A Spring of Joy

“Why do we love certain houses, and do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in our surroundings.”
–T.T. Robsjohn-Gibbings

Last Monday night we walked through our new house, measuring rooms, listening to the echo of our little ones’ voices as they raced from room to room playing games together. We dreamed, we planned, we strategized. And when we were done, we took our children and walked through every room together. And we prayed. We prayed over each room asking that God would be in this place, that His Spirit’s presence would prevail in our home.

The sweetness of my children once again overwhelmed me as I listened to them ask God for his blessings in our home. Dear Asher prayed in every single room,asking God for a house that would serve us well. The playroom has stars on the ceiling, and I can’t do justice to his tone of delight as he asked for those stars to brighten their hearts just like God has. There were the hidden smiles between B and I as we listened to him ask that no one would fall into the toilet. And Bear. His delight at finding the perfect spot in each room to pray, then asking God for good times. He’s all about those good times. And Bella. She just kept asking that we would be safe and sleep well.

To stand in the entryway with my family and pray for each person who would step into our home. To beg for His presence, for hearts to love each other well. It was beautiful.

But what is even more beautiful were these words left in a note to us by the sellers:

Though we enjoy our new home, I have missed living in the old house and cherish the wonderful memories of our kids growing up there. If you are only half as blessed as we were, you will indeed be filled with happiness! Nevertheless, we have been praying for God’s richest blessings to fall upon you and favor from heaven, more than you can possibly contain.

I can’t even begin to tell you what it does for my heart to know the LIFE that has gone before us in our new home. To know a kinship with people we’ve never met because of our shared love for God. To know that the Spirit has dwelt in their home, has inhabited these walls. To know they have been praying for US. We are so humbled. We are overwhelmingly grateful.

It has been prayed in, played in and loved in.

Now it’s our turn.

…and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live… ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ (Acts 17:26b, 28)

Enjoy a few pics of our new home (built circa. 1890), our gift from God…