Who wants to hear a totally crazy, amazing, God story?
I’m glad you do because I’ve got a good one for you! The last few months have been absolutely crazy and I feel like we are in a constant state of waiting on the Lord. This particular story is about God’s house that someday we will own. Let me explain…
A few months ago we weren’t even planning on moving but since we have been working with the girls that have been rescued from sex trafficking, and eventually want to adopt one (see this post for details), we started thinking that our current home isn’t going to be big enough. We live in a small 1300 square foot house that has only 3 bedrooms, one of which is my office. So the thought has been rolling around in our heads that before we adopt a girl, we need a bigger house, with at least one more bedroom. At the very beginning of the year my husband started praying that God would give us a bigger house, knowing that it would have to be the Lord because we aren’t in a place where we can purchase another house.
Then about 2 months ago the Lord answered his prayers. My husband, who is a banker, was at work one day when a friend mentioned to him that his friend was selling a house. Matt, jokingly, said, “I’ll buy it.” After talking to his co-worker a bit more, he learned that the house was WAY over our budget but for some reason when he got home that night he mentioned it to me anyway. We looked at the pictures that night and thought it would make a great house for our growing family, but again, it is WAY over our price range.
The next morning I ended up having to take Malea to school (I carpool so normally I only pick up) and on my way home I heard the Lord tell me to go by and ask Him to give us the house. I tried to argue with Him and said, “I don’t want to go by the house because then I’m going to want the house, and I don’t want the house because we can’t afford the house.” But then I heard the Lord tell me to go by the house again. In my mind I was thinking “this is crazy” but then I heard him say, “I’ve done crazier things” and there is no arguing with that, so I obeyed. That morning, on my way home I drove by the house. I parked in front of the house and said, “Lord please give us this house.” Immediately I felt the Holy Spirit fill my car and I was overwhelmed by His presence. I had a lot to get done that morning, and I didn’t want to creep out the neighbors, so after asking for the house I headed home.
That afternoon a good friend of mine stopped by our house to drop something off and I told her the story. She asked if she could pray for me so of course I said yes! When she was praying she heard the Lord say that he wanted to give us provision and she started to get emotional sensing that God was about to do something really big. Later that evening I told Matt everything that had happened that day, and that God was going to give us the house. Being a banker, I could see the numbers start rolling around in his mind but I told him not to worry about the numbers because God was going to provide. After dinner we decided to drive by the house again because he wanted to pray and ask God to give him the faith to believe that He could give us the house. While we were there praying I, again, felt the Holy Spirit fill the car. At that point I knew God’s presence was all around that house, just waiting for us!
The next day at work Matt talked to his friend and set up an appointment for us to walk through the house the next Monday (4 days later). Over the weekend Matt prayed about it and I tried not to think about it because I didn’t want to be too anxious about the meeting. I did continue to pray though and ask God to prepare the owners hearts for our meeting. When Monday finally rolled around I was getting ready for the meeting and praying when the Lord brought Matthew 7:11 to my mind: “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” I started thinking about how long we had been planning, saving and preparing to take Malea to Disneyland for her birthday, and how excited we were about taking her. Then I started thinking, “how long has the Lord been planning, preparing and getting excited about giving us this house.” We were taking Malea to Disneyland for her birthday because it was the very best gift we could think to give her and how long had God been preparing this house for us because He knew it would fit all our needs, and more, for our growing family and the vision He has given us to work with victims of sex trafficking! CRAZY!!! He is SO good!
So that afternoon, February 18th, we went to look at the house and meet the owners. Matt and I had total peace when we were there. The house was/is amazing and if fits all of our need plus it has a huge list of things we would never ask for, but have always wanted! The owners were awesome, we got to share some of our story with them and tell them why we were looking for a bigger home. The only thing I don’t love about the house is that it’s outdated and every single thing in the house needs to be painted, but this is also a good thing because it will provide me with about a million and one blog posts! {wink}
After being in the home I knew for sure that God was going to give us this house, it’s perfect. I had total peace being there and part of me felt like asking the owners, “so when do we get the keys?”. But there was still the little issue of money. Fortunately our God is a big God and He has all the resources of Heaven to pay for the house!
