It’s been a 4 year process. That’s a long time in my book. I can only imagine how the Israelites felt in the dessert for 40 years. 40 years! When we were asked to move to Portland, we said yes and then listed our house. It was on the market for what seemed like an eternity (it was about 8 months I think) and we showed it every week, sometimes multiple times. It was beautiful and spotless and didn’t sell. For the past 4 years I have had moments of serious anger at the Lord. I felt like we were obedient to His call and then He didn’t follow through with his part in selling our house. God doesn’t work like that, clearly. We have to choose obedience because He asks not because we think He will give us things in the process, even if it would make the process easier. It’s been painful at times I won’t lie.
We have rented out our home in Montana for the past three years, taking a loss each month, and a couple months ago we re-listed it. 4 days later we had an offer. We were excited but I wouldn’t let myself get too attached to the thought of it being sold because I’m all too familiar with things not going as planned. This week we got the email that said,
I’m contacting you this morning with the good news that your sale is recorded and closed. It’s all done.
It’s all done. Sold. We’ve waited for this moment to come for 4 years and now it doesn’t feel real. I immediately began to cry. It’s so bittersweet. It’s like a very heavy backpack has been taken off and yet when I think of that house it’s with the sweetest memories. I picture Jenna in a pack-n-play as a baby while we painted the walls, laid the flooring, tiled back splash and put our hearts into building it. I picture Jenna taking her first steps in the living room. I picture fun time with friends, sharing life together. I see the faces of many college students who had been in our home and women that I’ve discipled from my couch. I picture the incredible view of the Bridgers from our beautiful and big back yard. It was in that home that our sweet daughter began to pray for a brother or sister. It was at the kitchen table we were told of a college woman who was pregnant with a baby, our son. We sat for hours on the couch in front of the fire filling out paperwork to begin the process of adopting our sweet boy. Incredible memories are there in that home. Oh how I could go on. I loved that home. And now it’s really done. It feels like all the strings that tied us to Bozeman have been cut. Of course we have people there we love and always will but you know what I mean.
I’m so thankful to finally not have the weight of being landlords on our shoulders. I’m not sure why God allowed that for so long and I can’t tell you what I’ve learned in the process. I know I cried a lot of tears over it and have more gray hair as a result. All I know is no matter how frustrating it all has been and how much money I feel like we lost in the process He is always in control and it’s really all His money anyway. He has never ceased to provide for our needs yet. We have much to be grateful for.
Now, we’ll see what He has planned for us and the house we’re in now. It’s been almost 2 years of trying to purchase it. We never have a lack of house drama in our lives. I think He wants to continually remind me that this is not really our home. There’s a much better one awaiting us in heaven.
Thanks to all our friends who have helped carry this burden with us and did the grunt work when we weren’t there to do it (Sanford’s, Tondre’s, Allen’s, Tucker’s to name a few) and for our incredible realtor who sacrificed generously for this sale to go through.
Although it’s bittersweet we are singing our praises for God’s goodness to allow it to sell. Now, we’re no longer owners of a home. I think we’ll move to another country. We’re free! Oh the possibilities!! (Only kidding mom, sort of.)
