Our CountryHome: The Miracle By Lorraine Curry Ps. 21:1-3, 6 ...Thou hast given him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips. For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. For thou hast made him most blessed for ever: thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance. For the king trusteth in the LORD, and through the mercy of the most High he shall not be moved. I sit in heavenly surroundings: a soft and warm breeze blows on my shoulder, the birds sing their clear perennial songs, while the beloved gigantic cottonwood trees shimmer and join in the sweet melody. It is just as I had dreamed it would be! After more than five years of anticipation, joy, disappointment, and hurt the Lord gave us the desire of our hearts. Eli has wanted to move to the country since he was 7 years old, and this year we will be celebrating his 13th birthday on 40 acres of park-like land that we purchased with CASH! Join us as we go back and re-travel some of the roads of our bittersweet search. OUR COUNTRY HOME, PART I, "THE SEARCH" Planting time was upon us so we sowed our seeds in town, conceding that we would be staying awhile longer. Once gardening had been a labor of love for me, but now, with my heart in the country, I had little desire for this task. I looked down our street toward the hills: usually brown and dry, they were emerald after the rains like a beacon wavering in the sunlight. There's always the time factor with kids-we want to move while they are still young enough to really enjoy the country. The mid afternoon sun was hot, but the air grew cold as the sun set, indicating the lateness of the season. We snuggled into blankets. Ezra, our ten year old (now 15!) outdoorsman, sat beside me. He was his usual quiet self and I appreciated it this time. My senses filled and lifted as we basked in the Master's vibrant artwork. The trees, usually appearing as shadows against the hills, glowed with fall color in the dusky light. Wispy pink clouds faded in the northern sky while the sun sliver disappeared. The road twisted behind us. OUR COUNTRY HOME, PART II, "THE SEARCH CONTINUES" It was March. The low sun silhouetted the tree skeletons bordering the winding road. "We looked at that house before, didn't we?What was it like inside?Was it decent?" I asked my husband. I was feeling a bit desperate, and said I wanted to see it again. It was situated on a little rise that would be an island during flooding; a distinct possibility with its nearness to the river. Andy said it was a brick house. He drove on by. We found it at the end of a winding drive on the rolling summit of high hill. A wide porch looked over a sloping lawn dotted with trees and a long clothesline. The classic farmhouse was half-hugged by evergreens. A big barn soared behind while outbuildings peppered the descent. The land fell sharply toward the river valley. I sat quietly taking it all in, whereas Andy exploded with dialogue. "Do you kids think that you would like to live here?" They quickly replied successively, "Yes!" OUR COUNTRY HOME, PART III, "THE SURPRISE" On a Saturday in June, Andy returned from his walk to the post office and placed a letter in my hands. Looking at the return address he said, "Isn't that the people who own the place we all liked?" I nodded, and tore open the envelope. I read aloud kind remarks about the newsletter (I had sent her a copy of Tips & Topics, hearing that they also homeschooled.), and about how they had tried to contact us previously. Then I read their incredible words relating how, to their surprise (they had lived there only about five months!), they were considering a move. I faltered, choked with tears, while Andy anxiously said to go on. I then read even more amazing words: The owners had been wondering if the Lord had them purchase the place, just to plant another of His people on it! "Is this what you have for us, Lord?" I stood gazing at a three story house whose wraparound porch faced a valley and a pond. The kids raced downhill. Soon a man pulled up and rudely informed us that the place had been sold a year ago, and that the new owners were planning to move it off the land. The children jumped into the van right before we pulled out. "We found a neat camping place!" Ezra announced excitedly. We dutifully reported the bad news, as delight and overflowing dialog crashed into sudden disappointment. In the impending silence, tears rose within me. I rotely spoke the Word, "Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." (Gal. 6:9) Zephi asked, "Why are you crying then?" That did it! The floodgates opened and I began weeping. I was aching for the children. They had waited so long! As we drove home that night, the Lord again showed me that His ways are not our ways. What is God's priority? Is it our fleshly desires? No! His priority