Providing a Place

“From one man he made every nation of men…and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” Acts 17:26

My turn for story-telling today.

One year ago, Mike and I began to pray about the future of our family—in particular our housing situation. We began to realize that if the housing market kept falling as projected (which it has) we would eventually reach a point where we wouldn’t be able to afford the loan on our town house. As we sought counsel from many wise people in our church, it became clear that we needed to sell our town house and try to save money for a down payment on a place we could afford long-term.

There were certainly temptations to anxiety as we looked at our future in light of the housing market. And no doubt many of you have faced similar temptations. But God’s Word reminded us that He had chosen the exact place we were to live and He would always be faithful to provide. Never, though, would we have imagined the form in which that provision would come!

In God’s mercy, our town house sold quickly in a slow market. Then my parents graciously offered for Mike, Caly and me to live with them rent-free for as long as we needed to save for a house. We gratefully moved in last June. 

This spring, after saving for many months, we began to look for a place to live, only to discover that we weren’t in a much better financial position than we had been the year before. Loans had become more difficult to secure, so even with all our savings we still didn’t have sufficient funds.

That’s when we got an idea…how about asking Dad and Mom if they wanted to buy a house together. This would enable us to purchase something affordable and long-term. And the benefit for Dad and Mom? Well, Dad would get a handyman to do projects around the house, and Mom would get some help with the dinner dishes. (They would definitely be getting the raw end of the deal!) We approached them with this idea and much to our delight they were open to our little scheme.

This is so typical of my parents, who instead of viewing these years as a time to invest in their own ease and comfort, have eagerly sought to support and bless their children. They are always saying, “our kids won’t need our money when we die…they need it now!” Thanks Dad and Mom for being a tangible expression of God’s care for us!

So, a few months ago we started hunting for a house to fit two families. But I will have to leave you hanging there. Kristin will pick up the story tomorrow…