That pretty house up there is located in Columbus, Georgia. It has been ours since the summer of 2002. Only we haven’t lived in Columbus since the summer of 2008.Seven years ago, in March of 2008, we found out we were moving to the Washington, DC area. We immediately began asking our friends and family to pray that the house we had filled with life and love would sell before we moved. It quickly went under contract to one of our favorite elementary school teachers and her family. We were happy. And then, the day we were packing all of our things onto a moving truck in preparation to close and hand over the keys the following morning, we got a dreadful phone call. The buyers had to back out of the sale because the buyers of the home they were living in had backed out of buying that house. Two families were sitting in houses, surrounded by boxes, unable to sell their homes.

Seven months, a move to Alexandria, VA, and an empty savings account later, we rented the house to a wonderful military family who had children the same ages as our own. They were the most amazing tenants and when they called two years later to say they had orders to move to North Carolina, I cried. We put the house back on the market and with little savings, we also listed it for rent. Two months later, we rented it to three young, single Army officers. BIG, HUGE, INSURMOUNTABLE mistake. In May of 2014 they moved out and left the house in horrible condition. After six weeks of cleaning and repairs we once again listed it for sale. Last night we got an offer. Tonight we have a ratified contract.

Countless people have prayed and believed with us that the house would sell over the last seven years. I can’t say just how grateful we are for those prayers. This journey has been so much more than God bringing the right family to buy the house for a price that’s more than we actually owe on it. It’s been all about provision and blind faith. Many, many people have sat around our table, or in our living room, or held our hands in church hallways, claiming one thing… “God, please provide.” He has delivered on those prayers over and over and over again. On paper, our budget has not made sense. The numbers just didn’t add up. But God’s math is soooo much better than our math.

Philippians 4:19 And this same God who takes care of me WILL supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Tonight, just before we ratified the contract, we started a new class of Financial Peace University. As I looked in the faces of the people just beginning their journey towards financial peace, I wanted to jump up and scream “There IS hope!!” Philippians 4:19 doesn’t say that God “might” supply all your needs. It says that He WILL. Period.

The cherry on top of this house-sale sundae? The buyers want to close on Good Friday. Yes, Good Friday is the day we honor the fact that Jesus took on every form of pain and abuse and illness and sin to the point of death, so that we don’t have to carry all that junk. But… it also happens to be the name of a book I hope to someday publish. Because God’s just that flippin’ awesome.

Excuse me while I go pinch myself and have a drink with my husband. If you want to celebrate with us, feel free to pour a glass of wine. Cheers!

WOOHOOO!!!