Well it looks like we are going to close tomorrow! We've reached an agreement with the buyer and if all goes as planned we will close tomorrow and after that sign our new lease and start moving in the afternoon and have the movers come on Thursday for the big stuff.
I feel at peace with our agreement and a relief that we aren't signing the lease until after we close.
Now let me tell you about our new place! I think God has really blessed us and we will be very happy there, this place has EVERY single thing I wanted! Isn't God good?
It's a 3 bedroom 2 bath almost 1,700 sq ft. All the bedrooms are on one side of the apartment divided by a door and the family/dinning/kitchen/balcony are on the other side. The kitchen is huge, even has an island, and the view is stunning. It's a sub penthouse so it's high up, the 22nd floor. We have views facing San Juan and the ocean. There are more closets than I can fill up!!! It has a pool, playground and gym. We have private storage and two parkings. God even got the small details down, it has carpet in the bedrooms which I really wanted. The master room and bath are big and has a walk in closet! Oh oh I forgot, it has 4 air condition units!!!!!!!!!!!!! No more sweating all day in misery!
I've learned a lot of lessons during this time! One main one being what my dad commented on in my last post I'll copy and paste it here:
******
It has been said that we are no more like God than when we forgive others for what they have done wrong to us.
Your kindness and prayers to this lady has yet worked God's goodness in your life.
God takes all things and works them for our good. You have become more like Jesus through this experience, and that is good.
Love is more important than faith--See I Corinthians 13.
Love, Dad
******
1 Corinthians 13 1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames but have not love, I gain nothing.
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Monday, February 26, 2007
Countdown to God's Goodness
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Things have been SO stressful these last few days. Our closing has been pushed back by at least a couple of days and things at this point could still fall through. Some unexpected issues came up in the inspection of the condo and we are trying to work through the issues with our buyer.
It's been really tough on me with two small children, packing and dealing with inspectors etc. At one point I was very upset with the buyer. She knows we have small kids and we're trying to get out in 11 days at her request and she wasn't responding to some calls which put delays on us signing a lease etc. Today was the day before the movers come and I still didn't know if we were going to close or not. We found a perfect place and have someone waiting on us to sign a lease and the buyer was/in dragging her feet. STRESS. I was really getting upset and felt like blessing the buyer out.
And then the Holy Spirit spoke and started changing my heart, I started feeling compassion for the woman. Even though I feel she isn't doing us right I started feeling compassionate for her. From what I understand she has some personal/emotional problems and so I started to pray for her. That God would touch her in that very moment and calm her heart. I prayed that God would bless her and protect her and be there for her.
Instantly a peace came over me and a calm took over my heart.
About 15 minutes later I FINALLY received word from our realitor that she got in touch with the buyer and she thinks we can work out the closing and reach an agreement.
And so with that I pray to my Father; Dear Lord I've been so busy praying for myself this whole time that I've lost sight of those around me. I've been so focused on receiving my blessing that perhaps my heart has been in the wrong place. And so I turn it all over to you. You know just what I need and even though times look dark, I refuse to lose my faith in you. You are my delight and I will not let that go! You are what excites me and You are what I want, I give the rest to you. My dear Lord I pray for this woman who needs your help, I pray you bless her ten times what you will bless me. Dear Lord I pray for the best for this lady. I pray Lord you will step in and change my heart where it needs to be changed, I know only YOU can do that! And so here Lord is my heart, I offer it to you and my longing is that you change my desires to Yours so that I can pray Your will. I thank You for Your wonderful mercy and grace. You are amazingly sweet!
Things have been SO stressful these last few days. Our closing has been pushed back by at least a couple of days and things at this point could still fall through. Some unexpected issues came up in the inspection of the condo and we are trying to work through the issues with our buyer.
It's been really tough on me with two small children, packing and dealing with inspectors etc. At one point I was very upset with the buyer. She knows we have small kids and we're trying to get out in 11 days at her request and she wasn't responding to some calls which put delays on us signing a lease etc. Today was the day before the movers come and I still didn't know if we were going to close or not. We found a perfect place and have someone waiting on us to sign a lease and the buyer was/in dragging her feet. STRESS. I was really getting upset and felt like blessing the buyer out.
And then the Holy Spirit spoke and started changing my heart, I started feeling compassion for the woman. Even though I feel she isn't doing us right I started feeling compassionate for her. From what I understand she has some personal/emotional problems and so I started to pray for her. That God would touch her in that very moment and calm her heart. I prayed that God would bless her and protect her and be there for her.
Instantly a peace came over me and a calm took over my heart.
