"It's a Process" - A Renovate Lenten Spiritual Journey series blog post
Mike and I always wanted to move back to Wilmington. After our first child, Sarah, was born we sold our condo and moved into an apartment to see what would happen. Mike was in engineering at UPS and was actively looking for a job. After a year and no luck we decided to buy a house in Greensboro.
We found a neighborhood under construction and found a lot we liked. We were thrilled to build our first home! We could just imagine seeing Sarah with a real yard! Twice we put contracts on lots in that neighborhood and something would happen. In my mind that house was decorated and perfect for our little family! I could picture our future family in that house! Please note that I never discussed this plan with God. After a while, we found a brick ranch in a sought after neighborhood. It had a fenced in backyard, a screened porch, deck and Jacuzzi. We never believed we could have all of that!
Right after my second daughter, Ivey, was born I asked Mike what they would do for fun in the summers. I truly did not know what people did without a beach. He told me they would have horses. HORSES?! I had to get home! We started trying to move home to Wilmington.
Within two years Mike had a job offer in medical supplies! God had opened my eyes when my girls were born but I was beginning to look to Him more! I asked God if it was meant to be to please work it out for us to get home. I did not have any scripture to quote to Him. I just asked Him to help us do what was right. I told Mike I thought we should put our house on the market for sale by owner and see what happened. Within the month our house sold for the asking price. We were ecstatic! God brought to my mind a big lesson. If we would have gotten that lot and built we would not have been able to sell our home two years later. The new neighborhood still had many lots and great deals. Also we would not have made the money we made on this house. That was the first time I learned to trust God with decisions. He sees the future and knows what is best....even if we don't understand. Proverbs 3: 5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
I knew God would "show off". I do not mean “show off” disrespectfully. I am amazed at how God can always “outdo” us! He sees the future and really does know what is best! I understand Isaiah 55: 8-9, "for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
We moved home and I don't know who was happier: Mike, Mom, Dad, Sarah, Ivey, or me! I often think back to that time and am so thankful that God showed me His ways are bigger and better than anything I could ever think of! Before I started rebuilding my life away from Greensboro, I wish I would have known that it was going to be a process. It was going to take some time because God was going to teach me many lessons through this renovation. As God showed me one little piece at a time I found myself trusting Him a little more with each step.
When we are letting God start a renovation in our life we need to know that it will take time and patience. It is a rebuild which means we have to get other stuff out of the way. But that rebuild will be worth the wait! As Nehemiah 2: 18b says, “Let us start rebuilding!”