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Househunting with God The Lord has always provided us a home and I've always taken great pleasure in decorating and remodeling each house He sent us to during my husband's career as an educator. As Richard's retirement time approached, it was especially important that we plan for and buy our final home... a place where we would enjoy our golden years together, plant gardens, really settle in. At last we found our dream home in the mountains of Colorado where we always wanted to be. This place had everything we had always wanted: trees, mountains, privacy— it was our perfect home. We spent the last several years working on our property, wallpapering, painting, building a deck, etc. We thought our future was pretty well set and we were quite pleased about it. But God had other plans... With only a few months left on his contract at Karval School, Richard felt drawn to apply at other schools. I, too, was restless. I worried about money; would his pension be enough to live on? Neither of us felt at peace about our planned move to the Pagosa Springs home we had so lovingly prepared. We prayed. Then we prayed some more, asking the Lord to lead us where He wanted us to be and guide us to whatever He wanted us to do. We told Him that we were at His disposal and would go anywhere and do anything He planned for us. Finally, we were convinced that God had some new plans for us, plans we were not yet aware of but trusted completely. We listed our Pagosa house with an agent to be rented to tourists by the day. With mixed emotions, I spent a month moving our treasured momentoes and personal things out of our dream home. I bought supplies (dishes, sheets, towels) for the rental and carefully fitted the house for renters. I must admit I shed more than a few tears as I worked...yet I felt at peace. It's hard to explain. We daily sought the will of God in prayer and believed He was going to send us to the southeast. We had no idea why, but that's what we felt. Then when an opportunity was presented to serve in a remote village in the Alaskan interior, we thought that's where the Lord was sending us. There were no roads to this village and it was dark there for almost half the year. Reluctantly, we told the Lord we'd go and give our best service. Then we began to concentrate on all the positives. We wouldn't be spending much on gas or vehicles, nor on entertainment. We were ready! Next, just as we thought it was all settled, another door opened in a tiny Arizona village minutes away from the Mexican border. Richard was called for an interview. We went and all was well. Being fairly sure this was where we were to be, we made an offer on a house and prepared to move. But what of Alaska? And the southeast? We began to experience extreme unrest. How were we to know where God wanted us to go? Confusion is not of the Lord. He is a God of order. So we asked Him to bind satan and to close every door through which we should not go. Then we sat back and waited on His perfect timing. Waiting is very hard for me, and mercifully, the wait wasn't long. Within days we heard another man had been selected for Alaska and two days later that Arizona had also hired someone else. Praise God! More prayer led us to complete peace about the southeast move... but where in the southeast? We had not one clue! And time was running out. It was June first and we had to be out of the house by the 15th! Meanwhile, after much prayer, we made a business arrangement with a friend to buy and renovate houses for resale. Our friend is blind and needed something to be involved in, to inspire him and bring some purpose to his life. Our friend does not yet know the Lord. So I left Colorado June first, seeking a house in a place of God's choosing but knowing not where that might be. I drove over 7,000 miles and looked at fifty-plus houses. I looked in Kentucky. I looked in Florida. I looked in South Carolina, in North Carolina... on and on I looked all over the southeast. As I looked, I prayed. But there was no feedback. The only thing I knew for sure was that God wanted me to trust Him. I prayed for His help so that I might rest completely in His love, trust wholly in His wisdom and believe fully that He would lead me to where I should be. My prayers were answered and my faith bolstered. The trip was a wonderful adventure and I felt like a kid at Christmas. My Father had a wonderful gift waiting for me and I would know it when I saw it. How exciting! As I drove into Dothan, Alabama, I was anticipating a visit with my friend Carol Skipper. I had met Carol at a pastors' wives' retreat. No, I'm not a pastor's wife, but I do the website for their group Sarah's Tent and Carol's excellent devotional Apron Strings. Carol introduced me to her friend from church. Amy was a real estate agent, so we three went house hunting all over Dothan. During our visit to the first house, I suddenly KNEW that Dothan was the place! I prayed for confirmation and was led to tell Carol and Amy I was certain that I would buy a house in Dothan that day! I don't know why I said that, I had not planned to say it at all. I needed a house costing $20,000 or less which was a good candidate for renovation and structurally sound. Although several fit the bill, none of the houses we saw was right. God remained silent as we viewed each one. The day wore on yet I was sure the house was to be bought that day. We went to Amy's office and searched the multiple listings for houses in my price range, There were no more! Then Amy brought up houses in higher price ranges and I decided to look at one. Actually, there were two. The combined asking price was $55,000! When we drove up to the first house, Carol and Amy didn't want to go in. It was bad! But in we went and although it was a real mess, there was great potential. God began to show me all that could be done with this house and I was excited about it. Could this be the one? The second house was next door and as soon as we opened the door, God opened my eyes and I blurted out, "We'll take it!"... meaning both houses! No, this house wasn't a great deal better than the dump next door. No, it didn't have any special feature to draw me to it. But these were the right houses. I had absolutely no doubt. It was after business hours when we made the offer. The owner wasn't home, but he was located and made a counter offer. Finally we bought both homes for a total of $25,000! But the story doesn't end there. I returned to Colorado and we packed to move. The day before we were to leave, Richard was called to an interview at a Colorado school district not far from our home in Pagosa Springs. We couldn't believe it! We'd both been so sure God had led us to Dothan. Why would there now be an opportunity near our beloved retirement home? Was this a test? What was on God's mind? We prayed but could not discern God's will. Richard decided that I should return to Alabama for the closing on our houses and he would go to the interview as we both continued to pray God would close doors we shouldn't enter. I personally believed God had led us to Dothan. My feeling on this was more intense than Richard's. I knew how strongly the Holy Spirit had moved when I entered that house. Richard went to his interview and left immediately for Alabama. He was becoming more certain God wanted us in Dothan. Once here, we unloaded the U-Haul and began making one of the houses semi-livable. Make no mistake; these places are dumps! But they have great potential. Read Carol Skipper's account of this affair to get the full impact and learn a lesson from the Lord. By the time we heard from the Colorado school district, we already knew that this was the place God had sent us. We don't yet know how He plans to use us here, but He will and His plan is perfect every time. So at this time, this is the perfect place for us. No, there are no mountains and we don't live in the country. In fact, we live smack dab in the middle of a city—something I said I'd never do. Even so, I have never been happier. Richard loves it, too. We've found a fine home church at Harvest Church and are blessed in every way! The old saying really is true: Father knows best! We need articles, poetry and
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