I don’t know how, when or any of the details, of how we will end up in this house, and frankly I feel crazy sometimes for thinking we will own it someday. But what I do know is that God has told us to ask for it, so we are asking for it. My daughter, in her young and pure faith, already talks about the house as if it’s ours. She talks about swimming in the pool and painting her room sparkly white and I know, in her mind she sees us living there. God has also given Matt and I great visions of the house and I know that even though we aren’t there yet, that He is preparing it for us and filling it with His Spirit. He has also shown us that it will be a place of healing and a place where His glory will be revealed to the brokenhearted. I can’t wait, it’s going to be A-MAZ-ING!
I know this post is so far from my regular topics but I want you to know where we are at, what God is doing in our lives and in our adoption journey {also hopefully this will explain why I’m so scatter brained sometimes}. As we continue to hang out with girls that have been trafficked and grow closer to knowing who our Gabriella is we have to prepare in every way possible to bring her home. A couple weeks ago God spoke to me and reminded me that often times He doesn’t give us what we need until we need it, and I feel like the timing of us getting our new home could be tied in with the timing of bringing our daughter home. Who knows. All I know is that God is in control and that His timing is perfect.
To read my first post about adoption and sex trafficking click HERE.
To read the follow up story click HERE.
Beautiful story and beautiful house. My late husband I lived our lives letting God guide us. Sometimes we didn’t like or understood the road he choose for us, but it was always the right road. I will pray that things work out for you and continue the good work that you do. God has a purpose for you and your soon to be expanded family. God bless!
Thank you Carolyn! 🙂
I am praying with you, Anna! What an amazing dream He has given you! Hold on to those promises because He is SO faithful! I am right in the middle of a season of God answering prayers and fulfilling His promises… promises I have waited for over a decade! The way He is answering us is far beyond what I could have ever hoped or imagined. I pray it is the same for you… that you would find Him in the journey and be overwhelmed by His favor in the end. Remember… He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. One house is not too big for Him!
That’s awesome Erica, thank you!
It sounds like your faith will carry you through this. I will pray for His will to be done!
Amazing things happen when you let go and let faith in Him guide you. Sounds like great things are about to happen for you.
Anna, this is so crazy! Honestly, you and your family have been on my mind so much these last few weeks. Coincedently, I have been seeing this house everywhere! Online, in a realtors book, and then it turned out to be in the neighborhood where we pay rent to the owners of our house. Maybe no coincedence after all? 😉 I will continue to pray for you guys and now in more of a direct way! Thank you for sharing!
That’s awesome Amber, thank you! Now every time you see the house you can pray that God will release it to us. 🙂
We serve an AMAZING God! Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to hearing more about this situation. The house is incredible!
Anna, I have never commented on your blog, but frequently read your posts. Just today I happened to read this one and it immediately brought to mind George Muller. I homeschool my 3 kids and we are currently reading a book on the life of George Muller. It’s one of those books where I’m reading aloud and suddenly my eyes fill with tears as time after time George prays very specifically to God about something and every time, God miraculously provides. God would put a dream or desire on George’s heart and George would pray, having no idea how or when God would provide that particular thing – whether it was buildings for orphanages or food to feed the orphans on any given day. Anonymous donations, food wagons breaking down in front of his orphanages….God so creatively and amazingly provided for every single need and specific request George brought before Him.
I have no idea how God will answer your situation, either, but what an amazing opportunity for your faith to be rewarded. We so rarely, truly trust God for big things, and when we do, what an amazing testimony of God’s power and intimacy in our lives.
Wow, that’s awesome Ashley!! Thank you for that encouraging comment, I’ll have to look up George Muller. 🙂
What an incredible story!! I can’t wait til you are in this house which is beautiful! I’ll be praying!!
Thank you Crystal!
Beautiful post Anna. It sounds like there are many amazing things in store for you in the future!
That just gave me goosebumps … I can’t wait to hear the next part of this story!
