I’m overwhelmed with emotion today, filled by the glory of God. I knew His presence would be powerful, but I never imagined witnessing His direct provision unfold before my eyes. Today, we broke ground on our new home, and I witnessed God’s favor over my family being revealed.
“For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.” – 2 Corinthians 1:20
There was a point in time where my life seemed perfect. I had a great job and my own place, and I felt on top of the world. I knew God, but I didn’t truly appreciate Him. I believed that I could manage everything on my own until He humbled me. I went from financial abundance to losing my job and car back-to-back. I recall dreading the beginning of each month, knowing that an eviction notice would be at my door.
Fortunately, I have always made financially wise decisions when able, so when tax season came, I took care of everything that needed to be done. I managed to catch up on bills and repair my car, I paid off the rest of my lease, and I found an apartment that worked with my situation. Although things seemed to improve, I still struggled to keep God at the center of my life as depression consumed me. A few years passed, and while I had a stable job, my family continued to grow. The apartment that had provided stability for my children and me for four years became too small, and we needed to move.
We relocated to a house that was more than I could have asked for. Our rooms were spacious, and the kids even had a playroom. My partner and I were set to get married and even began entertaining the idea of becoming homeowners. I was a bit naive about the process; I failed to realize all that went into qualifying for a mortgage, so inevitably I was denied. Despite working hard and having a stable job, it wasn’t enough, and that crushed me. My children’s grandmother offered to co-sign, but I still felt defeated. Life took an unexpected turn: my partner and I separated, and I was left with nowhere to go, unable to purchase a home.
This was all during COVID, so we moved in with my mom for a few months until I could figure everything out. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, my job began the process of laying people off, and I was among them. Although I was incredibly blessed to receive the generous unemployment benefits, that wasn’t enough to get approved for any rentals. I ended up finding a place that was a nice size with a beautiful backyard. We had some of the best neighbors and made some incredible memories, and it was all snatched away when I found out that I was unable to renew my lease as the landlords lost the house. I was 7 months pregnant and speechless.
At this point, I desperately wanted out of the rental life, but I knew my debt-to-income ratio would lead to loan denials. I took a leap of faith and applied for Habitat for Humanity. I attended the orientation and went through the entire process, only to be denied. I held onto hope as I was finally approved for an FHA loan. However, as I started looking at homes, I realized none were suitable; everything either needed too much work or was too small for my family and budget.
At this time, it had been a few years since I began developing a true relationship with Christ, consistently reading my Bible and intentionally spending time with Him. I remember praying and patiently awaiting God to work things out according to His plan, not mine. A few months after each denial, I received a letter from Habitat, welcoming me to the family. I was selected! I couldn’t believe it.
This journey hasn’t been easy and has required a lot of discipline and determination to get out of as much debt as possible. I have been able to pay off 90% of my debt, built savings for my down payment, and established meaningful relationships, all while keeping Christ at the center. As we celebrated the beginning of homeownership today, I couldn’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come. It’s not by luck or anything I’ve done, but purely by the grace of God.
As a reminder to myself and others, we are not in control no matter how much we try to be. God does allow us the free will to make our own choices, but ultimately things will always work out according to his plan. There is light at the end of the tunnel, but first, we have to surrender ourselves fully to Him.
“If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat.” – Isaiah 1:19