The Great House Search

Am I the only one or do odd things bring on crises of faith in other people? For the past 7 months since we have been on the Coast, we have been looking diligently for a house. Up until this point, we really have had no luck finding the right place to live. Last Thursday, Bryan and I confessed that we were both having a crisis of faith related to our house search. We were discouraged over how much houses cost post-Katrina and how little our ministerial housing allowance can afford. I guess this whole time we were just hoping a house would drop out of the sky into our laps, and the reality is that God may not provide for us a home in this way. We know rent is getting too high where we live now (thanks to FEMA), and we are really at the point where we need to move soon before I get any more pregnant.

We both know that God will provide for our needs, and we are clinging to the knowledge of who God is, what Scripture teaches us about God's providence, and what God has done for us in the past. We have always been blessed and have never done without. God has always made Bryan's pastoral salary stretch immeasurably, and we know that God will take care of us again. This past weekend was just one of those times where life was not as easy as we'd like it to be.

Friday, our Realtor, who has been great help in this process, showed us a home in our favorite neighborhood of Gautier. The asking price for the house is more than what we really can afford with the high cost of post-Katrina insurance, but it is in a wonderful, safe neighborhood. Much better than where we are now. Say a prayer for us as we carefully explore our options this week and are considering making an offer on the house. If this is the right place, God can bring the price down or provide the money we need to make this work. It's just nice to know that there is hope... maybe this will be the right place for our growing family. Either way, I know God will provide. He is Jehovah Jireh.