a DIFFERENT perfect house

          Settle down, it'll all be clear

          Don't pay no mind to those demons

          They fill you with fear

          The trouble it might drag you down
          If you get lost you can always be found

          Just know you're not alone

          I'm gonna make this place your home

The lovely Elizabeth Kosorski posted this song on my Facebook wall the other day, and her timing couldn't have been more perfect. It was the word of the Lord to us.

We were discouraged, see? Before we moved out here, we had an apartment all lined up and just needed to sign the papers, but JM and I both felt like the Lord had something better for our family. So we took a step of faith and didn't sign the lease. My brother-in-law's brother-in-law's parents (Larry and Suzanne) live in Redding, and very graciously brought us into their home so that we could be in the area while house-hunting. We thought for sure we'd find a place within a few weeks and be out of their home by August 1.
 

We applied a rental house which we thought would be perfect for our family. The day we were turned down for that house, we found a townhome that was possibly even more perfect for us. We were so excited! This must be it! Well, the townhome came down to a toss up between us and another family... and the owners chose the other family.

Enter discouragement. Our month was nearly up. We thought we had heard from God all along the way, but it wasn't looking good for us. I should know the faithfulness of God by now. And yet I was asking "Why, Lord? It came down to a coin toss, and you let us lose? Aren't you supposed to give us favor? What happened? Did we hear wrong? Should we have gone with the original apartment?" Sometimes I can't believe how easily I doubt Him.

I spent about a day feeling rather blue. The next morning, JM found a house on Craigslist that was within our budget, and he called and left a message about it. The owner called back and they talked about the house and JM ended up telling her that he didn't think the house would meet our family's needs.

Meanwhile, I was making lunch in the kitchen, and Suzanne came in and told me about how she had just come back from having lunch with a friend, and how this friend has a house for rent. Suzanne told her about us, and the friend got really excited. She loves to rent to Bethel students, and told Suzanne that she would love to rent to us if their house fit our needs.

Can you guess? It was the same house JM had found on Craigslist that morning, and Suzanne's friend was the one he had talked to on the phone. Ha! So he called her back and said maybe we would come look at the house after all! We went and fell in love with the house and with the owners, put in an application, and within two days we were approved! Praise Jesus!

He does take care of us. Every time. Now we have a wonderful house, plus wonderful landlords who will be living across the street and want to get to know us and make sure we're not alone out here. The Lord is surrounding us with family and meeting our needs. He is so faithful.

Our House! Nice little porch on the front, for sitting and spying on the neighbors.

And this is what the inside looks like right now.