The Promise Reinforced

Trusting God’s Promise in an Uncertain Season

Christmas was coming and I reminded myself of his Word to me “You will be in your new place by Christmas.”  I was still very unclear as to how all this would happen.  With no sale of the house and no job, this seemed impossible.  But God can do all things, right?

The sale did not go through by Oct 11th.  And the extension was not issued.  Interestingly, unbeknownst to me at the time, the sale date of October 11th was cancelled on September 20th due to a legal technicality.  We had no idea at the time when it would be reinstated or how much time we would have.

When God’s Timing Looks Nothing Like Ours

I made the crazy decision to borrow money and complete some renovations so that the house would sell quickly.  Less than three weeks later, it was put back on the market.  It was the first week of November.  Holidays were coming.  Buyers were scarce.  No one was optimistic.  I stood on God’s words and promises with no understanding of what He was doing.

It was the week of Thanksgiving and I was out of town with my family.  A contract came in and they wanted to close on December 20th so they could move in before Christmas.  A home inspection followed quickly and the buyers wanted me to do more work on the house.  I said no.  It was being sold as-is and I would make no further financial concessions.  They accepted my terms and the agreement.  We were set to close on December 20th.  I would be somewhere by Christmas, but I had no clue where.

Letting Go of a Home Filled With Memories

It was harder to leave than I realized as there had been so much life in this house.  It would be the last place that I would live with my husband.  There had been so many people who had lived with us over the decades of being there.  It was an open door and truly his house.  Laughter and tears.  We hosted parties and celebrations and we experienced some really hard stuff within these walls.  Leaving it all behind for the unknown was more emotional than I had anticipated.

But the process and timing of which it all happened, God used to further prepare me.  He provided me time to reminisce and grieve, laugh and cry and let others do the same.  It wasn’t just a house.  We dreamed it, designed it, created it.  We watched it being built and participated in the construction with sweat and tears. It had been a home and a safe haven to many.  I am honored to have stewarded his dwelling for almost two decades.  Emotionally, I had moved.  Now it was time to physically move. This was no longer my home.

A Faith Journey Toward the Unknown

Closing date was moved to December 22nd.  God told me to move on December 20th.  He would have a place for me.  I was packed and ready.  I even had freezer food in bags in the freezer.  But I didn’t know where to go.  I waited.  I invited my facebook followers on my journey of faith that day.  It didn’t go quite as I had planned.  But he was preparing me for the new.

Everything I owned was in the garage.  People stopped by prepared to help in whatever way was needed and many just to pray.  But I didn’t know where to go or what to do.  Eventually, I hired movers (because they were available at 2:00 pm on December 20th) and I rented a storage unit at 4pm.  By midnight, everything I still owned was packed into a storage unit except for a small suitcase, some toiletries and the stragglers after a big move.

They would all be gone by morning and the house would be prepared for the new owners. Homemade Christmas cookies (courtesy of my friends), keys, garage door openers, remotes, everything they needed to move in.  Friends made sure the entire home was spic and span.  More than I ever could have done.

I had arranged to spend the night at a friend’s house and dropped some things there.  As I took the last of the items to the storage unit and locked the door, my eyes glanced to the sky, and I heard the Lord whisper to me, “Jacki, I got you.”

I broke down in tears at that very moment.  I didn’t know what it meant, but it was all I needed to hear.  The promise from months ago.  I didn’t know what the future would hold, but those three little words were all I needed.  He had me and that was enough.

God’s Faithfulness in Every Detail

Throughout the previous days, I had received cash, checks and overnight envelopes.  As I got to my place for that night, and began settling down, I opened envelopes and added up what was laying in my hands.  It was almost literally the amount of severance that I turned down just a few months ago.  Cue the tears.  It wasn’t about the money.  It was about the promise. It was a reminder of His faithfulness in spite of me.

I don’t know what the new year or those following will hold, but I know “He’s got me,”  What else could I possibly ask for or want?