There really is no beginning to this story, so it may be best to simply observe that God’s faithfulness has been readily evident throughout our lives and particularly at every transition. We weren’t sure how he would work this time, but a past seminary professor of mine urged me to “pray big” in this home search. We prayed big and we asked others to join us. We prayed that God would provide a home for us when there are very few for sale (about 10% of what is available in a normal market). This is a great time to sell a home, but difficult to buy when oftentimes a dozen offers are made and houses sell within a few days.

Three weeks ago, I planned to come to California to look for a home. I had to cancel because I was too sick to travel. The first day I would have been here, two houses that fit our criteria came on the market. They both sold quickly and we wondered why God didn’t just make me well, as he so easily could have.

In the following weeks, a few houses were listed but none as good as the two that we missed. But I booked a flight and we prayed that a house would come on the market while I was on the ground. God chose instead to list a house while I was in the air. Kelli called me while I was driving away from LAX with the news. The first day the house would be open for viewing was Saturday. On Friday, the agent took me to five houses that met some of our criteria. But none of them seemed right for us. For Saturday, the only houses left to see were one already sold, one that seemed unlikely, and the one that just came on the market. Kelli wrote that morning to say that this last house looked too nice and too good for us. After touring the house, I felt the same. But I also said to the agent that I felt just as I did when we found the house in Plano—I felt like this was the one.

I told the agent that we would decide on Monday. If the house sold before then, that was God’s will. But I needed to upload the video for Kelli and we needed time to think, pray, and talk with others. On Sunday after worshiping with the church we plan to join, I drove 1.3 miles to the house. I was sad to see lots of signs pointing potential buyers to an Open House. I secretly wished that no one would come. On Monday morning we decided to make an offer and it was submitted by 1 o ‘clock. But for six hours the selling agent didn’t respond, not even acknowledging that he received the offer. Finally we learned that he had technical problems and he did not receive the offer. But the sellers had not yet made a decision so we were still in the running.

This morning at 4:47 our agent emailed to let us know that the sellers had accepted our offer. They asked if we had a house to sell, because they are moving to Plano! The wife’s name is Kelly and they have a son named Jonathan. They don’t want to move until the middle of June which saves us a full month of paying a mortgage on an empty house. There are several other little signposts that seem to be God’s little way of encouraging us. Perhaps it is silly that on our “wishlist” for a house we put “cool-sounding street name.” I looked at houses on Barbacoa and Sena Court and we certainly wouldn’t reject a house based on a strange name. But this house is on Milestone St. With events in the coming month of purchasing our first house, finishing a dissertation, and being ordained, this surely seems to appropriately signify a major step in our lives. While the archaeologist in me might have preferred “Roman Milestone Street,” we certainly will have a reminder of God’s faithfulness every time we turn on our street going home or write down our address.

At the top of our home-hunting “wishlist,” we wrote our most important priority: we were looking for a home that would serve our family, church, and community. There is much ministry in the years ahead, especially with children from the ages of 15 to 2. There are college students who need discipleship outside of the classroom. There are church members who need strengthening. There are neighbors who think that the ultimate goal in life is to buy a nice home. Our prayer has been that God would show us to the home that he would use for these purposes. We are excited to see just how God is “answering big.” Thank you for praying with us.

The Word of God says that he who finds a wife finds a good thing (Prov 18:22). Yet it also is aware that it would be better to live in the wilderness than to live with some women (Prov 21:19).

Today marks the day, according to a calculation in an Excel spreadsheet, when I’ve spent exactly half of my days married to Kelli. When I think of all the years in college, high school, back to elementary, and then the preschool days I barely recall, it is surprising to me that I’ve spent just as much time as a married man. They say that time flies when you ‘re having fun and we ‘ve been having a lot of fun.

Today is also a significant day in my mom’s life (Happy Birthday, Mom!). I was born on her mom’s birthday and married on her parents ‘ anniversary. (Kelli and I were engaged on the anniversary of Kelli’s parents.) If dates can be aligned like the stars, I’m a lucky man. Since a belief in “luck” requires a denial of God’s gracious watchcare over every point of our lives, I happily recognize the Lord’s providential blessings and wonder just how many little “Easter eggs” he hides in our lives that we never discover.

I wish I could celebrate the day with Kelli, but today I begin a search for a new home in southern California. I’m excited to see what God has in store for the next half of my life.