God's Story of Selling My Home

This journey of selling my home began back in October of 2012 when God asked me to put my home on the market.  I did it but not with a complete willing heart.  It was on the market for two months and I had several showings, but no offers.  Around Christmas time I decided to take it off the market because of the season knowing that it would not get much activity.  I was also wondering if God was just testing me to see if I would be obedient and do what He asked of me.  To tell you the truth, I was relieved that I was sensing that it was only a test and I could stay at my home. 

Over Christmas break from Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) where I was finishing up my Master of Arts in Counseling degree, I took the entire three weeks off to meditate, pray and rest in God’s presence.  I was really looking forward to this time.  Little did I know that he would take me to my inner depths that I did not even know existed?  I call it dark night of the soul.  Not just one time, but two times.  He was pointing out some realizations about me that I needed to work on as well as bringing to consciousness things from my past that I had repressed with no recollection of them.  I also had unresolved pain and hurt of dealing with a divorce, finding out my daughter was born with congenital heart defect that caused her chronic illness and my own personal stuff that I was carrying.   I felt like I was all by myself.  It was at this place though over Christmas where I heard God speak to me and place on my heart a vision of what he was orchestrating for me.  God told me that everything that I have done up to this point that he is going to use.  It is not your typical ministry and one that I could not even orchestrate.  I am in awe of what God is unfolding.  None of this was in my plans.

After graduating from EMU, I went to Israel/Palestine for a month with Seminary at EMU and God was really speaking into me there and affirming that it was time for me to get out of the boat by beginning to put systems and order into place for this vision.  So when I returned, I began to work more on the next steps for the vision, but I was getting some roadblocks and in fact I am still waiting on one major one to open up in which God revealed to me that I needed to sell my house before that door could open up.  There was also this urgency for me to put my house on the market and I really didn't understand why.  I was working tirelessly for an entire week to get the house ready.  I had two agents from my office that wanted to show the house before it went onto the market.  This time, my heart was right and I had a peace about it because I knew that this was the next step in order for God to open the next door to where I am supposed to go.  It was not easy, but I knew it is what I had to do.  I didn’t want to miss God’s blessing for me or others that I will be serving.  I had a knowing that this was the time so I asked my next door neighbor to come over and anoint my house with me and to pray for the perfect people that would love my home as much as I have and would be the perfect neighbors for the people that I love so much.  When I met the family that previewed my home, I just had a peace and knowing that they were the ones that God had sent to live in my home.   I was so thankful that they loved my home enough to make an offer, but it was a low offer and one that I knew I did not have the resources to be able to accept.  I prayed to God fervently asking Him to stir their hearts and rekindle their interest in my home with another offer.  I was so restless that entire time waiting on God, wondering, doubting and questioning what He was doing.  God was getting me up at 2, 3 and 4 am in the mornings demanding time to meditate with Him.  I spent a lot of personal time with Him multiple times throughout the day.   During this entire time He continued to tell me to trust and believe and have faith that all of this is being worked out in his divine time. 

Then, the revised offer came on the morning of July 4^th.  I could not believe it.  I was happy that their hearts were stirred & rekindled just as I had prayed, but I wondered how I could accept this offer and accomplish what I needed to do to take care of me moving.  I knew I wanted to spend the day with God in meditation and prayer, but I already had a committment that day to go with a friend to visit someone in a nursing home that had a serious open stomach wound to visit, pray and anoint her.

