It was the summer of 2000. My husband was traveling overseas and I was home alone with our three year old. Day and night it was just the two of us in our little suburban house, and I was getting stir crazy.
We needed a change of scene. Fresh air, an adventure. A quick internet search turned up a list of pick-your-own berry farms in the Austin area.
It was a long early morning drive far east of the city, but when we arrived at the blueberry farm I felt like I had come home. The towering pine trees reminded me of New England, of my roots. I picked and my boy ate a lot of blueberries that morning. It was a happy day.
But more than that, a yearning sprung up in me. I think it was the pines. I remember thinking “If we ever move out to the country, this is where I want to look. Out in these pines.”
The Adventure Begins
And in May 2003 we did just that. We had been talking for years about starting our own little homestead. One day my husband looked at me and said, “We could talk forever. Let’s just do it now.” Four weeks later our house was empty and on the market.
We looked all over that county with the beautiful pine trees. We finally found a lovely property perfect in every way. Except there was no house. But we wanted to live debt free, and had grand ideas of how we would find a way to shelter ourselves on that land without any debt. It was a little scary, but it felt right.
We made a bid and entered into a contract.
My parents were spending the summer away, so we arranged to move into their home and take care of it, while we quickly figured how we could live on our new property.
It wasn’t until all the papers were signed that it hit me. The property we were hoping to buy was on the very same road as the blueberry farm. The very same road.
But Where Will We Live?
Time passed, the land became ours. Still no house. My husband continued to travel every week… now I was alone with two young children. Working on the property was complicated by the fact that it was over an hour’s drive from my parents’ house.
More time passed. We threw around ideas. We considered building a cob house. A dugout. Buying a yurt. Converting a metal building. Constructing a barn with tiny living quarters. Buying an old house and moving it to the property. Nothing felt right.
My parents returned.
Time stopped passing and started dragging. I would pray “What are we doing wrong, Lord? Why isn’t anything happening?” I was discouraged. I couldn’t see a solution. But this verse kept coming to mind:
Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. Psalm 127:1
I remember one time during prayer having an overwhelming sense that we weren’t ready. That there were things God still needed to do in us before we would be prepared to embark on the rigors of homesteading. But what?
A Reason for Waiting
What I didn’t guess was that there was work for us right there in my parents’ house. Ten months after we moved in, my dad went to a routine heart check up and was sent straight to the hospital. Within a day he had been scheduled for a quadruple bypass.
As if that wasn’t dramatic enough, my brother was getting married two weeks later, and there was a party for 85 people planned at my parents’ home the night before the wedding. International visitors were flying in and staying at the house. My mom was a wreck.
But because I had been living there, I knew exactly how to run her household, and my mother was able to focus on taking care of my father as he recovered. Even having our young children around was a help, as they cheered and distracted my dad. The party was a success, the wedding beautiful, and we passed the one year anniversary of living with my parents.
I wondered if we would be there for the rest of our lives.
God’s Creative Solution
Then one day, out of the blue, the people who lived on the property adjoining ours called my husband and asked him if we would like to buy their house. And land. And barns and fences and ponds, and WOW!
We said yes! And went from not knowing how to live on our land to having a ready-built house and multiple outbuildings. We even adopted their dog and cat.
A Happy Ending That Was Just The Beginning
After fifteen months of living with my parents we moved to our homestead. We have been here now for almost eight years. And I still sometimes walk out into the middle of a field and break into song with tears streaming down my face. Homesteading has been hard in many ways, but the most beautiful hard you can imagine.
God not only provided for us (and my parents) in a most creative way, but He also prepared us.
I couldn’t have dreamed up how the story of trying to move to our homestead would end, and I can’t begin to imagine what He yet has in store.
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21
sandy says
It gets said a lot, but His timing really, really, REALLY is perfect!
Patti Brown says
Amen!
Jen McAllister says
Patti! What an amazing story. As you know, I’m all about the “just so happened” events in our lives. God seriously has a masterpiece tapestry in our lives – one that we don’t see when our plans that seem “so perfect” don’t fall into place. What a blessing to your family for your presence at “just the right time” while your father was recovering and your brother was being married. And how blessed that the neighbour asked you if you wanted the property. How fantastic the Lord is!
It is a deep reminder to me, today, to wait on Him. We are renting after selling our too small house at the bottom of the market 3+ years ago. We currently don’t have a a car that will fit our family (so it’s multiple trips to church) and our finances took a tumble while I was on bed rest and in the hospital. Reading these Ebenezer stories remind me that GOD IS IN CONTROL. That if one of us asks for a piece of bread, He will NOT give us a stone. That He loves us. That He has a plan.
Thank you for this incredible encouragement while we wait on Him. While we discern what is right, and beg for wisdom.
xoxo
Jen
Patti Brown says
Oh my the waiting is hard sometimes, isn’t it? But I too am so encouraged hearing stories of God’s faithfulness in others’ lives. It helps me to hold on and wait for His perfect timing, His perfect provision. Without exception His gifts have been exceedingly more than I anticipated. Thank YOU for encouraging ME, Jen!
Sheila says
This has been the best series for me. Thank you and please continue to submit the stories of God’s faithfulness.
Patti Brown says
I am so glad Sheila! Have you had a chance to check out the other stories linked up last week? More inspiration! –> http://donotdepart.com/here-i-raise-my-ebenezer-share-your-story-link-up
Angela A says
Ps 127:1 keeps being shown to me but I’m not sure how it will pan out yet. Our story is similar to yours in not knowing where we are going to live. My husband left his job about 6 wks ago for moral reasons. Leap of faith. No job lined up. I’m a stay at home mom (now work at home mom) to two little ones. Lots more details but the short of it is we live in his parents’ house, they are wanting us out or to pay them, we don’t have a steady income, we don’t believe we are to be in debt so basically are expecting a miracle for us to be able to have some land and home of our own, dedicated to God’s work.
No clue where or how to even look for “free home.” ;) but we know God is faithful and has it all planned out. We are just waiting on things to fall into place.
Thank you for sharing your faith-building story.
Patti Brown says
Wow Angela, you are in that part of your story where your faith muscle is having to work overtime. It will be strengthened! :-) I would love it if you would come back and update us as God reveals His plan!
Jessica says
What an amazing story of how God works in our lives to bring about His Will in His Time! What a great God we serve.
Patti Brown says
He has every detail worked out and holds us in the palm of His hand. Such a comfort!
Lisa says
Such a beautiful story, Patti, of your patience and God’s faithfulness. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Patti Brown says
Oh Lisa, I was not patient! I was often frustrated and grouchy. But God was patient with ME, and teaching me to wait was part of what He was doing. This long lesson has borne fruit. The assurance of His tender care and provision for me, and for those I love, was so profound and unmistakable, that I can now lean on that experience and remember to wait patiently because He is trustworthy.
Milly says
This is lovely, Patti. Thank you for sharing.
Caroline says
Patti, I so appreciate how you shared your feelings during the situation, even when you felt you couldn’t see where (or when) God was leading you. And, as your story shows, He is leading! How awesome.