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Last fall was one of the most painful seasons of my life. My dreams had been shattered into a million pieces, and I had more than a few moments of wondering if God had forgotten about me. My “head” knew the truth, but my “heart” had it’s moments of doubt. It was hard to make sense of what was happening.
In September, I placed my home of 30+ years on the market. I knew it was time, as much as I loved the home. That house was my “safe place,” full of memories, where I loved to entertain friends and family. But I knew it was time to downsize.
In times of turmoil, most women want to hunker down in their familiar “nest.” As tempting as that was, I knew my true shelter came from God, not my physical dwelling place. But it was still a very difficult decision.
My realtor warned me that it would probably take a while to sell my home because of updates which needed to be made. He cautioned me that it might take months to find suitable buyers.
So I braced myself and prayed for the right buyers, asking God for a family who would love the home as much as my daughter and I did. I also asked God for a couple who loved Him, and who would enjoy raising their own family there. (My daughter and I secretly feared that Mr. Habib from Father of the Bride, Part II would buy the home and then bulldoze it a few days later. We would have gone down with the house!)
Ten days after putting the house on the market, when I was smack dab in the middle of gale force emotional winds, an offer was presented! And with the offer came a letter from the prospective buyers. The wife’s words brought me to tears:
“I saw your name on the Property Disclosure and realized I have heard you speak! You shared your story with us at Mom to Mom at Church of the Apostles in April 2015, the month before our daughter was born. We’ve always enjoyed letters, and your passion for sharing your heart with those you love compelled us to begin a journal of letters for each of our children. So we want to say thank you for planting that idea for our family! It’s one we cherish.”
Seriously, Lord?
She concluded with these words: “We can only imagine the special traditions and fond memories you have in this home. Our hope is that we can carry on that tradition as we raise our own family in this special place.”
Yes, I cried lots of tears of gratitude.
God heard my prayers and provided “immeasurably more than I could have hoped or imagined.” (Ephesians 3:20) Never, ever, could I have dreamed that the buyers would be people whom I had personally been blessed to influence with the message of Leave Nothing Unsaid. That sweet knowledge made it a joy to transfer the ownership of the home to them.
This beautiful memory continues to remind me that God sees me. He knows my needs and listens to my prayers. And sometimes, He even surprises me in big ways!
Never would I say that God is like a celestial vending machine who answers every prayer the way I’d like. But I can attest that He is always faithful. Sometimes, His answer is “no.” Sometimes, it’s “not yet.” And sometimes, it’s “yes.” And during one very stormy season of my life, God showed me in a truly astounding way, that He sees me and cares about my needs.
If you are struggling right now, I hope this story will encourage you. Don’t lose heart. Keep crying out. Keep asking. Keep trusting. God is faithful. He sees you, Friend.
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