A Home Of Our Own

As a little girl I played house every time I could. I would turn the living room into my entire home, complete with bedrooms, a kitchen, family area, and even a laundry room. I took playing 'house' very serious, down to the plastic pots and pans/fake food in the kitchen and the way the "beds" were made. My role was 'mom' and I would recruit my little sister to be one of my children, using my baby dolls to round out my made-up family. That lasted so long, until my sister realized she didn't have to play the child, but could be a pretend grown-up too (it was good while it lasted!).

Eventually, I grew out of playing that game, but the idea of my own home never left. In the years following my childhood, I dreamt of the way my house would one day look, the interior style, the husband that would be head of household, the children that would scamper about, the landscaping, etc. During all those years of imagining my future, I blinked and became an adult.

Now, I find myself living out my childhood dreams with my incredible husband. He and I have been so fortunate to come back to southwest Virginia, where our hearts never left while in Maryland. With God's provision, we moved on faith that a rental would open up, that jobs would be offered, and that we would find a community. Over the past seven months, God has done just that for us, providing above and beyond, and answering every prayer, big and small. Our thankfulness can't possibly be expressed in words, but we do our best to show it in our thriving relationships with family and friends, by taking advantage of every opportunity, and constantly pursuing our Lord full speed ahead.

A month or so back, plans we had fell through. So far through that we started to think that maybe our timing in the area had expired and it was time to move on. That we had been brought back to Virginia so God could build us back up, strengthen us, and encourage us to stand on our own. We started to search for jobs out of the state, and found ourselves thinking this crumbling of our plans was God's sign that we needed to move. Then something happened so out of the blue that we were both knocked out of our socks. After praying often and asking for a clear answer on what our next step was, we got a VERY specific sign. One that said, "Don't you dare move out of southwest Virginia. My will is for you to be here." I know I'm not sharing specifics on exactly what all of these events were, but that's for a different post. For now, the importance is in the prayers we have prayed so earnestly and often, and the answers that God has so graciously provided.

Which brings me to the fact that for the next several, if not more, years will be spent in the burgs that have become our home, our support, and our community. We feel stronger than ever that this is exactly where we are supposed to be for the glory of God. It's evident to us and we feel closer to Him than ever. In knowing we would be sticking around, we started thinking practically of investing our rental money into something more permanent, something like a home that we could make our own. My heart fluttered at the thought! A home to call ours and to make ours. My decorating senses went off like trumpets, my childhood dreams started stirring, and my heart exploded with pure joy at the prospect. 

On a prayer we went to investigate a mortgage. And on an answered prayer we walked out of the bank with an approval. Husband and I have been so incredibly blessed by God's direct and intentional answers to our prayers. 

So, a home it is for the Hills! Let this house hunting journey begin! And of course, a whole lot of HGTV watching for ideas and insights! All of me is giddy, and all of me praises the good Lord for His constant guidance and provision!