About 15 minutes later I FINALLY received word from our realitor that she got in touch with the buyer and she thinks we can work out the closing and reach an agreement.
And so with that I pray to my Father; Dear Lord I've been so busy praying for myself this whole time that I've lost sight of those around me. I've been so focused on receiving my blessing that perhaps my heart has been in the wrong place. And so I turn it all over to you. You know just what I need and even though times look dark, I refuse to lose my faith in you. You are my delight and I will not let that go! You are what excites me and You are what I want, I give the rest to you. My dear Lord I pray for this woman who needs your help, I pray you bless her ten times what you will bless me. Dear Lord I pray for the best for this lady. I pray Lord you will step in and change my heart where it needs to be changed, I know only YOU can do that! And so here Lord is my heart, I offer it to you and my longing is that you change my desires to Yours so that I can pray Your will. I thank You for Your wonderful mercy and grace. You are amazingly sweet!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Update to Day 7
I forgot to mention in my post below that I received a call from a lady in my Bible study group.
I didn't go on Tuesday but called the other co-leader to let her know what was going on and she requested prayer on my half.
That afternoon I received a call from one of the ladies asking how I was etc. And she offered to come help me pack and even help move!
I thought that was the nicest thing and it touched my heart dearly.
Just the woman offering to help was a witness and blessing. I mentioned to my husband how a friend from church upon hearing our delema called and offered her help. I pointed out to him, that several times he's asked why I feel the need to attend church etc. and I told him "you see, a friend from church who I haven't even know that long was offering to help us! That's how church people are!" He was very impressed and seemed touched.
Praise God for another witness to my husband!
I didn't go on Tuesday but called the other co-leader to let her know what was going on and she requested prayer on my half.
That afternoon I received a call from one of the ladies asking how I was etc. And she offered to come help me pack and even help move!
I thought that was the nicest thing and it touched my heart dearly.
Just the woman offering to help was a witness and blessing. I mentioned to my husband how a friend from church upon hearing our delema called and offered her help. I pointed out to him, that several times he's asked why I feel the need to attend church etc. and I told him "you see, a friend from church who I haven't even know that long was offering to help us! That's how church people are!" He was very impressed and seemed touched.
Praise God for another witness to my husband!
Documenting God's Goodness Countdown Day 7
Yesterday was STRESSFUL.
We spent a good part of the day in the car driving around from place to place looking at apartments. There really seems to be nothing available that fits our needs.
Either it's the perfect size and great location BUT only 1 parking OR horrible location but 2 parkings.
I really don't know what we will do.
There are several nice remodeled 2 bedrooms but we started this whole process to get 3 bedrooms.
Should I settle for less since it's temporary and then in a year buy what we want OR what.....? Be homeless?
We spent a good part of the day in the car driving around from place to place looking at apartments. There really seems to be nothing available that fits our needs.
Either it's the perfect size and great location BUT only 1 parking OR horrible location but 2 parkings.
I really don't know what we will do.
There are several nice remodeled 2 bedrooms but we started this whole process to get 3 bedrooms.
Should I settle for less since it's temporary and then in a year buy what we want OR what.....? Be homeless?
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Documenting God's Goodness Countdown Day 9
And Jebez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh that you would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested.
Life is busy! Packing with two young kids underfoot is well.......impossible!
During the day I'm busy with the kids and making calls and checking online for new listings. We still have no place to go and the tower of boxes is getting higher and higher along my walls!
At night is when the real fun begins! I put the kids down around 8pm and start packing. I first tried to pack during the day but soon find myself about to pull my hair out. Once again I cried out to the Lord asking "what have I done??? how am I going to get all this packed??? how is this supposed to work???" Well who knew the Holy Spirit would take a hand in packing! This whole process I feel the spirit with me so strongly, guiding me and give me wisdom. Very quickly I felt Him prod me in the direction I should go. Pack at night, and so I am. Amazingly He gives me strength and I've been praising Him as I pack!
As for where we are going, right now we are looking for a place to rent with the idea we'll take our time to buy. But there's not many options out there. We looked at a place yesterday and have an appointment tonight to look at something else.
There are moments of shear panick and fear but this where I'm praying that the hand of the Lord be with me. No matter what happens, no matter where we end up all I ask is that His hand is with me! Even if things go bad, that doesn't mean He's not in charge. It just means He's got something for me to learn!
And I'm ready for what He's got!
Life is busy! Packing with two young kids underfoot is well.......impossible!
During the day I'm busy with the kids and making calls and checking online for new listings. We still have no place to go and the tower of boxes is getting higher and higher along my walls!
