When you think of God constantly being at work in our lives or the miraculous miracles of Jesus what usually comes to mind? I’m assuming for most of us we think of big grand things the Lord does, healing, children being born, salvation, and so on.
Have you ever experienced, or witnessed through a friend, a miracle from the Lord? It could be big or small!
The definition of a miracle according to Google is: “A surprising and welcome event that is not able to be accounted for or understood by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.”
I think too often when we think of God working a miracle we desire something grand, meaning it’s definitely not something we feel we could do on our own strength or with our own money.
When I look at my life and try to analyze where God has done the miraculous I could probably write a million things. And my hope is that you could too after reading this. But for now, I want to point out three specific situations that God has shown up.
In 2013, I moved into a cute little cottage with my friend. My mom and her friend came over one morning to see my new place, hang out, and have coffee. At the end of hanging out, we spent some time praying together about all the different things. One of the main prayer requests I had at the time was for God to heal my Psoriasis. Psoriasis is an autoimmune/skin disease that I broke out with when I was 7 years old and have dealt with it ever since. But right before I moved I broke out with it again really bad and it was super frustrating, embarrassing, painful, and annoying. Anyways, my mom’s friend prayed over me asking for healing and also that God would find us a used or cheap washer and dryer for our new home.
Long story short, a couple of days later, someone I didn’t know offered to buy me a washer and dryer. It was the strangest thing. As I prayed and did my devotions I felt that the Lord was saying to me “I gotchu.” Through this situation, I realized that God cares about the little things in our lives. When we want prayers answered we expect or desire Him to answer the big things. I had a moment of… “Really God? Out of all the things we prayed for that morning, you decide to answer the one for a washer and dryer, not healing me?” I wasn’t mad that He didn’t heal me, I was more shocked that God was always looking out for me, even the simple and “easy” prayers we ask of Him that we essentially could take care of on our own.
“The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands.”
Psalm 138:8 (NKJV)
I take Zion swimming every week at an indoor community pool. The other day I was talking to Nick’s dad about how I need to get a life jacket or some type of swim floaty thing for Zion because he is getting more comfortable and daring in the water and I’m getting slower as I get more pregnant. We talked about types and styles and researched a little about Coast guard approved ones etc. The next day Dale comes home with a brand new blue Coast guard approved infant-size lifejacket. But the best part is that he just happened to stop by a Goodwill that afternoon and there it was. We were almost chuckling in amazement at how good God is. We didn’t even pray for a lifevest! We were just casually talking about it and God decided to bless us with one. Another example of God showing up in the smallest ways is to point out that He is always watching and listening, He cares about the mundane things in our life. He is sovereign, loving, kind, merciful, and gracious and wants to bless His children.
“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
Matthew 10:26-31
“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
Psalm 1:1-2
Before moving, we had talked about moving for 3 or so years. I used to love looking at houses for sale on Redfin to get a feel for the areas. I loved dreaming about buying a house one day and what I would love in a home. Eventually that excitement and thought died down because we still weren’t moving. Once we got up here and got settled we started talking about looking for a home, since we were currently living in a rental house with Nick’s parents.
I was always looking at new homes that popped up, but we didn’t start seriously looking until the beginning of 2023. I found many houses I thought would be good for us but we still weren’t sure where we wanted to live as we were still getting to know the area. Stephanie and I went to a few open houses but always found something we didn’t like about the homes we saw.
So much of this process was frustrating to me. Nick was so busy with work, school, and all the responsibilities of starting a church that he wasn’t helping look for a house at all. And every time we would talk about it, I just felt that he was saying it wasn’t the right time. He finally had to ask me to take a month off of looking for a home as it was becoming all-consuming and stressful. It was leading me down a path of sin through my attitude.
One morning Stephanie, Nick’s mom, sent me a text about a new home that popped up and I really liked it. I showed Nick and we decided to reach out to our agent and set up a showing. She said to send her a few homes that we could go see all in one day. We had 4 homes that we looked at and every time we went to a new house, we compared it with the first one. It just felt right.
