I had this dream in the last few years of a new-to-us house. A house with 5 bedrooms and 3000 square feet or more. (Seriously, you don’t need to slap me. I’ve done it myself multiple times.) I realize there are people in my own city that would be thrilled to have the house that we have right now. A roof over their heads. A safe neighborhood. Neighbors who care about us as family. A yard that can be mowed in 20 minutes or so. Ok so I don’t mow, but by watching my husband mow it, it seems quite easy.
We live in the most convenient place it seems. Close to three different interstates. Most places take 20-30 minutes to get to max. I’ve got multiple malls, shopping centers, and come on an Aldi less than a mile away.
Quite frankly, the area we live in is a great area. It’s just we have three bedrooms and want more children. We can’t even use the garage for it is storage and my van doesn’t fit well in the garage and alley situation.
Fast foreward to my fasting of coffee and caffeine. I love how when God asks us to fast something that He really doesn’t disappoint. I’m telling you big things are happening in my life and in the life of my family. But I’ll continue with this topic of housing.
God placed a desire in my heart I never thought, scratch that, would never have placed there myself. Like in a million years.
I looked at a house as a place to host fabulous house parties, have people over at a moment’s notice and it wouldn’t bother me as it does now. I mean we are bursting at the seams at this house.
But God changed that perspective and changed the desire of my heart for a new house. He’s shown me that I could use my house as a haven for women meeting to grow deeper in their relationships with Jesus and other women. He’s also shown me teenagers filling my home, eating, playing games, and wait for it–reading God’s Word.
A new desire I have–to have a safe haven for those that need it to come to. Spend time in an encouraging environment. Showing that living the life Christ asks of us is the real deal.
So that means I need to desire to be the real deal. My family needs to continue to morph into the real deal. And guess what? I want that! I want to stand out as different from my neighbors. I want to be Christ’s hands and feet on this earth.
This no coffee/caffeine thing- God knew what it was that would catch my attention so that He could continue to #transform me.