At night is when the real fun begins! I put the kids down around 8pm and start packing. I first tried to pack during the day but soon find myself about to pull my hair out. Once again I cried out to the Lord asking "what have I done??? how am I going to get all this packed??? how is this supposed to work???" Well who knew the Holy Spirit would take a hand in packing! This whole process I feel the spirit with me so strongly, guiding me and give me wisdom. Very quickly I felt Him prod me in the direction I should go. Pack at night, and so I am. Amazingly He gives me strength and I've been praising Him as I pack!
As for where we are going, right now we are looking for a place to rent with the idea we'll take our time to buy. But there's not many options out there. We looked at a place yesterday and have an appointment tonight to look at something else.
There are moments of shear panick and fear but this where I'm praying that the hand of the Lord be with me. No matter what happens, no matter where we end up all I ask is that His hand is with me! Even if things go bad, that doesn't mean He's not in charge. It just means He's got something for me to learn!
And I'm ready for what He's got!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Documenting God's Goodness Countdown Day 10
I am so excited about how GOOD my God is, I want to shout it from the rooftops.
I've decided to create a countdown on here to document what my God is capable of!
Here's a little background info. We live in a 2 bedroom condo and several months ago were talking about if we should sell and look for a 3 bedroom place OR remodel our place and turn it into a 3 bedroom. It would make the living space very small. But we need a 3rd bedroom for our 2nd child.
I really didn't know which direction to go in and one day I was getting the children on the elevator and I was praying asking God to show me what to do, that I needed a clear answer on this issue. As soon as I prayed for answer the elevator stopped and a neighbor got in. I've seen this neighbor before but we've never talked beyond a polite hello. This woman turned to me and said: "How do you live here? How do you fit into these tiny condo's with your family?" I replied "Well it's hard, we don't fit well at all." She agreed and finished with "Every young couple that starts a family here quickly moves out. No one stays here once they start having children. This building just wasn't made for families."
The elevator stopped again and as quickly as she got in she was gone!
As soon as I got in my car I called my mother in shock and told her the whole story. In my heart I believed this was my answer from God. And as I talked it over with my mother she too agreed.
So we decided to sell.
A friend put our place on the market about a month ago and right away I felt the Lord speak to me and say that we were going to have a buyer come and pay our asking price, it wasn't going to take long and it was just going to fall into our lap. I further felt Him speak into my heart that He was going to bless my family beyond what I would think of.
We had a few people come and look and I pretty much kept what the Lord spoke into my heart to myself.
Then on Valentine's Day a woman came and looked and was very iinterested but her offer was 40 thousand below our asking price. We declined and counter offered with our asking price. Our realitor thought we were making a mistake that nobody pays the asking price AND we then found out that the condo above us just sold for 20 thousand below our asking price.
Still we held firm. Again the Lord spoke in my heart that we were going to get our asking price.
Three days later we get the call. She wants the condo and will come up to our asking price and wants to pay cash pending an appraisal. We agree to the appraisal.
THEN later that night we get another call from our realitor that the buyer wants to forget about the appraisal, she wants the place and she wants to make the contract the next day!
Now this was all very exciting but really scary at the same time because we have no place to go and the buyer wants to close on Feb. 28th.
We have talked about renting for about a year and then buying but it would be VERY tight time wise. Where will we go so quickly?
Fear gripped my heart and the what if's started overwhelming me. But the storm in my heart turned into a calm. I felt the Lord speak into my heart once again that He was going to bless me beyond what I would dream, was I willing to trust Him?
Amazing thing I heard the Lord laughing! He was laughing into my heart and the theme was I AM A GOOD GOD!
He was saying to me "I am a good God and I WILL bless you because I am good!"
So trusting in Him we signed the contract Saturday Feb. 17th and we close on Feb. 28th!!!!
Now here is where the count down begins!
My God is good (I already know this even if he doesn't prove it!) but He's the one who has something up His sleve and I'm trusting Him so let's see what He's going to do.
I'm going to post everyday that I can and update what is going on! The countdown is on!
Interesting little thing happen last night.
As I was packing I came across an amazing little book titled: The Prayer of Jebez
Now the Holy Spirit put this little book in my path and this is what He's calling me to pray:
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested.
I've decided to create a countdown on here to document what my God is capable of!
Here's a little background info. We live in a 2 bedroom condo and several months ago were talking about if we should sell and look for a 3 bedroom place OR remodel our place and turn it into a 3 bedroom. It would make the living space very small. But we need a 3rd bedroom for our 2nd child.
