still stepping in faith...

Some of you are wondering what happened with the land. I spoke with our real estate agent on Friday, and gave him a starting offer. He spoke with the land owners realator a bit to see if they would entertain this lower offer. I will say that Alvin and I did have our doubts, but hey, it wasn't a rude offer at all, and our guy thought we could certainly ask. So, at this point, nothing has been put into writing .... that will happen today.

We have decided to give a higher bid, and ultimately if they take it, it would be great. But, we are thinking that we still may have some room to go, if they counter with something...

I have talked with a few friends over the last few days. To say that we are anxious would be an understatement. For us, this is huge. It means that we would then (if we get the land) put our house up for sale. And our land that we also have separately out here in Anola.

Our kids have been going through some stuff as I attempt to purge the house... this is something I have talked about doing for a long time... and now, with the thought of showing and selling our house, it is definitely something that needs to be done.
This is the house that Alvin built for us. The house that Josh moved into when he was one and a half. The house that Ashley came home from the hospital too. The house that has memory upon memory of laughter, tears, deep conversations, bible studies, parties, more parties, and one and on. This is where our kids grew up, where they had their friends over for countless sleepovers. This is the house where my sister and brother-in-law stayed while they built their home next door. This is where my mom and dad-in-law lived while they built their home on the other side of us. This is the house where I recovered from my surgery, and where our kids Josh and Leah lived while they built their place. This is the house where our kids (all of them) had their wedding photos taken.

The other day Josh gave us a little pep talk and said, "if you are going to do it, you have to just DO IT" I told him it would be really hard, and tear-filled - and he said he knew that. I told him it would be tear filled for him too, and he agreed.
I don't really want to think to much about that, moving away from the place that we have spent the better half of our lives in (26 years this August 6).

Funny thing is, it seems like THIS IS THE TIME. For the past year when God kept saying "get the ball rolling" and some women from church spoke prophetically into my life, I felt like it was soon... and it feels very right, right now.
It also feels like I am in another part of life. My old life stopped when my grandson's heart stopped, July 24th. I look back at my old life, and everything is different. We have all changed. In the brutal reality of death, we have grown, and changed....

So, now, it is with both anxiousness, and excitement, actually great excitement, that today Alvin will sign a written offer to purchase, and we will wait, and perhaps counter offer.... only God knows that.

It seems that I can hear him whisper "Be strong and courageous - I will go with you wherever you go." And we know that, Alvin and I and our kids... that in the valley, or on the mountain, He is with us.

So, we are still stepping in faith..... will this land be the future place of our home and Women Refreshed at the Well? God, you know all that. May your will be done. Help us to trust you for each step of the way.