2017 was a year that turned me completely over and over again. I could begin some dramatic monologue about how "it was the worst of times..." but I don't want to go there. Frankly, I'm sure you don't want to hear it, either.
What it boils down to is an uncomfortable start to the year where the hubster was completely buried in work...always. The kiddos felt it, I felt it, and the hubs was beginning to be changed by it.
At that point, he decided to look for another job. He spoke with people he knew and tried to connect with companies in our home state of Michigan. Nothing panned out. What did happen to pan out was that his current job wouldn't be making any changes to make it something he could live with.
From there, the resume's went out to multiple places across the country. We hated the thought of having to leave our home state, but believed something better must be out there.
...Oh, but how we hated the thought of leaving.
We began to pray. A lot. We asked for an answer to come that would be crystal clear. And then one day it did. The hubs soared through a series of interviews with a company and was asked to come down to tour the offices before a final interview.
All of this had us talking of a different state than our home. Kentucky became our focus as we began to shop for houses and schools and a new life, altogether.
Our own home sold quickly and we were scheduled to close on our new home the day after we sold in Michigan. The hubster started his new job and drove home to be with us every weekend. Everything was going well. It looked as if everything was falling right into place.
Can I confess something here? It's so easy to say the words "God's in this" when it's all going well. It's easy to walk in confidence and even laugh off anyone who would be negative. It could be easy to say "God brought us here" if everything went well, but we wouldn't have learned what that meant if it stayed easy.
Our home sale was delayed because the buyer still needed to clear for closing. No biggie. We were able to handle closing on our new home and our loan wasn't contingent on that sale. We would just need to close remotely about a week after our initial goal date. Our confidence was still in place and the hubs and I headed down to Kentucky for a final walk through and closing on our home there.
I wish I could fit you all into the back of the car to live this next moment with us. We were all smiles, taking in the change in landscape about an hour away from our new home. That's when our agent back in Michigan called us and I saw my hubster's face sink as he grabbed for my hand. I couldn't hear what was being said on his headset but I knew it wasn't good. He looked like he wanted to cry and my heart all but flopped *splat* in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong.
He got off the phone and was very slow but sure with his words. "Our buyer walked. I don't know. She doesn't want the house anymore". This immediately struck a chord of fear in him. Now we have no buyer for our home and 2 mortgages and 3 kids who we enrolled in private school. What on earth do we do...one hour away from our final walk through?
I didn't know what to say but I knew that everything would be OK...somehow...it just had to be. I encouraged him. I told him we have to keep our heads above water right now and think but I knew we'd be ok. Then it came to me. Two mortgages and private school is not something we can afford. We would either look into public school or I would homeschool. Either way it would only need to be for 1 semester and I was more than willing to do that if it meant my family could be together. The answer is for us to be together.
With that, there was a little more peace in the car and we continued on to Kentucky. Our final walk through was fine and some of our neighbors came out to greet us. It felt good to be in this house again and know that this would be home.
At the closing, the individual from the title company had a note to collect proof that we closed on the sale of our house in Michigan...even though we had already paid the closing costs for the purchase of our new home and our loan (remember?) was never contingent on this sale. This led to a complete fiasco in the office. Phone calls were made here and there while we were told we could sign everything but would get no key and our agent would receive no funds until this was all figured out.
Friends. We had an hour until the close of business day for our loan company. Our agent was sure they would put us off seeing as it was the last business day of the year and only an hour left in the work day. But it was determined (along with scrunched up, confused faces from the receiving end of the phone call) that the underwriter would be calling the Mister.
So we waited.
And we waited.
Then, the phone rang. "Mr. Clary, this is ____ from underwriting. I need 7 documents from you and we can get this all straightened up." It just so happened that the hubs had his laptop in his parked car with everything requested. He took his laptop into our agent's office and began sending things over one at a time while keeping an open dialogue with the underwriter. I waited back in the closing room and didn't know what to do but knew that perusing Facebook and the like was pretty futile in such a big moment.
I opened my Bible app and clicked on "Read". That took me to Romans chapter 8. I read and took it in and was about split wide open when I got to verse 15. (ESV) "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' ". What I've neglected to tell you is that when I was told we wouldn't get the key to our house until it all got figured out, fear consumed me. I literally thought I was going to pass out and I wanted to cry. I felt anxious and defeated...even abandoned.
So the reminder that I "did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear" hit me hard in that room. It was my turn to hear that I needed to keep my head above water and everything would be OK. It was also my chance to see what it looks like when God is allowed to do what He will and truly know that He is in this. I was humbled but I found peace in that.
A few moments later, my agent brought me water and told me to come on back to his office as the hubs still had a few things to straighten out yet. He explained to us both that this never happens. The underwriter never speaks to the borrower. Like, never ever. In fact, he said he was going to tell this story after the New Year's holiday and predicted that no one would believe him.
Friends, we were having conversations that should never have happened and 5 minutes before the end of business day, we got the call that said "I'm done. You're all set. Enjoy your new home". Unbelievable, right? I looked straight at my agent and said "None of us can leave this room and say we've never seen a miracle with our own eyes".
We were given our key and spent the night in our house only to return to Michigan the next day and tell our kids about it.
We still have to sell our Michigan home (sale pending currently!) but the school we initially chose worked with us and our kiddos have begun school there.
Let's all take a deep breath together, shall we?
Phew!
That's a lot, right?
So, yah. This move has changed our landscape, our state, our church (still shopping), and will soon change our accent. But one thing never changes. God is faithful - even in the craziest of twists and turns.
Our confidence to be here looks a lot different now. It's not "WE are HERE!" It's more, "He brought us here. How can we serve?".
And so goes the walk of a believer, right? We're here for a purpose bigger than ourselves and our greatest challenge is to keep saying "yes" as that purpose unfolds.
I could probably go on from here to preach a full sermon about "Obedience - even when..." but I may be the only person who needs to hear it and learn from it right now.
On to adventures in Kentucky. I can't wait to share all the "new" with you.
~Amy
