Hello, friends.

Gosh, what a busy week!  As I mentioned on Wednesday, I started a new job– (And small group.  And tutoring client!)– and have been struggling to figure out where blogging and fitness fit into the day…  Training for a new gig is exhausting!  But I am very optimistic about settling into a new routine this week which involves a workout, a blog post, and daily, quality time with God.  I don’t want to overextend myself… (there’s a difference between being busy and being stressed!), but those three things are high on my priority list, so if something else has to give, it has to give!  (I.e. Settlers of Catan??)

So some highlights from the week:

Jason’s Birthday!

The husband turned 26 last week… What an old man!  ;-)  I scrambled to pick up an ice cream cake on my way home from work, (definitely NOT gluten, dairy, or artificial sweetener-free, by the way!)  I would have loved to have made a delicious and healthy celebratory dessert, but last week was so crazy that a store-run had to do.  Sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches and eat a piece of birthday cake.  Or two.  Or three!

 Makeshift candle=a single matchstick!  Haha, sigh, I’m so glad Jason’s not picky.

 Last year to this year. (Can you tell we resided in sunny California this time last year??)

Happy birthday, old timer.  I’m right behind you!

The House

Last week I wrote about the offer we put on a house.  (Our first one ever!)  Check out what happened with that:

As I mentioned in that post, we were strongly seeking God’s will for us with that house.  We kept asking for some clear calling or guidance as to whether or not to make an offer.  After some reflection, we realized that God is sovereign and instead of worrying about it, (which is not Biblical to begin with), we would go ahead and take the step of faith in making an offer, trusting that God has it under control and is big enough to make His will for us prevail regardless of our foreknowledge of it.  And if that includes a different house for us, then He’ll make that clear in His own time!

So we thought carefully about it, made the offer, and told God, “We know You got this.”

The next morning we got a phone call from the U.S. Marine Corps.  Turns out Jason is “deploying” to Bridgeport, California for two months of mountain warfare training this summer… this May!  That was two days after the closing date we had picked.  My husband leaving me for two months with a HUGE reno project two days after we own it?  No thank you!  It’s not even close to move in ready!

Three hours after that, our realtor calls and tells us that the bank has received multiple offers, one that is actually higher than the listed price.  Not only that, but they had also waived all rights and contingencies involved with the sale, (i.e. inspection, 5-days to break the contract, survey, etc… A risky thing to do with a reno, foreclosed home!)  Our realtor asked if we wanted to counter the offer.  Jason and I looked at each other, and politely replied with, “No thank you. This is probably a blessing in disguise.”

And that was that!  I’m a little bummed to see the house go, but am more so thankful for the answered prayer.  God did exactly what we asked Him to:  make clear whether that was the house for us!

So the hunt is back on.  I wonder what “faith-exercise” He has lined up for us next?  :-)

QUESTION OF THE DAY

Have you ever taken a step of faith and seen God deliver in ways you may or may not have expected?