Because I had spent so much time looking at homes online I had a small list of what we wanted and one of what we needed. And, boy oh boy, did this house check more boxes on our wanted list than I could have ever dreamed of.
It’s a 3 bedroom 2 bath, single story, with a large living room that can fit our piano, an area to convert into a playroom, and a back house to make a guest room and office space for Nick. It’s on a cul-de-sac in a great location and neighborhood, with so many beautiful trees around and a large backyard for the kids with so many amazing flowers, plants, and trees.
We decided to make an offer that day as they were reviewing all the offers and making a decision that night. Our agent found out that most of the offers were above the asking price. She recommended we offer $50k above the listed price which was still in our budget. I really wanted this home and felt that it was ours so I just figured let’s do what she says to get this house. Nick did not want to go that high, he made a wise decision and only wanted to offer $16k above and use the rest of the money towards updating the home. Now this was where I had to put my faith into practice. Submitting to my husband and trusting that the Lord was leading his decisions.
Our agent called us at 9pm that night, and I definitely thought based on her tone and what she was saying we didn’t get the house. But, by the grace of God, she said they “accepted your offer!” We were SHOCKED. There were two better offers than us, one specifically that said they would keep going higher than anyone else. But the seller agent and family of the seller felt there was something special about us and wanted to choose our application. I think they wanted a family to buy it as the woman had lived there for years and raised her family there.
With the very generous help of Nick’s parents, a great realtor, and the amazing power of the Lord, we became homeowners on March 31, 2023.
And this was just the start of seeing God’s sovereign hand at work. We had a 10-day escrow, which I found out is unheard of, but even in the craziness of that, God worked it out for us to move quickly and purchase the house. There were a couple of hiccups with the financing but again in God’s perfect will, He made it better than we could have and we are so thankful.
You’d think after experiencing the big and little miracles of the Lord working in my life I would get it by now and stop worrying or thinking God doesn’t see my desires and needs. But I guess I need more practice in this area.
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
Ephesians 3:20-21
Because of the circumstances of the seller, the home had to be sold as is. So for anyone with experience in buying a home, you know that you sometimes have to hold your breath. It was built in 1978 and thankfully the inspection didn’t come back with any major issues. It just needed a few things updated and some major cosmetic work done.
Now the real fun begins. Fixing it up.
I’d like to remind you that not only is Nick's foot still broken and he is in a boot and in pain, but I am also pregnant with our second child while chasing around an active opinionated one-and-a-half-year-old during all of this. I want to pretend that I handled it all well and managed my hormones and emotions well but there were definitely many times I didn’t. It was very stressful. I took the lead on figuring out what we wanted to update and getting estimates from different companies. Nick helped when he could but there was just too much that it was often easier for me to do it. So for a month, I was taking care of Zion, running errands and meeting people for inspections or estimates during his nap, then going back home to play with him, and after he went to bed I was back on my computer doing house stuff. It was a lot. I just kept praying that it would get done quicker and smoothly but everyone warned me that there would be hiccup after hiccup and they were right. All minor things but just more for my brain to handle.
Thankfully Zion has been maturing a lot and doing pretty well. He is a little needy and just wants mama when he sees me and then proceeds to be whiny, but if I’m not there, he is usually pretty happy with everyone.
I understand now why I’ve heard that remodeling can cause tension in your marriage. This has been a very tough few months for me and my mental and physical capacity are being pushed daily. Sadly, that has affected the energy I have for Nick. I took a lot out on him and there were times we both were at fault, but man, I wish I could go back and change the way I reacted and treated him during this time. No matter what your circumstance is, there is never an excuse to be rude, disrespectful, unsupportive, not loving or kind, or servant-hearted toward your husband. Sure there are seasons and I think we have to share the load which is not always 50/50, but make sure you check your attitude and the state of your heart and mind that you keep your priorities straight. First, your relationship with the Lord, then your husband, next your children, then anything and everything else. Your family is your first ministry and main job. I think I got way too tied up in the house stuff, my timeline of finishing before the baby, and just selfishly what I wanted. Clearly, God had a different plan and timeline and is working through this situation to refine and discipline me.
