It's The Late Great Hallelujah HOUSE Update!

Hey y'all! feel like a good story? well, for those of you who know me, i like to talk, mostly about what i've been up to and sometimes i think they're pretty good stories, but when God writes one, it's always good! so, if you have a few minutes, let me tell ya what God's been up to in Campbellstown...

We've been house-hunting fervently these past weeks, looking and looking for a place to call home, but nothing has seemed to fit. we began to realize we may need to compromise and get something smaller or different than what we've been hoping/ looking for.

Well, some of y'all may remember this house above, and here below....

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hey folks,

as y'all know, we went house-hunting this past monday in freddyburg, thank you to those who prayed for this time. well, we think we found a house we could fall in love with! we are meeting with our realtor again and adam's contractor brother in fred-burg this coming weekend to look at the houses again and possibly make an offer. there aren't any other offers on either right now, thankfully.

i included a pic of our favorite, it's got an ugly yard right now, but that is so fixable. (and it looks like we could score some swanky x-mas lights) this place is sweet, y'all. 4 good size bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 living areas (upstairs living room and basement family room with wood stove. how cool is that?), large laundry room (hallelujah), cheerful kitchen, tho ugly (but with ample counter space!), in a cul de sac, fun yard backing up to a several acre forest and a lake next door, and extra storage indoors and out. can't believe there's a place like this in our tiny price range! fred-burg is one of the lowest priced areas in the country right now, this builds our faith that God really does want us there! : )

so, please be praying for a peaceful, swift process if we decide to put an offer on it, no expensive surprises with the inspection, that the bank would accept our low offer, and if this isn't the Lords will that that would be clear and also peaceful. we are rejoicing in His provision coming from many angles. i'm so grateful that we even get to be a part of what He is doing to further His Great Mission of the gospel in Fred-burg, what a privilege, and i pray we don't lose sight of that in this busy, roller coaster like season! what a good God we serve! Praise Him.

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well, we did put our bid on it then, in april, and lost to a faster bidder and the "dream-house dream" died. since then nothing has compared to it's perfect-ness for us. it's been hard to look at other much less wonderful places knowing how much we loved that lost one. i was talking with my new friend jerry derrick who co-owns and lives here on the "estate" about just how much i still loved that old house in the cul de sac. jerry pointed out that God knew that and that i should ask Him for what i desired and to know that He is quite capable of "raising the dead." jerry made a good point, i thot, but dare i dare to hope for such a miracle? i decided that i darest... a little. and so i prayed a very small, but very earnest little prayer to my very powerful, very loving God and forgot about it.

well, this past monday the 6th was our next "hunting trip" and many of us had prayed it would be our last. weariness was beginning to set in and hopes of settling before the fall were growing dim. as we looked that day, it seemed door after door was being firmly shut. nearly all of our "possibles" now had contracts on them or for one reason or another weren't on

the market anymore. it had only been a week, but now our list of "okays" was even shrinking. i began to hear julia andrews from the sound of music saying in my ear in her delightful british accent, "when the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window." and i thot again, of that sweet house in the cul de sac and how since the door had been broken we had to climb thru the open window to see the inside. what a nice house that one was...

so, the day was ending and we were returning to our pleasant little "room at the inn" feeling rather defeated. as i got out of the car for some love from my comforting little kiddo, tiff encouraged me, once more, that God had something good coming and to expect that. "thanks, girl," i thot, "but not really feelin' it right about now." then adam came out of the house with a strange smile on his face.... a house had just come on the market. in disbelief he told me that the house had come back on the market that very hour! in a flurry of excitement we were back in the car with our buddy bill and within minutes i stood once more in front of the house my heart loved. (grin) and this time around it was 20k cheaper! wow!

it was really hard to stand there tho. i wanted to build a protective wall around my heart so "God couldn't hurt me again" if this somehow didn't work out again, which i thot it might. but as i stood there and looked at this wonderful house with the christmas lights still hanging ridiculously in the 80 degree heat and the wild roses defending the front walkup, i very strongly, very loudly, heard the Lord say, "Emily, look at this house, and know that I love you. I have brought you home." but did i dare to dare to trust Him? i decided that i darest. God was not "messing" with us. He knew the very best time and place for all that He was up to. i know my God is trustworthy and that night He gave me a very sweet gift - a deep sense of peace about everything rested on my heart. (which came it very handy thru the craziness of the week that followed.) what a gift "peace that surpasses knowledge" is! He was building the perfect nest for this little chickadee and her family.

Ps.71:3

Be to me a rock of refuge,

to which I may continually come;

well, from then until now it has been a true short-sale roller coaster that you hear people talk about. the next morning we found out that the house no longer was on the market, but then it was again that night (huh??), then we couldn't get the agents in charge to talk to us (didn't they want the place sold??), then when they did talk to us they said that they wanted to keep their options open (what for??), then they said the seller was going to "likely" sign our contract that afternoon - which he did - but we didn't get word of that for 3 days, then when bill (our super realtor) tried to contact them to confirm that contract he could only find a secretary who could only find some notes on a desk that said that the seller had come in and signed our contract (did that count as good news??), then finally today, bill called to say that not only did he have our signed contract in-hand, but the bank had also approved our bid and wanted us to close before the end of august! wow! what a whirlwind of a week! yet, thru it all God truly brought a quiet peace and deep confidence in Him. my heart knew that He had promised me good.

Psalm 32:21

For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

so inspection is this coming week, and we're praying that it will not show us major issues. (will y'all pray with us?) then it paperwork and, God willing, the place is ours in august. it may not be much to look at at first, but it will be ours. won't that be just wonderful? almost seems too good to be true, but it's not, knowing Who's working all things for our good.

Psalms 118:23

This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes

thanks for your prayers and encouragements and for rejoicing with us! thru this all we want to rely on and glorify God. it's been amazing to see Him make both of those possible thru His grace! i always want to remember in both times of trial and in happy times like now:

The sweetest joys and delights I have experienced have not been those that have arisen from a hope of my own good estate, but in a direct view of the glorious things of the gospel." –Jonathan Edwards – "Personal Narrative"

Psalms 32:1

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

“That any should be sought out, is matchless grace, but that [I] should be sought out is grace beyond degree! [I] can find no reason for it but God’s own sovereign love, and can only lift up [my] heart in wonder, and praise the Lord that this night [I] wear the name of “Sought out.” C.H. Spurgeon “Morning & Evening” Mar. 11^th Eve

Hallelujah!