Thank you Randi!! Me too! 🙂
I just jumped over from LROL… Loved the first 2 posts…. Added you to my reading list
I don’t know what happened to the rest of my response….lol…. But my whole reason for commenting was to just tell you that I am joining you in believing that God grants you and your family that home…. In His name… For those girls you rescue. What an expression of His love!
Thank you so much Arneta! 🙂
I love to hear people willing to step out in Faith and believing God for what looks like the impossible! He can and absolutely will give you favor in this! We went through a bad job situation 2 years ago and lost both of our cars over night. We went 5 months with nothing and my husband got a ride to work (which was God in itself because he works over night and leaves around 2 am!) We finally were able to get him a vehicle from a relative to get him to work but it is not large enough for our family of 6. I believe that the Day we lost our cars God was very clear in telling me that he was going to GIVE us a Van, to pray, “Speak that which is NOT as though it were” and Wait. Some times God’s timing of telling us is not the time of receiving but to prep us and encourage us to walk it out in Faith. We are a homeschooling family and our 4 kids are all under 8. I told my kids that we were going to believe God for our new Van and that that would pray and thank him EVERY day until we saw it in the drive way! 🙂 I envisioned our van when i didn’t see it for many months…. 13 months to be exact. Every day I thanked him even when I really started fighting doubt that I had heard from him on this. Those I shared it with didn’t seem to “get it” and some even made smart comments about us not trying to purchase something to get our family out of the situation. I’m pretty stubborn when I feel I’ve heard from the Lord and I didn’t give in. Last August, my neighbor I had only met 2 weeks before, called and said they were giving us their Van, that the Lord told them to do it and he would help them get a new car. 🙂 God is SOO good! We have been SO thankful for it and my kids were able to see God Provide AND see their OWN prayers answered. I truly believe they could ask for anything and believe he will do it! 🙂 The Van is having some problems now but we have been so thankful and we ready to move on to the next place of Faith! 🙂 I wrote this Novel to say, that I will stand and agree with you that it is YOURS. He said without a Vision the People will Perish, He’s given you that Vision so you stand and claim it in Faith and it will happen! He DOES want you blessed and living in Provision! 🙂 I can’t wait to read your post of receiving your new house!!! 🙂
That is SO awesome Shelley!!! Thank you thank you thank you for that amazing testimony! I will hold onto this dearly and re-read it on days I’m feeling like it will never happen. God is SO good.
You are very welcome! 🙂 Some times (ok, a lot of times lol) I need to Hear testimonies of God’s faithfulness to help me walk something out. And Trust me there were a lot of situations put in our face that temped me to not wait, (ie: other car options that were deals but not FREE) I shed many tears and told God numerous times that he forgot (ha!!) that I was car less with 4 kids and no family support. But he knew, and sustained my sanity through it all! lol I realized that most of my teen years were spent asking God to give us a testimony that would bring people to him, I really had no idea what I was asking for! LOL We are STILL in the job that has caused all this financial struggle so now we are at the place of believing God for a new job, one with benefits, consistent income and provision!! God is Faithful to do what he says and complete what he starts in us!! 🙂
Oh Anna, I feel like this house will be timed with more concrete news about when your Gabriella may be joining your family. The house is beautiful, but for the right reasons. You don’t want more room to brag to others about your bigger house, you want more room to provide for someone who may not have known – or may have forgotten – what it is like being part of a loving family. I hope and pray that your dream house becomes your home, and that Gabriella will grace your lives soon!
Thank you so much Laura!! 🙂
Anna, wow is all I can think of to say. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I too, serve the All Mighty God you speak of. His love is neverending and greater than we can ever imagine. I know God has used me in various situations to prevent the untimely demise (via sucide or abortion)of people I have been close to. I had to quit work about three years ago due to my mental and physical disabilities. I feel my life is a total shambles, but I know I am supposed to be here for a reason. Because I do stay home much of the time I feel so useless in my service to Him. I have been praying for ways to serve Him. I am praying for you and dear, sweet Grabiella. Thank you again and do not EVER lose faith!
This story brought tears to my eyes! I love hearing how God works and knowing He’s up to something HUGE. I’ll be praying for you to get the house. Can’t wait to hear how He works it out!