As many of you know, we have been in and continue to be in a period of intense transition. Never in my life have I experienced anything that compares. In the last three months, nearly every facet of our lives has changed or is in the process of being changed. Still, God has “wowed” us with his amazing love and faithfulness!
We placed our beloved home of twelve years on the market August 18. We had convinced ourselves that our home was going to be hard to sell and probably on the market for weeks if not months. Ha…talk about a lack of faith! Just two days later we had our first showing, and the very next day an offer on the house in the amount we were needing. We were shocked at God’s goodness. As hard as it would be to say good bye to our precious home, we knew God was making a way for us. We would not have to endure months of wondering,
”is the house going to sell?”, not to mention all the preparation it takes an eleven member family to get a home ready for a showing (yikes!). We had no immediate plans on where we would live at the end of the month. But we knew that if God had sold our house so quickly he would surely provide SOME place for us to live.
The house was shown on a Sunday afternoon. That evening in church, Chris was sharing about our call to Ukraine, and that we had placed our house on the market, and that IF it did sell quickly we were not sure where we would be living until we were ready to head to Ukraine. The day after our house sold, we received an email from a woman that was in church that night, and heard of our need. She had not one, but several rental properties to offer us, under the condition we would NOT pay any rent! We were floored! God had met our need immediately.
Two weeks later, we were having a massive garage sale to get rid of what we knew we would not be bringing to Ukraine. It was overwhelming to say the least. Keepsakes and décor that had made our house a home had to go. Still God was good. He provided the grace to let go of those things, and the man power it was going to take for such a sale. We were blown away again when the sale made almost 3,000 dollars!
After the garage sale, we had almost two weeks before we would be moving. Those were some of the hardest days. I had no idea I would have so much grief over giving up our home. I was embarrassed at my emotions. You would think a close friend was dying the way my heart was breaking. I think what made it even harder, was that we had no real idea of when we would have a home of our own again. Now, don’t get me wrong, our home was far from a show place. But it was homey, and comfortable. It fit our family and especially our many disabled children. It was my safe place. Again, God was faithful. He walked along side us, He made us realize that it is ultimately Him, who is our shelter and refuge.
The house we were moving into had not had anyone living in it for some time. There were quite a few minor projects that needed to be completed before we could move in. The lady who was providing it for us literally worked day and night to get it ready for us. Some of the people from her Sunday school class even gave up a Saturday to make this house a home. They painted, put up fence panels, shampooed carpet, retextured and painted the ceiling, and gave the whole house a deep cleaning. We were overwhelmed and humbled by all the preparations done on our behalf. Through these who gave so freely, Christ lavished His love upon us once again. He used not only the provision of this house, but the hard work of others to show his faithfulness and comfort us in what was a very difficult and stressful time.
The week after we moved in, Chris had scheduled a trip to Ukraine to begin to get things in order for our move. His first night there we were caught off guard again by God’s goodness. The home where we have stayed many times while in Ukraine, and were planning to live in temporarily until we could find or build something to meet the needs of our family, was offered to us by the owner. We never imagined they would want to sell this house and property. Not only that, but they were offering it to us at half the market value. The house is modest, but large. There is a main house, and then added on to the house is a two story building that has a large common area downstairs, which we could use for ministry, and then 6 dorm style rooms upstairs. When combined with the 3 bedrooms in the main house, there would be ample room for our family, and various ministry opportunities. Not only that, but the house is fully furnished. Right off the bat we would have all we needed. This house has a special place in our hearts already. It was in this very house one summer night in Ukraine, that God confirmed our call to adopt. It is also the place we have brought each of our adopted children home to. In a sense their first experience of a home. Here they experienced many of their “firsts”. I couldn’t help but stand in awe of what God was doing. Here we were, not even a full week out of our home we had loved and cherished, and while our hearts were still raw from letting it go, God had given us a place that was just as dear. He had given us a place to dream of and hope for. It was an out pouring of His love on us.
Still he has given cause to trust Him. The price of the house, while more than fair, is nearly double what we had thought we would spend. Yet, we are confident that if this is where He wants us He will provide. He has more than proved Himself faithful these last few months.
Our lives have been shaken to the very core these last few months. I was reminded Sunday of this passage, it was very fitting to what God has been accomplishing in us.
At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is created things, so that WHAT CANNOT BE SHAKEN WILL REMAIN.
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our “ God is a consuming fire.”
Hebrews 12:26-29
No matter what is being shaken in our lives, we serve an awesome and loving Father, who is working on our behalf to establish those eternal treasures that will remain.
Blessing His Unfailing Name.