{ Project: Redeem-a-Home }

So we bought a house over the weekend.

A house that was being auctioned off, just inside the courthouse steps...

While I sat in the car with the kids praying so hard for God's will in all of it, remembering how I had told David an hour before something to the effect of " I want this house..." then later thinking it through and getting scared, not having been able to walk through it, and realizing how dangerous it could be for me to want something that might not be God's best. Asking that He would please control and bless the outcome.

All David had to say is: " one dollar more." and it was ours.

I will never forget the phone call from him, the one where he said, " well, I bought you a house." Both of us sweating, shaking grinning and in shock.

I squeal and hurt his ears I am sure, when he told me the amount he had to pay and how it was so much less than we thought we might have to give for it.

We were flying high. And so beyond thankful.

The next day we drove up to the house with nervous excitement to see it for the very first time. Our hearts took a dive after seeing the condition it was in.

It was worse than we had hoped.

There was an air of devastation about the house, as we surveyed the sad remnants of the lives that had been there before us.

I cannot begin to describe either the condition the previous owners left the house in or the amount of stuff they left behind.

It was overwhelming .

We began to doubt ourselves and wondered if we had made a huge mistake.

Until we prayed over this house asking that the Lord would cleanse it and fill it with His presence.

Then we started envisioning what it could be...and began to see it finished instead of it's current state of desolation .

Sure it's going to be a lot, a lot of work but we are young and strong and able.

And it's going to make the process all that more rewarding in the end.

The positives started stacking up fast:

We are 3 1/2 instead of 7 hours away from our families, 1 1/2 instead of 5 1/2 hours away from our best friends and only 15 min from this precious friend's door step.

We met and already know that we like the next door neighbors...and they were so encouraging.

There are three gorgeous parks within walking distance of our house...

I have always wanted to live in a neighborhood where the houses were old and restored.

We are now going to have room for more family and friends and there is nothing I love more than having people in our home and the promise of laughter filled rooms, and cooking up dinner for them. My philosophy is " the more the merrier. " Praying so hard that Jesus love will be felt within the walls of our home.

So every day our excitement grows.

re·demp·tion - n.

1. The act of redeeming or the condition of having been redeemed.

2. Recovery of something pawned or mortgaged.

3. Deliverance upon payment of ransom; rescue.

4. Christianity Salvation from sin through Jesus's sacrifice.

And that, dear ones is what Project Redeem-a-Home is all about.