I am now 39 weeks pregnant. The house is so so close to being done and ready to move in. It all depends on when the baby girl wants to arrive. We plan to officially move in in a few days. On top of it all, Nick has school the next two weeks, over Zoom, all day every day.
I usually like to post my blogs at the beginning of every month….but this is where I stopped writing. End of May, at 39 weeks, in full swing of finishing the house and waiting to have a baby, which was at the end of May. I should have made this a two-parter, but instead, it will just be a long one. Thanks for continuing to read! So we skipped a post for June 1st because May was just downright hard and busy so here it is on July 1st. Maybe we’ll do two this month.
Memorial weekend was spent with family in town working to finish our house. I was exhausted and stressed and so ready for the house to be done. Praise God for a family who sacrifices their time and money to bless us. And there is nothing I can to do repay them besides be thankful and enjoy my home.
We finally moved in on June 3rd, a day before I was due. We worked hard and got as settled as we could with very minimal boxes around to unpack and organize. I WAS SO DONE. Tired, body hurting, ready to not be pregnant, but also not ready for her to come yet. But of course. It all got done at the perfect time for our sweet baby girl to arrive. Imagine that. God’s timing is ALWAYS perfect.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Through this whole process, the word that sticks out the most to me is “thankful.” Despite the ups and downs, the challenges, tension, hard work, stress, and tiredness there is so much to be thankful for. I am thankful that the Lord is always using situations to change me. Even when I fail, He uses all things to refine me and make me holy. Thank you Jesus that I am not the same today as I was two months ago. And the goal is to continue to grow and not make the same mistakes.
“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
Psalm 51:10-12
I asked Nick his thoughts on the house-buying process and wanted to share his perspective.
Hey everyone! Not sure how much more I have to add in this section. Jess crushed it by accurately describing all the emotions and details that have happened through this whole process. During this process, I’ve been reminded of the “parable of the talents.” I feel like the one that has been given 5 talents. God has given and blessed us with abundantly more than we ever asked or deserve. However, our prayer is that this does not go to waste. My hope is that this home would be seen less as a fortress of solitude and more as a sanctuary where God is glorified, ministry exists, and the weary pilgrim has rest while he is passing through this world. My hope is not just this home is somewhere we raise our children, but where people would gather and grow in their relationship with Christ and with one another. I hope that at the end of this life, there was not a single “earthly treasure” that was not spent for good on behalf of someone else.
How cool that Nick and I have similar but also very different takeaways from this process. And as we sit and share our thoughts with each other we get to grow and appreciate all that God has done in our lives. God has blessed us more than we could ever imagine. We do not take it for granted nor do we boast in our own successes for it clearly is the work of the Lord that we got this house. And it was by His mighty hand and purpose that the timing and circumstances were used to transform me. As I sit here in my new home, writing, listening to my daughter making sweet noises, and watching my son nap through the monitor, I am both humbled and convicted. We do not give God the glory and praise He is due. I’m sure each of us thank and praise Him at different times. But I want to end with a challenge for both you and myself. Take a step back and think of the God you serve. He’s the God of the universe: Holy, Majestic, and Mighty. The God that sent His only Son as a sacrifice for our sins so that we may be redeemed to live with Him in glory. The God who gave us His Holy Spirit so that we can enter the “tent” and talk to Him anytime we desire. Do you praise Him daily for just being who He is? Are you in awe of Him? Or do you take Him for granted and only pray when you need something or get something?
Thank you Lord for who You are. Thank You for what You do that we see and for what You do that we don’t see. Thank you for Your blessings and thank you for Your lessons. May we live lives that honor You and give You the praise You are worthy of each day.
Jess T.
Prayer Requests
That we would praise Him daily
That our home would be a place of hospitality, ministry, love, and a safe haven for our family and others
May we remember and trust that the Lord’s timing is always perfect (and that I would stop getting stressed and frustrated when faced with trials)
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