Another Miracle

Well, as you all know, we have been searching for a home. We are in need of one for July. It has been a much longer and much more difficult process then I anticipated. Since we have been with out a home for so long I expected to be satisfied with just about anything of our own. But we had some desires, like a safe neighborhood since John intends to go out to village for days at a time and leave me and the boys back home. And since Brayden got bit by a dog in January and hasn't overcome his fear altogether, we also desired a place that did not have disease infected dogs just wondering around. And then we were trying to find something that had an indoor kitchen that was furnished with some needed basics. Not easy to find.

As a last desperate attempt to find something, we had our language teacher write out index cards in Thai with our desire to rent something and our phone number. We put them in mailboxes of houses that looked vacant in hopes that they might be available for rent. Listen to what God did! Someone saw us, took the card out and gave it to her friend who was needing a renter. We didn't know that when we pulled up. When I saw the house, my first thought was..."Um, we didn't put a card here. This is way too nice." When we went inside to look at the house, I was speechless. It was fully furnished and decorated with built in real wood bookshelves (pretty amazing when you live in a land that loves pressed board furniture). It only got better as we looked out back to see gardens and fountains. After our tour, we sat down and discussed the details. Turns out the woman was wanting about double what we intended to pay each month. It was no surprise after seeing her home. But we had our desired price range on the index card with our phone and she still called us! I probably would have said, "Oh, thank you for your time but it's not possible for us. You have a lovely home. I hope you find great tenants." and walk out the door. Thank the Lord my husband led the conversation and had the boldness to ask her if she would take "x" a month per month (nearly half of what she was asking). We learned that she wanted to leave this home to move to one of her other homes. I think she has four. She was just going to lock the doors and leave but thought having someone in the home to look after her belongings might be helpful. She mentioned the thought to her friend but never posted it or put a sign out.

She said she would consider the offer which is a miracle in itself. We waited for her call, it seemed like forever. We were so ready to end the search and have peace of mind that we had somewhere. And if God wanted to bless us with a miracle, we wanted it. Finally she called and agreed to the monthly rent!!! Ahh! Amazing! BUT she wanted 4 months rent as a security deposit! What? We weren't expecting that. So for the last few days we have been on the phone with her trying to come up with a reasonable solution. She is leaving everything in the home, so in some ways I understand.

Well, TODAY we finally agreed!!!! Today is June 19th, exactly one year to the day, that we had people sign a contract on our home back in NC! And it is the tenth day of being in contact with this woman. Ten being the number of testing, I agree that we were being tested in our peace, patience, our ability to trust. Whew! Sure glad it is over! I want to rejoice 100% in a super big way but I will contain myself until the lease agreement is signed. What has happened is a miracle! When John and I sold everything to come here, we did it fully willing to live in any condition. And I could have lived in any one of the houses we saw but something wouldn't let me. I just believed that after all this time, God had something really good for us. After having so many people praying for us, I didn't want to say, "Yeah, we settled on this place over here." I wanted a story. I wanted a testimony, to be able to say "Look what God did!"

There was one house that I really liked. It was cute and just the right size for us, I decorated it in my mind, I saw us there. It was do-able for us. And I was really beginning to want it bad. I was a bit sad when I found out that the timing of it's availability wouldn't work for us and because we were foreigners the price increased mysteriously. :) I am so thankful for unanswered prayers (which really are answered prayers). I wanted something that was in the realm of our possibility, but God showed us that He wanted us in the realm of His possibility. He had someone call us. We were the only people she spoke with, she dropped the rent considerably, she is leaving everything!!! Furniture, decorations, tv's, washer. It is making our start up costs nearly nothing. I might have to buys towels or something. :) I think I can mange that!

Getting this home is so meaningful to me, not just because it is more beautiful than anything I ever expected and I get to live in it every day. It just feels like a personal gift to my family after being homeless and living in 27 different places in the last year. It shows me what an amazing Father God He is. He loves to give good gifts to his children. It teaches Brayden so much. It is such a testimony to him that after we have given up so much (willingly), God gives us so much (also willingly). We were looking all over but He had the owner search us out. I want to say things like "This is unreal, unbelievable, this doesn't happen." but I can't because it is real and it is happening so I need to believe it.

So many of my wonderful girl friends back in America have been praying. Thank you so much!!! No words can express my joy of being confident I have that people who care about us and pray for us when we are way over here on the other side of the world. Look what God has done because you prayed. I am so grateful.