Today, seven years ago, we moved in to this house.
We had the pleasure of building this house after moving back to Valdosta. We love this house for so many reasons. We got to pick the hardwood, cabinets, tile, paint color, and more. But more importantly than that, we love the memories made here. It's been the place of many bible studies, meetings for ministry when Michael was the youth pastor, life group gatherings, sweet conversations with friends, game nights, fellowship with others, meals with family and friends at our dining room table. It's where we brought both Micah and Asher home after leaving the hospital with them. It's where we have rocked them to sleep, prayed for them and with them, read them countless books and bible stories, snuggled together on the couch to watched movies, played in the yard together, and so much more. We have loved making memories in this house and we know it's time to continue making memories somewhere else. (More on the WHY of selling our house later)
But, selling a house means a lot of waiting. It means not being in control. And it means stress. Or at least it has for me. Each day I was struggling to see past the waiting. Waiting on a call from the realtor about showing our house. Waiting on a call about the house we hope to put an offer on and praying it doesn't sell to someone else. This may seem like not a big deal to others since it's not the journey they are or have walked down before. But most of us can say that there's been a time that they have been "waiting" for something. Waiting for news. Waiting for that job offer. Waiting for children. Waiting for an answer to a specific prayer. Most of us have gone through a period of waiting. And it's not always easy to see why God wants us to wait.
In that waiting, I realized I needed to change my prayer. I was praying specifically for our house to sell quickly, all while saying I trusted God and His timing and His plan. But I wasn't living each day like I trusted. I was living anxiously, impatiently, and becoming consumed with getting that phone call with good news about someone wanting to put an offer on our house.
So my prayer changed, and so did my perspective and it has allowed me to really live like I am trusting God. My prayer changed from "God, please let our house sell quickly, to God help me to truly trust your plan for us in selling our house. Help me trust that your plans are best and that we will be exactly where you want us. Help me to trust you in the waiting and not be anxious."
And I can't tell you how peaceful it has been since changing how and what I prayed.
Sometimes it's easy to say we trust God. But are we living like we do? In each situation or circumstance we find ourselves in? I want to not only SAY I trust God, but to LIVE each day like I trust Him. So that means sitting back and waiting on His timing. Waiting without being anxious about the future. Waiting on Him and His plan to be revealed. And in that waiting, not losing sight of what's right in front of me. Not living for the future and what might happen, but living for each day and what He has placed before us that day.
