Higher power

My husband has asked me to write this, to record our events. To make sure that they last in our minds and perhaps help someone else in their struggles.
When we moved to Sc 5 years ago, I had a very hard time with the move. I had lived with my family and friends while he was deployed and leaving them was hard. We struggled for 8 monthes with my depression and finally I had to go to a doctor. Once I sat in his office, I realized it was up to me and I stopped my cycle. It was shortly after this that due to my best friends leading, I tried talking with God. Since then, I have become closer and closer to him. I can honestly say that a few years ago, I was lead by men and spoke with God. Now I am lead by God, walk with God and take first his counsel. When we got ready to move to Ks, my husband and I talked a lot about my depression. We spent about 2 monthes preparing for the move mentally. My best friend, Nikki, prayed a lot with me and we prepared me mentally. The move was a hard one, as you all know. I asked God upon leaving to provide me with a chance to grow, and to give us patience. Boy did he let us learn!
We left Sc and traveled through Ga and Tn visiting, it was 2 wks of going here and there. It is hard for me to move about. I kept my cool, Frank was patient with the world (something that is a struggle for him-patience with anyone but his family), the children were great. We got to Ks and were given houseroom with another family here. I had to adjust to this home, every home is a huge adjustment for me and it causes me mental anxiety. I made it.
We were buying a home which fell through thankfully as it was awful. We bid sight unseen from Sc. The owner was so slow to respond to each of our offers and we went back and forth for 2 wks, which is 14 days. She took 3-4 days to respond to each negotiation. You have 10 days to back out of a contract on a house once its accepted. If she hadnt taken so long to answer, we would have been stuck with an awful house. This was the first point that God helped us with, the negotiations being slow saved us.
Next, we were house hunting. At a house that was awful, a man came up to us and said, my friend is selling a different house on 6th st. We went to look and fell it love. It was higher than we wanted to pay. I prayed that if it was our house, God would help us get it. Our house is SC had sold and was closing June 30. We were not qualified for both mortgages together. And yet the bank set our closing date before june 30. They set it for june 11, and we were able to close on june 10 in order to move our things in which were being delivered the 10th. No options, and we had to pay for the delivery wether we could move in or not. The bank let us close before the other house, no lender should have, the owners let us move in a couple hrs before closing, not a good idea on their part. So we moved in on the 10th despite all odds. The house cost too much according to me, but we got it so I knew it was right. I had to go through another night of getting used to a house and not being upset. God and my husband helped a lot with this!
The second night that we were at this house which I felt God led us to, we had a tornado and lost the house and much of our belongings. We both stayed patient and upbeat through this, Frank loves hard work and purpose, and I prayed a lot for God to help stay happy and patient, and he did.
Next our insurance company came through and helped us, we were given money for our house and belongings. Also, our insurance company paid for a rental house. The rental house just happened to be across the street from a local appraiser who was kind enough to teach me about realty. I now understand so much more about house buying! We know it wasnt just coincidence that we lived across from this kind woman, who was able to recommend the best lender we have ever found.
We went to an open house, we needed to buy a new home. The open house was showing a house we wouldnt have considered and yet I felt compelled to go. We went and subsequently met a woman who hadnt yet listed her home, but was interested in selling it. We asked to see it and she showed it to us, it is our dream home. The kind of home I had prayed to find.
When we were lead through all we were, I didnt complain. Neither did my family, we were patient through living with other people and living in a hotel several times. Then losing our home 30 hrs after we moved in! Things were in play that we couldnt see. Each thing that happened lead us to the next thing. We are so grateful for our blessings, who would have thought that a tornado and moving around would have taught me that I have nothing to be anxious about. No reason to fear or panic. My husband sees now, though its a bit bigger for him to admit this, that there is a higher being acting for us. That these things are not coincidence. And if we had fought it, or angered, or made decisions not lead by God, we wouldnt have these greater blessings now.
Because of these events, including a tornado, we are closing on a house that is more amazing than we could have had before insurance. It is 6 acres outside of a tiny town, 3400 sq foot home that is already run in a more energy efficient way than the other homes we have seen, and fenced in property and small buildings providing for animals. We will have a greenhouse this winter, and do winter and summer gardening, we will be keeping goats and chickens for eggs, milk and possibly meat. With that and our gardens, we are much closer to self sustainment. This has been my dream and prayer for years! My children are getting a chance to live the simple life I grew up, learning how to work the land and work with animals. We have a new puppy, and australian shepherd waiting for us to take her home sept 5th.
So much has happened and we are grateful, and know it wasnt in our control. Our job was to follow where lead, get along with each other through our trials and be happy and patient with what we had. This last 3 monthes has been a whirlwind of activity and I am happy to have gone through it with my family. I am happy that God is looking out for me, he has told me so in much louder ways than I ever could have imagined.