Once I left from that visit, I was driving around looking for the perfect place to meditate and be with God.  I wanted to be somewhere close to water but everywhere I went, it was crowded because of the holiday.  Then as I was giving up and heading home, I came upon Mill Creek Church of the Brethren on Port Republic Road.  I was being led to pull into the parking lot.  As I sat in the parking lot, I noticed a gazebo under some shade trees and knew that was where I was supposed to be.  I grabbed my blanket, journal and Bible and sat on the floor of the gazebo reading scriptures that my prayer partner had texted me that she sensed God gave her for me as I was praying about this.  Those scriptures were Proverbs 16:1; 3:2,7,8,9,11,16; 15:17; 23:6; 14:6 & 10:2.  They were perfect so I sat and meditated to see if I heard anything.  Nothing came.  I was sort of sensing that I was supposed to sell, but I had not received anything affirming from God that assured me that was what I supposed to do.  Another reason I was sensing that this was right is because the previous week I had received a letter from one of my past retired Bridgewater College professors that used to teach Old and New Testament.  I reconnected with him in the past couple of years and we have stayed in touch.  However, he did not realize that I had been out of the country and he had been trying to get in touch with me by calling me and even stopping at my work place.  So he decided to write me a letter.  I was delighted to get his letter of his updates and he was asking about Kendall and I.  He then shared with me that his partner was selling her townhome which is near EMU.  I thought hmmmm, how did I miss that in MLS and not see it.  So I looked it up, but then discounted it because I did not want to buy, but rent so that I could be completely free from maintenance and not be tied down.  So I went to look at an apartment for rent and did not get a good energy feeling about it.  As I was leaving I thought about the townhome again and called for a showing.  Amazingly on such short notice it worked out.  I went and instantly felt at peace when I walked in.  It is completely 1970’s and outdated, but none of that mattered to me.  I felt a peace.  The same peace when I walked into my current home when I bought it.  I stayed for a long time.  Ironically, in June of 2012, I dreamed that I bought a townhouse almost exact list price as this townhome and it was on the golf course instead of on EMU campus.  However, I love EMU campus and have a peace there just as I do for the golf course.  God gives me prophetic dreams often.  I believe it is his way of preparing me for a change in order to get my heart ready and prepared for the next thing. 

As I gathered up my belongings to leave the gazebo at Mill Creek Church of the Brethren, I put them into my car and felt a tug to walk through the graveyard.  So I did and as I opened the gate and walked through, I felt a presence with me and got goose bumps  from my head all the way down my entire body and I began to weep.  I wondered what was happening to me?  In which I knew – God showed up!  But more importantly what was He going to say to me?  As I look up at a gravestone that caught my attention, it had a solar light butterfly on the top of it that instantly spoke to me of reassurance as God has done before in the past to know that I can trust him.  As I kept walking, two angels side by side were on top of two gravestones which affirmed that I am being led and not alone in this.  As I walked to the back part of the graveyard and turned around, the gravestones dominated my view with the majestic back drop of Mill Creek Church of the Brethren.  I now knew why God led me here and He spoke to me and said, "it is here in June 2012 where you received the Pastor’s for Peace Living Peace Award."  My heart melted and I began to sob as I heard God say that he brought me here to give me peace about accepting this offer .  I felt it and knew that was God’s answer but there was still my human doubt questioning that I would not have enough money to make the move.  I thought maybe I should counter, maybe I should ask to meet them half way, maybe this, maybe that…my thoughts were racing as I was heading back to my car.  As I got to the gate, I looked over to the far right edge of the graveyard and saw another angel that pulled me to the gravestone.  As soon as I stepped in front of it, under the angel it said, “Darling, Jesus is With You.”  I knew that all of these affirmations were no coincidence and that these were messages from God.  This was my answer to accept this price.  I was to trust and believe that God already had it all worked out.  That is when I asked to have the offer in writing and that I wanted another day to pray and do an absolute fast.  I just knew though that was the right answer and I wrote in my journal, God, whatever your will, whatever your will.  I give my all to you.  I want to know more of you so whatever your will.

That day I also I had two devotionals that spoke to me in affirming ways.  The first one was by

Joan Borysenko that said “The Godseed within is coming to flower in the radiant light of summer.
Listening to the voice of intuition we realize our life’s purpose, using our gifts with joy in the service of all beings.”

This is what God is calling me to do and be.  “To be a servant building a community of love.”  This is the mission statement that he gave me over Christmas break for the vision.  I am going to be serving, loving, healing and saving souls.

The second devotional was supported by scripture in Exodus 33:14 that said, “The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you and I will give you rest – everything will be fine for you.” 

 So how do I argue or doubt with all of that????