I really didn't know which direction to go in and one day I was getting the children on the elevator and I was praying asking God to show me what to do, that I needed a clear answer on this issue. As soon as I prayed for answer the elevator stopped and a neighbor got in. I've seen this neighbor before but we've never talked beyond a polite hello. This woman turned to me and said: "How do you live here? How do you fit into these tiny condo's with your family?" I replied "Well it's hard, we don't fit well at all." She agreed and finished with "Every young couple that starts a family here quickly moves out. No one stays here once they start having children. This building just wasn't made for families."
The elevator stopped again and as quickly as she got in she was gone!
As soon as I got in my car I called my mother in shock and told her the whole story. In my heart I believed this was my answer from God. And as I talked it over with my mother she too agreed.
So we decided to sell.
A friend put our place on the market about a month ago and right away I felt the Lord speak to me and say that we were going to have a buyer come and pay our asking price, it wasn't going to take long and it was just going to fall into our lap. I further felt Him speak into my heart that He was going to bless my family beyond what I would think of.
We had a few people come and look and I pretty much kept what the Lord spoke into my heart to myself.
Then on Valentine's Day a woman came and looked and was very iinterested but her offer was 40 thousand below our asking price. We declined and counter offered with our asking price. Our realitor thought we were making a mistake that nobody pays the asking price AND we then found out that the condo above us just sold for 20 thousand below our asking price.
Still we held firm. Again the Lord spoke in my heart that we were going to get our asking price.
Three days later we get the call. She wants the condo and will come up to our asking price and wants to pay cash pending an appraisal. We agree to the appraisal.
THEN later that night we get another call from our realitor that the buyer wants to forget about the appraisal, she wants the place and she wants to make the contract the next day!
Now this was all very exciting but really scary at the same time because we have no place to go and the buyer wants to close on Feb. 28th.
We have talked about renting for about a year and then buying but it would be VERY tight time wise. Where will we go so quickly?
Fear gripped my heart and the what if's started overwhelming me. But the storm in my heart turned into a calm. I felt the Lord speak into my heart once again that He was going to bless me beyond what I would dream, was I willing to trust Him?
Amazing thing I heard the Lord laughing! He was laughing into my heart and the theme was I AM A GOOD GOD!
He was saying to me "I am a good God and I WILL bless you because I am good!"
So trusting in Him we signed the contract Saturday Feb. 17th and we close on Feb. 28th!!!!
Now here is where the count down begins!
My God is good (I already know this even if he doesn't prove it!) but He's the one who has something up His sleve and I'm trusting Him so let's see what He's going to do.
I'm going to post everyday that I can and update what is going on! The countdown is on!
Interesting little thing happen last night.
As I was packing I came across an amazing little book titled: The Prayer of Jebez
Now the Holy Spirit put this little book in my path and this is what He's calling me to pray:
And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain." So God granted him what he requested.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Sharing my testimony
Last Tuesday I got a chance to share my testimony at our Bible study.
I was very nervous because, well...to share my testimony I have to tell a lot of personal stuff.
I guess I don't have to share EVERYTHING, but I feel compelled to share a lot of it and don't think it would as powerful without all the detail.
I cried throughout some of it. Especially when I share the part how as a child I was so in love with my savior and I gave that up. It breaks my heart to admit that out loud.
Anyway, a lot of the ladies said they were really touched. So PTL!
I just started reading the Purpose Driven Life. I started it several years ago but never finished it.
I'm quite touched and amazed by it. It makes a lot of sense to me now and confirms a lot of things the Holy Spirit has revealed to me throughout this past year.
It never ceases to amaze me when the Holy Spirit drops something in my heart and then I read the same thing in a book or in the Word. It's such a confirmation that the Holy Spirit is REAL! And powerful! It's awesome to think I have a personal companion that guides me.
I was very nervous because, well...to share my testimony I have to tell a lot of personal stuff.
I guess I don't have to share EVERYTHING, but I feel compelled to share a lot of it and don't think it would as powerful without all the detail.
I cried throughout some of it. Especially when I share the part how as a child I was so in love with my savior and I gave that up. It breaks my heart to admit that out loud.
Anyway, a lot of the ladies said they were really touched. So PTL!
I just started reading the Purpose Driven Life. I started it several years ago but never finished it.
I'm quite touched and amazed by it. It makes a lot of sense to me now and confirms a lot of things the Holy Spirit has revealed to me throughout this past year.
It never ceases to amaze me when the Holy Spirit drops something in my heart and then I read the same thing in a book or in the Word. It's such a confirmation that the Holy Spirit is REAL! And powerful! It's awesome to think I have a personal companion that guides me.
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