is that an army be raised up to declare His kingdom to those who don't know His amazing love! I pondered, "Are we raising up little warriors for Jesus? There is a cause worth dying for, a cause worth living for! (See Part II) And it's not a country home. No army ever has had a cause like ours." But the kids had plans for the country. As well as wanting animals, they liked working the land and had started gardens in town while waiting to move. Petite Zephi meticulously designed her plot and laboriously hand dug the soil, while the boys worked hard at constructing fences around their section, just to have the neighbor angrily tear everything down (it was their property, but they had allowed us to use it for several years). We taught lessons on loving our neighbors and our enemies and gave the garden back. And Ezra sacrificed his biggest tomato plant, taking it to Grandma's. Then he said that God had told him that we were to get a house on May 1. We reminded the children that God doesn't lie or make any mistakes, and thanked Him for the house that we received (Mark 11:24) on that date. Then we asked that He would reveal it to us. OUR COUNTRY HOME, PART IV, "HARD THINGS" A week passed. Andy was off work and had planned to do some fix up jobs to get our house ready to put on the market. But he had picked up the mail and was distraught. A letter told us that the owners found a place that they liked. The words pierced, "If we are to go for it, we have to sell the farm entirely, not just the 80 acres that you would want. We must put the farm on the market, as a whole." Andy called and found out that they had already listed it. I couldn't believe they hadn't contacted us first! My heart sank. We trusted these people! I remembered how Jesus' own disappointed Him, but still He forgave. I saw how far from Him I was when I reacted. Yet, I felt so raped of our trust, plundered of the home that was so obviously ours! We had been promised, in writing, "We would not back out, having given our word, as we live under His principles." Anger burned, "And these are Christ's principles?! This is dealing with 'Christian' people?!" A song droned, "Let your first thought be love." How terribly hard to love when wronged! But "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." (1 John 3:14,15) How difficult not to judge (criticize), condemn, and hold unforgiveness! "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven" (Luke 6:37) Andy telephoned the realtor. The owners had found a buyer from Denver. Overhearing Dad's conversation, Eli said anxiously, "They sold our house! They sold our house!" Did the man hear him? Did he even know that there were children involved? Did the owners think about the consequences of offending little ones? That night Ezra cuddled near, and hugged me. He knew how easily my tears flow. End of excerpts from articles formerly published in An Encouragaing Word. Between the last article and the next, we kept searching everywhere, even taking two trips out of state. THE MIRACLE OF GOD'S PROVISION Rom. 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. We knew debt was not God's best and had avoided it for several years. We took a giant faith step, committing to pay an amount for this land in three weeks that we didn't have! We didn't even tell our good friend who wrote up the agreement a few days before May 1st that we did not have the money-we believed that God would provide. During the second half of the three week period, I made several deposits of thousands of dollars each! On the very day of closing, we were around $1000 short, when a check came in for around $1200! I went "limp" in Andy's arms and wept with relief, giving praise and thanksgiving to God! Our realtor friend was also very surprised and awed by God's power, when we told him how God had provided. THE MIRACLE OF GOD'S BEST God has not only provided cash for us to buy 40 acres, he has provided His best for us. After searching the area for 5+ years, we know that this 40 acres is the prettiest around! The seller's daughter, a realtor, said he was sitting on a gold mine. While Nebraska is mostly flat, plowed, with few trees; our land has high cliffs and views, a meadow, a shallow but year round stream, a perfect, smooth, sledding hill, 17 acres of trees and such a variety of plants that authorities have given tours of it. It even has the oak trees that Andy so desired and wanted to move to Missouri for! We have already seen wild horses, turkeys, orioles, other birds and deer and have enjoyed the land by hiking (getting in shape too!) and having picnics there. Our next projects are to pick a site, plan for and start excavation and construction of a basement, dig a well and so forth. We are going to move our home to the property, which is another blessing. The Lord knew how much I wanted to keep it and when I was willing to relinquish it, he gave it back. Our family connection to this house goes back over 87 years. See more in EasyHomeschooling Techniques. THE MIRACLE GOD HAS FOR YOU Gal. 