I signed the contract with some minor changes so the purchasers only needed to initial those changes if they were acceptable to them.  I was notified that they wanted to meet with me before initialing the contract.  I was excited but also nervous to meet with them.  They ended up spending about three hours with me.  It was very emotional sharing my testimony and my love for my home that God was asking me to surrender to Him for this next door to open up.  I was in awe of their testimony of how God was working in their life to get them to this place at this exact moment.  They are an amazing family and are moving here to start a ministry as well.  As I had been praying about their offer, they too had been praying asking God for His guidance and wisdom in what to do.  The morning of July 4th at 2 am, the wife was awakened by God and He audibly told her what to offer me for the house and told her that I would accept it.  So that is what prompted them to make another offer on my home.  Of course, you know that I accepted it and yes the purchaser's accepted the minor changes as well. 

That evening I took a walk to the river.  As I was walking there, I was wondering if a snake skin that I had seen was still laying on a rock near where I sit.  As soon as I got to the river, that is the first thing that I looked for and it was gone.  I heard "it is done"!  This phase of my life is done.  I don't know entirely what that means, but I am hoping that years of pain and suffering may be finally healing  and over with.  The shedding of a snake skin symbolizes transformation and a new phase in life.  Now that my house was under contract, maybe this is the end of a phase and the beginning of a new one. 

I decided to take my shoes off to allow the water to flow over my legs and feet.  While sitting there, a bunch of fish began to jump out of the river like I have never seen before in all the times that I have been at this place.  Once I got back home, I did some research to find the symbolism of what I just experienced.  C.G. Jung said fish symbolized the self or the inner Christ.  I also found an interpretation meaning "one is leaving their abode/habitat to enter into the next phase".  As I was watching the fish, it was almost like a celebration or dance was happening.  Fish also represent change and transformation.  In Christianity, fish represent faith and abundance as observed in the Biblical story of fishes and loaves.  Biblical reference can also be found about Christ and His disciples being "fishers of men."  Man represents the transformational fish - maybe that is what the celebrating and jumping fish were expressing to me.  They were celebrating this new phase of my life.

So on July 6th, I had a fully ratified contract on my personal home.  Three days later I made an offer on the townhome where I feel God led me.  I find out from the listing agent that the seller has a similar story to mine so she and I have a heart connection and we have not even met at this point.  Later that evening I had a ratified contract on the townhome that I am purchasing.   Again, I go to the river to meditate to see what God will reveal to me.  As I am sitting at the river with my shoes submersed in the water that is overflowing my legs, some neighbors come with their dogs so I decide to get up and walk down the middle of the river to the side that I call the peaceful side.  As I am standing at a certain waterhole spot where I often stand, I am greeted regularly by the same fish each time.  It is just one and it is always the same one.  This time it swam closer to me than it has in the past.  The all of a sudden there were bursts of rainbow colors that was surfacing to the top of the water.  This has never occurred to me before.  The only way I could describe it in my journal was that it was like random colors of fireworks or kaleidascop patterns coming to the top of the water.  I saw nothing under the water that would contribute to this and I even tried to take photos of what I was seeing and experiencing.  It was amazing and nothing like I had ever seen before.  I was so joyful at the mysticism that I was experiencing from God.  I knew that this was all of God and He was letting me know how joyful He was that I was following His leading. 

That evening I wrote in my journal that I could not wait for God to reveal the bigger picture and His glory to me of what He is unfolding for myself, but also for all of those that are questioning me, doubting me, calling me crazy and even irrational.  I knew from these few days of how I was experiencing God's mystery and affirmations that there is more and I can't wait to experience it.  I prayed and spoke to God that I just knew He was going to show me His amazing works just as He says and promises in Isaiah 40:5, "And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and mankind together will see it.  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."  Yes, God has spoken to me in profound ways!  I have heard, seen, felt, experienced and know that He is working all things for the greater good and His glory will be revealed.  He tells us in Psalm 37:4 to delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

As I have witnessed God's supernatural beauty and works, He has captured my heart.  I am mesmerized by what He has already done in my life so I continue to try to deny myself even more and surrender more of my self to Him and His ways.  I want to experience more of His supernatural abilities and gifts in my life.  This entire transaction has been the most effortless one I have ever had in my 17 years of real estate.  I am already moved into my new home and the purchaser's of my home have already moved in as well.  We close on August 5th.  I am excited and expectant to see what doors open once I close.  I will keep you posted on the progression as it unfolds.