When a House Becomes a Home

A little over 9 years ago Ashley and I bought a house. We were just starting to come out of one of the toughest seasons of our lives and God graciously opened several doors for us to purchase a beautiful house that has served as a safe place for us for almost a decade. Our house became a home - a home we love. We love it because of what God has done inside these walls both in our lives as a couple and the lives of those we love the most in this world. 

In our home, God has rescued wounded love, healed broken hearts, restored hurting souls, and repaired damaged relationships. In our home, we have laughed, cried, laughed until we cried, celebrated, hurt, prayed, argued, rested, wept, remembered, dreamed, danced, played, sang at the top of our lungs, and made more memories than we can ever recall. 

Over the course of these 9+ years, we welcomed into our family our precious gift of grace Levi and we said goodbye to each of his three older siblings as they spread their wings to fly. 

We have painted walls, grown vegetables, planted flowers, ate good food, pulled weeds, played hide-and-seek, mowed grass, shot basketball in the driveway, played board & card games, wrestled in the yard, celebrated Christmas, birthdays, and graduations, brought home a puppy who is now 9 years old, hosted family and friends, walked the neighborhood, read the Bible, watched hummingbirds, played in the snow, did homework, jumped on the trampoline, played video games, skipped rocks in the creek, studied for tests, caught fireflies at night, watched movies, roasted marshmallows, rode bikes, laid in the hammock, and chased each other around and through the house. 

In short, we lived life - a life reshaped and transformed by undeserved grace. 

When we walk out of our home for the final time, Ashley and I will cry. We will cry tears of happiness and sadness. We are excited about what our next season holds. We are excited about a new home where we will make fresh memories and share new experiences. But a part of us is also sad to leave behind our beautiful house that God transformed into a place of grace and healing. 

Life happens in the rhythm of moments and seasons: ups and downs, hills and valleys, good times and bad. And through each moment and season of life, God is writing His redemptive story. And one day when our story is in its final chapter, we will earmark these 9 years as another season God created beauty out of ashes.

Goodbye 100 CR 470. You will be missed.


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