Just stuff that will fade away!

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24

The next morning, I headed to Kearney. Brett had called ahead to the shop we originally bought the gold from to let them know I was coming. They told him they may not be able to buy all of it, and if they could, it may be weeks before we would receive a check. Since gold is so high right now, not many people are buying. Therefore, they sell gold to a third party and often have to wait for payment from them before they can send out a check to the original seller. Meanwhile, we needed to make the downpayment tomorrow according to our purchase agreement.

Brett looked up other shops and had forwarded their info to me if the original place could not buy all of our gold. Yet, it was not a guarantee that those shops would be buying gold currently either.

The whole way to Kearney I was praying that the Lord would close the door if this was not His will for our family. If it was His will, I was praying He would open doors and give us the faith to jump whole heartily through them. Even if everyone around us thought we were crazy!

I drove home from Kearney with a check in hand for the full amount we needed! The Lord not only held the door open, but He made it so wide that we were able to sell it all at the original place. I called Brett and he told me he had been praying all morning exactly what I had been praying. We both knew without a doubt that this was the Lord’s will for our family.

I cried almost the whole way home praising the Lord for His provision and clarity. I also prayed for strength, and the faith that we needed to move forward without fear or hesitation.

The Lord brought the disciples to mind. When Jesus called them to follow Him, they were to drop everything, leave everything, and follow without question. We often think we would have the courage to do this, but sometimes we do not realize how strong we hold on to our earthly lives until the Lord calls us to possibly give them up.

I held my hands open at a stop sign. Outload, I told the Lord that He could have it all. I fully trusted in Him! Afterall, He loves my family even more than I do. This has been a journey of faith for Brett and me. The Lord has already grown us tremendously in the last three weeks and it is only the beginning!

The next day, the money was scheduled to be wired to the owner. A banker called me and cautioned me. In the purchase agreement it laid out that the down payment was non-refundable and that the homeowner had the right to back out after 60 days if we did not pay in full. Brett and I were nervous about this fact just the night prior, but after the Lord made it so clear this was His will, we were all in, no matter the risk.

I am sure everyone around them thought the disciples were a little crazy too. We greatly value advice and wisdom from those who have walked more of life than we have. We had already reached out to the people we admire most, who follow the Lord above all else, and they encouraged us in this journey. As far as a money driven, worldly-minded person went, we didn’t need other’s approval, we only needed God’s and that was enough. I told the banker we appreciated him reaching out in concern for us financially, but we were confident in moving forward.

I then received an email that the check would take another day to clear, and because it was a Friday, the transfer could not happen until Monday. I reached out to the homeowner briefly explaining the situation. While I waited for a reply, I once again prayed that the Lord would close the door if it was not His will.

A little while later, a ding came from my phone. I nervously lifted it up and read the message. The homeowner was fine with Monday! Another reassurance from the Lord after some worldly doubt had crept in due to the banker’s warning.

All weekend we were at peace moving forward. That Monday the transfer went through, and the ticking clock began!

We had already been in contact with some surveyors to get the land from my grandparents sectioned off, but they were all so busy, they were booked out at least a month before they could even come out. From their it would be weeks until all their paperwork was done. We then found one that could come out in two weeks. He warned us that it looked like one of the corner points could be missing. If that was the case, the county would need to come out to put the point back in. A possible delay.

Brett had connections at work with an engineer who made some phone calls and got us in touch with a surveyor that could come out later that week and for half the price! We were so grateful for his help. I canceled the original appointment with the previous surveyor.

Later that week the surveyor came out and found all the points, including the one that could have been missing! Praise the Lord! A delay that was looking very possible in the sight of man (before we wired the downpayment), was not a delay in the sight of God. I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:7.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

When we first stepped forward in faith with the downpayment, trusting the Lord with the timeframe, any earthly person would tell you it was risky. To man’s eyes there could be delays and loss of funds. There were no guarantees. This journey has allowed us to actively live this verse out. The Lord had made it clear that this was where He was leading, and we stepped forward in faith even when all sight would tell you it was risky.

We are currently waiting on the surveyor to get his side of the process done and all the correct paperwork we need to get permits and such. Moving forward from there, we will be able to get the land in our name and close on the loan. All Lord willing within 60 days of our downpayment on the house.

There are still many unknows and possible glitches that can occur, but I know one thing, God has called us into this. We are moving forward trusting Him with everything. In the end, if all goes as man has planned and we move in September, all praise be to the Lord. If delays happen and we lose it all, praise the Lord! Everything we have is a gift from Him and we are along for the journey to learn all the things the Lord has to teach us through the process. We know He has called us into this for a purpose. We pray that whatever it looks like, it will bring Him glory and honor and praise.

We definitely appreciate all of your prayers as we continue this journey. Lord willing, we will move the house to our land the end of August and move into it in September.

Five years ago, a young couple pregnant with their first drew up plans for their dream home. Today, pregnant with their fourth, they move forward with a completely different house even more excited for the journey than they were before. This is the journey God has for us!

Maybe my new dream is a simple earthly one with an eternal purpose and mindset.