Homeowners!!!

Four years ago PB and I were having dinner with a friend from college and her gracious parents in their lovely home. We were fulfilling Bryan’s college internship requirements at a wonderful church in Iowa, but we were often lonely, so one of my sweet college floor-mates offered herself and her family as company one evening. We were so thankful for this gesture, and even more thankful to learn from her parents who had been involved in pastoral ministry for many years. I remember exchanging stories and listening intently as we were told the utter importance of remembering God’s faithfulness in our lives in bringing us to Iowa and providing us both with paid internships, free housing, and a great experience. They warned that ministry, and life, would not always be so wonderful and full of hope and joy. They urged us to build a sort of Ebenezer, if you will, to remember God’s faithfulness to us during that stage of life, and be able to look back on it when we are exhausted in ministry, feel fruitless, or are just facing generally difficult times.

Last year around this time we were faced with the most difficult season of ministry yet. We felt broken, exhausted, bitter, and we just wanted to get away. We got to a point of almost leaving Columbus for another job for PB in Iowa, but the Lord graciously and drastically closed the door. Honestly, it felt more like he slammed the door closed on our faces, but that’s really what we needed. So we dug deep, kept praying, and waited to see what the Lord would do. Then an incredible thing happened- we began to see how God was answering our prayers, changing hearts (including ours), opening doors, and making His plan clear to us. We were called to stay in Columbus, continue loving and serving the people here, and press on. So that’s what we did.

Late last fall we got to the point of beginning to look for a home to purchase here in Columbus. We met with our good friend and financial advisor, and our wonderful realtor. We talked budget, housing market, and realistic expectations. Then we started looking. After seven months of searching, 16-ish offers made, 30+ preapproval letters written, and 40+ home walk-throughs, we were completely discouraged and decided to re-sign a year lease on our apartment and resume the search in a few months. We didn’t like that idea, but we were exhausted in our search and felt we had no other option.

On the day that we were to re-sign our lease PB looked over the document closely and realized we were being asked to pay an amount much higher than we had been quoted a few days earlier by our landlord. So instead of signing it that morning, I went to work and PB set out to get the lease agreement corrected. That same day our realtor sent us a home that was just listed and mentioned that she knew we had stopped looking but she felt that this home had everything on our list and maybe we would at least consider it. PB deleted the email without even looking at the pictures of the home, but I couldn’t help myself. After looking at the pictures I sent PB an email and asked if he would just check it out. He called me back right away and said, “We have to go buy this house!” I was in complete shock at this sudden change of heart, but he explained how our landlord was being very dishonest and unfair with our rental agreement and we just needed to get out. So we set up a viewing of the home, and I can’t tell you how much we fell in love with the home. It had PB’s wishlist items of mature trees, 2-car garage, and a basement, and my wishlist items of three bedrooms, two full baths, and a large dining room. Furthermore, the back porch and yard was an absolute oasis. So we sat on the back porch and prayed together, with our realtor, for this home to become our home, if the Lord willed. Then we constructed an offer. I also got some great advice from one of the volunteers I was working with that day to write them a letter just letting them know how much we loved their home and would love to raise our family there. So I did. And guess what?! They counter-offered very reasonably and WE ACCEPTED! They let us know they accepted our offer largely because of the letter we had written. The next major thing was the home inspection and part of their counter-offer was that we wouldn’t ask them to fix anything from the inspection so we began praying again, that the inspection would not turn up anything major. And guess what?! It didn’t! In fact, the inspector was very impressed with the home and the level of care and maintenance it had been given through the years. That is almost unheard of! Then we started praying about the appraisal and wouldn’t you know, it all came back wonderfully.

So we closed on the home this morning- we are finally homeowners! We are so excited for the ministry that will happen in this home, and the family that we hope to raise here. We are thrilled to use this home as a safe haven and a place to life high the name of Jesus. He has been so faithful and good to us through this whole process, and we are so thankful. So if you’re ever in the Columbus area, feel free to stop by The Sycamore, as we have lovingly dubbed the new place due to the large, beautiful sycamore tree in the front yard. We would be blessed by your presence!