Have you ever looked back at your life and thought “yep, God’s hand was on that?” I can honestly say that I have had my God moments. I can look back on my life and pick certain moments where I knew, in hindsight, that God was working on something so big and so great that it would break my heart with joy. But I had to wait and waiting is hard.
Two years ago, Carmelo (my husband) and I were blessed with our first, and only, home. Here we are, comfortably into middle age, purchasing a home for the first time. We had dreamed, of course, when we were first married to own a home. We even tried several times to purchase a home. Each time, for some reason, the mortgage fell through or the home owner backed out. Each time, our hearts broke a little more and our dream of owning a home seemed a little less likely. After the last time, over ten years ago, Carmelo told me enough was enough. He was done trying for a home. I agreed. So we became renters.
Through those rental years, I finally came to peace with the idea that we would not be homeowners. It dawned on me that maybe that wasn’t part of God’s plan for me and I was okay with that. No matter what house we lived in, we made sure that it our kids knew they were loved, through the hard times and the good times.
But then in late 2015, a friend from work started mentioning a house she was getting ready to put on the market. Her dad had passed away not too long before and it had been one of his rentals. She needed the money to pay for her mom’s in home care provider. We would have conversations on and off about her carrying the home loan but she always said no. Finally, one day, I asked to see the house and take a tour. I immediately fell in love with it. It wasn’t fancy but had two toilets and central heating and air. If you have raised as many kids as I have, you understand the importance of more than one toilet in the house!
That was in December of 2015. By February of 2016, we officially signed loan papers and moved in. I admit that at one point, because of how smooth the process was going, that maybe it wasn’t something God was doing and maybe it was the Enemy trying to fool me. I’ve been fooled before. Funnily enough, I had been praying and then went onto one of my favorite things, Pinterest, to take my mind off the situation. I kid you not, the very first Pin I saw said “No man can close a door that God has opened”. Okay, God. Message received loud and clear!
So like so many others, Abraham and Sarah, Job, etc., waiting for something to happen means keeping your eye on God. You see, when Carmelo and I first started trying to purchase a home so many years ago, he worked for a construction company. Then the housing market burst and he lost his job. We would have never been able to afford the mortgage on my salary. But God knew. He had a plan. He had two daughters that needed each other and brought us together at just the right time and place. It was all in the waiting.
So now, when I start my morning in prayer, the first thing I do is praise God for our home. I thank Him for being so faithful. I pray over my home that He gave us to protect it from harm, that it would be filled with joy, and love, and peace. So when you think that God isn’t listening or you think that He doesn’t have something in store for you, just remember: He’s in the waiting.
Join us this Sunday at 9 or 11 am to find out more about God’s goodness!
