Not a picture of our real house, but ours is welcoming like this!
Trusting God has been a theme for us this past year. In May 2018, we signed a real estate contract to sell our home. It all seemed unreal. We had sensed God’s nudging to move closer to my mom and to our son, daughter-in-law, and two precious grandchildren. It had taken more than two years to get the ball rolling. But now there was no return. We felt like we were about to walk off the edge of a cliff–not having any idea where we would land.
Times like this test the limits of your faith. Oh, Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief! Sometimes trusting God is a challenge. We had a short-term plan: we would stay at my mom’s until we figured out the next step. That’s always the tough part–the next step! We had so little to go on. Some friends had offered their home as a temporary place for us to live while they were away. We helped by watering plants and keeping their fresh garden produce from going to waste. Definitely a win-win situation! But then what’s next?
I like having a plan–at least knowing what I’m doing in the near future. It’s unsettling not to have a clue! A good friend confided, “Deb, I’m really concerned that you don’t really have a plan!” Uh…thanks for reminding me! The bottom line is this: we don’t always know the plan, but God does. This doesn’t mean we sit and do nothing while waiting for neon-sign directions. If only they happened that way! I’ve heard it said that “waiting” is active, not passive.
Be attentive -Notice what’s going on around you.
On a September day, about 6 weeks after we moved, I experienced God’s hand directing us in an amazing way. I’d been looking at my phone while we drove from our house-sitting home to my mom’s house. I’d gotten in the habit of looking for homes for sale. But on this day, I happened to notice a house for rent–a very cute Cape Cod design in the town where my mom lives. We hadn’t considered renting, but we decided to look.
It became clear this could be the “next step.” We were the first ones to call about the house. We found out later that rentals, especially nice ones, are impossible to find in this area. The moment a house is listed, it’s already taken. God had indeed gone before us. In fact, I must have seen this house seconds after the owner listed it online. To be first in line without even trying is so cool, so like God. The house was available in November, another indication of God’s perfect timing. We could fulfill our house-sitting commitment and then be ready to move in.
Be ready-When a door opens, walk through it.
On a dry (unusual for the Pacific Northwest) November day, all 9,120 lbs. of our stuff was delivered to our new home. I can hardly believe we’ve been here for 6 months–the timeline for our lease. We’ve decided to stay a while longer–and now my faith has been strengthened to believe God will show us the way. Maybe this is where we’ll stay indefinitely? Even though we don’t know the answer to this question, we know God knows. He is faithful. We can rest in this and be ready for the next step of our journey.
Are you in a time of transition where you need to trust God for your next step? I’d love to hear about it!
