my dreams vs. His

I look back at the last two years and it's hard to believe how much has changed. I can't imagine how much is going to change in the next two years. Steve and I have big dreams, but they're still evolving and changing on a daily basis. I don't always trust my dreams, but I always want to make sure they line up with God's will for my life. Now it's even a bigger deal when my dreams affect multiple people.

It's no secret that Steve and I have dreams of moving. We change our mind every day about where we might actually move, but we have agreed we don't see our current house as our forever house. Our dream home is a steal of a foreclosure with some land. A couple of months ago we found one. We told a few people and we showed photos and I started to let myself think we might actually be able to buy it. Of course one of the obstacles between us and this sweet foreclosure was the fact that we actually already own a home have a mortgage. So we met with a realtor and talked about trying to sell our house. And then we remembered I'm pregnant and trying to sell a house while pregnant and/or taking care of a newborn sounds miserable. Steve and I agreed to wait and always pray that God would open the doors that we needed to walk through (literally and figuratively).

One weekend we thought we had an interested buyer for our house and I went through a cleaning frenzy... until they changed their mind and forgot to tell us. Meanwhile the foreclosure kept coming and going off of zillow. On Wednesday I asked Steve if we could at least go look at it. We saw it and of course it just made me want it more. I was getting a little excited again... until we got home.

Steve called the realtor and he said the previous owners went through a debt consolidation and were going to close on it today. Ouch. It's not often you think about the previous owners of a house or how they might be affected, but sometimes foreclosures smack you in the face. I have no idea what the circumstances were that led to the foreclosure, but it is something that happens more and more. My house prayers are usually self-centered, but I was quickly reminded of all the others who might be affected by my dream for this house. I still love the house and I still pray that we'll have a chance to find a house for us... but I'm also praying for the family who I imagine reclaimed their house today. I'm imagining they have children and praying for their transitions out of, and back into their house. I'm praying the debt consolidation was a good decision for them and they find a way to keep their heads above water. I'm also praying that we remember this whenever we do buy another house... That we don't try to live above our means... That we make smart financial decisions and work hard to avoid the worst-case scenarios... That my dreams match up with His will for our lives.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way walk in it." Isaiah 30:21