On the other hand, having all these details that need to come together in such a precise way also left the door wide open to God to provide for us in, dare I say, miraculous ways. The end result of which has led to a walk of faith that has built us up, encouraged us in our decision to move, and confirmed for us again and again that we are walking His path for us.
Miracle #1 is of course the scholarship that Luke received that will cover nearly all of his tuition. This was a scholarship that we almost didn't apply for, that he had only one day to get his application in for, and that we never really considered a possibility for us to be offered. Once we had accepted the scholarship, we still needed a bit more in order to cover the rest of the tuition and fees. And once again, God provided by way of endowments and scholarships through our denomination. Luke will not have to pay anything at all over the next four years and for that provision we are truly grateful!! I was humbled and my faith was built.
Miracle #2 was all the details surrounding housing; selling our house and finding somewhere to live. We were pretty certain of our decision and both of us resigned from our jobs in preparation for the move. Our thought was that we would live off the proceeds from the sale of our home until that time that we were able to get jobs in Kentucky. Our grand plan was to sell our house, live in the on-campus family housings which is very reasonably priced, and take some time to familiarize ourselves with seminary life before committing to jobs down there. As you can see, this plan hinges on a few key things; namely, the sale of our house and the ability to live in campus housing.
At the end of April, we were told that we did not receive campus housing and that we were #5 on the waiting list. Everyone on that list had already been contacted two weeks earlier to make sure that they still wanted housing and everyone who was moving out had already turned in their intent to move. The possibility of five other families deciding to move out and another five families deciding to turn down housing seemed ridiculously low. We started looking for places to rent (way too much money) and places to buy (which would mean no money to live on so we'd have to find jobs right away). My sister told me at that time that perhaps we didn't receive housing because God wanted to "do a bigger miracle." She saw with eyes of faith while I was panicking in doubt. Her words proved true. On May 2, we received a letter offering us housing in the on-campus family housing, and not just housing, but the house I wanted, on the street I wanted, in the area I wanted. God did a bigger miracle; He provided over and above, just like he had with the scholarship. I was humbled and my faith was built.
Miracle #3 came in the form of the sale of our house. As you can imagine, as each showing went by and each realtor walked though, and we heard nothing... our hearts became weary. Trying to keep a house clean for showings, pack for a move, and live as a family is a pretty stressful environment, especially when you throw three kids in the mix with one of those being a rambunctious two-year old. On May 5, my friend Trina sent us this message "As I was praying for your family tonight about selling your house, a thought popped into my head. I believe it was from God. The message was "It's too early." I know the buyer is out there and will show up when it is the right time...closing before you leave without having to find temporary housing here. I just felt I needed to share this with you." Turns out, she saw with eyes of faith while I was in weary despair...and she was right. The buyers showed up a few weeks later and agreed to settle on the house the day before we could move into our new house in Kentucky. God's planning was so much better than our panicking. I was humbled and my faith was built.
In the middle of these "bigger miracles" were all kinds of "tiny miracles" and chance to learn who God is, who we are, and why we are going. It hasn't all be easy; in fact, moving away from the people who are some of the most important to you in this life is ridiculously hard. Many nights of tears, many moments of sadness and reflection, but in each one as I have run to Christ, prayed and listened, I walk away in peace knowing that we are following Him, that He does indeed have a plan, and that we are indeed a part of it.
So, the countdown is on. On July 28 and 29th we will be packing a truck, cleaning a house, and settling on a sale. On July 30 we will drive to Kentucky, unload that same truck, and settle into a new life. Your constant prayers and help are welcomed and appreciated. I've heard it said that "the devil is in the details" but I have to disagree; I see Jesus all over our details and that is why I am humbled and my faith is being built.
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