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree If you have been believing the doctrines of men about prosperity, healing or whatever, look to God's Word to see what He has to say. I could give you pages of Scripture right now, proving he wants to bless you, but the verse above says it in a nutshell. (Look up the blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 28 and for more on this subject, see my article, "I AM REDEEMED FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW." STEPS TO YOUR MIRACLE 1. Believe that your Father wants to bless you, as much as you want to bless your children. 2. Find the promises that prove that He favors and wants to bless you. For instance Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant (Ps. 35:27). Feed your faith on the Word. 3. It's so simple: SIMPLE faith means only believe that he is more than able, and not only is He able, He wants to bless you! Just believe He is who He is! A great and mighty and loving God! 4. Love others, "faith worketh by love." 5. Sow seeds: loving deeds, offerings for the ministry, etc. Giving is a big part of receiving. If you don't plant, a crop won't grow. When you plant, expect a harvest. Get specific. Don't forget the tithe too, which opens the windows of heaven! 6. Don't limit God. Thinking things like, "Where will it come from?" is limiting God. Remember, he made everything out of NOTHING! 7. Delight yourself in Him (and he will give you the desires of your heart). Praise Him, keep your heart thankful and your voice and heart praising Him. 8. Step out. God will meet that act of trust. This, and spiritual warfare, see below, are what made the difference for us this time. 9. The spiritual is always greater than, and precedes the material. Things are happening right now, that are unseen, as of yet in your own lives. We know the thief stole the first property that was meant for us years ago. Because of that I was almost continually-between the agreement and the closing-praying against the enemy from stealing this land from us. I would (mostly silently) pray something like this: "Devil, you cannot steal this land from us, you are bound and cannot come near it, cannot touch it, it is ours, in Jesus name. It is covered by His blood and there are angels all about it!" I also prayed that the angels would be loosed to minister so that all would be done without any problems whatsoever, and loosed to minister to bring the money in that we needed. (Matt. 18:18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Heb. 1:14 (angels) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?) 10. We had to obey God. He gave me several specific things to do to raise money. I didn't just sit and wait. (Faith without works is dead.) I made business calls, liquidated assets, etc. But I still give Him all the credit, for none of these things would have worked if He hadn't directed and done it! 11. Do not waver. Don't allow doubt, don't speak doubt. Speak faith filled words. When you know things are happening first in the spiritual realm, you can speak those things before you actually see them with your physical eyes. You are the prophet of your own life and the words you speak will come to pass. The principle is found in Genesis. God SAID and there was. 12. Lastly, believing for prosperity is not selfish. If God can trust you to be a giver, helping to move His work forward, he will trust you with prosperity. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
Lorraine Curry is the author of 5 Star Easy Homeschooling books. See and link to more articles, FREE copywork, subscriptions, ebooks and more at http://www.easyhomeschooling.com | Articles may be republished freely. However we ask that you include the following and a link to our site with the article. Lorraine Curry is the author of 5 Star, Easy Homeschooling Techniques and Easy Homeschooling Companion. See more articles, FREE copywork, subscriptions, ebooks and more at http://www.easyhomeschooling.com We prefer you use the linking code at top of page in your page's html source. God's Gardener Easy Homeschooling PO Box 95 Boelus NE 68820 308.996.4497 Fax: 308.996.9104 Contact Us FREE Shipping Secure Shopping 12 Month Guarantee Contributions accepted by mail or through PayPal to easyhs@cornhusker.net STEPS TO YOUR MIRACLE 1. Believe God wants to bless you. 2. Find the promises that prove it. 3. It's so simple: only believe. 4. "Faith worketh by love." 5. Sow seeds: loving deeds, etc. 6. Don't limit God. 7. Delight yourself in Him. 8. Step out in faith. 9. It is done before you see it. 10. Obey God. 11. Do not waver. 12. To prosper is good. |