Tent Dwellers? The story of our housing - July 18th

     For those of you that know us from living in Goshen would agree that we are settlers when it comes to housing after living in the same apartment for 9+ years. For those of you who know us from Overton probably think that we are either pioneers, love the change of address or are simply unlucky in our housing situations.

Why write about our housing on an adoption blog? 

     Rebecca and I have been told many times that we are like Abraham and Sarah, following God in faith, leaving our homeland, waiting for promises, trusting God for children and now we can add those who move from place to place and house to house onto that list. I think that as you read on you'll recognise as we have that our Father in Heaven has been His miraculous Being with us the whole time. (If you want to read about just the latest housing story then skip down to the green arrow)

    Turning up in this country almost 5 years ago (ya it's been that long:) we had hardly any possessions here but for some clothes, a computer, guitar and a few board games. The rental market in the villages are incredibly quick moving and our first cottage had three on the waiting list the day it went up. After that weekend we were first in the queue and the church here was able to secure it for us as our first dwelling.

     After about a year we felt very clearly from God the call to live in community, to share life with others in an intimate close dwelling house-share situation. This was a step for us, but one that we were excited about taking, of course having a place to call home that was big enough was the next step. That query was answered when we were approached about renting an amazing grade 2 listed house (parts of it built before Columbus sailed the ocean blue) right in the heart of the village. For those of you who had the opportunity to visit us while there you'll know what a marvelous provision 14 Winchester was. In many respects living there was a steep learning curve, and it was whilst we were there we really felt the call to walk down the adoption road. There was one major problem; this beautiful dwelling was not very suitable for little children and after inquiry with the landlord it was decided that we could not have children and carry on living there. 

     After living there for a little more than two years we were informed that the house was going to be sold, tough news, but after reflection we could see God's hands all over our situation. Our estate agent said don't worry there's a great 4 bedroom place that is going to be available right when you need it, so in some respects kick back and relax. That mental relaxation didn't last long as he shared with us that the house he had pegged for us was not going to be vacant after all, and that he did not have any other options for us either. Then after a couple of weeks we ran into him on the street and he said it was going to available would we like to see it that week before it went on the market? Often in life we have to wait, we know that with this move we signed on 24 Glebe Meadow the day before Lizzie went on holiday and a couple of days before our adoption trip in February 2012. What peace of mind knowing when we returned we had a new place to lay our head, and a place that was going to be long term. 

 

We took long term to mean this was ours (we were renting but still making it ours as much as possible) we were able to transform the garden, paint if we like, call it home basically. When my parents came to England to visit us on the 11th of June we were gushing about how our house was going to be an impeccable place to raise children and they agreed wholeheartedly. Imagine our surprise when on return from lunch that same Tuesday a call from the estate agent stating that we were being served notice (we had to move) within a two-month period! We reluctantly had him over to talk in person, Lizzie, Rebecca and I all stayed downstairs to meet with him while my parents sat and waited in the red room upstairs.It was accurate the landlord was moving back and he intended to live in his house, this after not visiting the property for over a decade. We were all taken aback as was our estate agent. On this occasion he didn't have any leads of a place, and after surfing around the net a bit we discovered nothing to rent either. 

     It's at this point when questions start to surface in the mind... what if nothing comes up? where else could we go? is there somewhere short term? what are our options? After a great holiday with Cliff and Della we then turned our thoughts to 'what's next' and 'what if''? How quickly we can forget the promises of God, for every what if there is a but God, and we hold fast to the truth of 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'. We kicked around a few ideas all leaving us without real answers, there was still nothing and we knew that the 21st of August we had to move whether we had somewhere permanent or not.  So we all carried on praying and there was a whole church praying for us, in fact a prayer meeting for the men of the church was happening on the Wednesday. 

     Rebecca and I decided to go down to the parish church and pray about a variety of areas of our life and the lives of the church, and after returning home the rector called with some interesting news. He had been speaking with a lady at the school fete who mentioned in conversation they were moving, did he know of anyone who might want to rent a 3 bedroom place in the village? We had spoken with Ian (the rector) the day before and he indicated that he knew of nothing around to rent either. He quickly rang us with this news, we attempted to hide our excitement, but after a couple of hours we had to take action and call. Turns out they were putting the house on the rental market that in two days time, but our meeting took place that night, and after walking out, those questions that rolled around our minds were once again answered. 

     Something from nothing, that's the way God works, He created from nothing, he consistently provides and in this case a house when there were no other suitable ones, a long term let where raising children will be a joy. Smack dab in the middle of the village, walking distance to shops, parks, allotments, our church facility, friends etc... another provision. There is a ten-day gap between moving from one to the next and the Lord has given us space for our stuff be stored across the street in our friends garage. Yesterday we found out that we can house sit at another friends house until it is time for us to officially move at the end of August.      This time we have an answer before the 11th hour, before we have our home-study for the adoption, during August when we have more time, we have a place to stay in the interim. There are so many reasons to shout it from the mountaintops who and how God is. I don't think we are simply unlucky in our housing, for us it is our journey, one of faith, moving from here to there and finding contentment in every situation. Rather we have the opps to see answers to pray right before our eyes, what a privilege and exciting life to lead. Please pass on this blog if you know of others who are experiencing times of question, or times of having to move or in a place where faith is needed, our Father will never leave or forsake us!