Our dream is coming true!

Our Dream is Coming True!

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. 
 Live the life you've imagined." 
 Henry David Thoreau

 

 

April 2015

 

This is not an easy blog to write because I will be sharing some very personal information that is embarrassing and very humbling.  My goal in writing this post is to hopefully encourage someone who may feel that reaching their goals are impossible because of their current situation or past failures. 

I would also like to share my story because it is a testimony of how awesome my God is and what He has done and is doing in our lives.  He is a God of restoration and healing.  No matter what storms you are going through, no matter how bad your situation may be,  If you commit your life and heart to Christ, he will always be for you and never fail you!

 



Gene and I have always dreamed of owning a beautiful piece of property in the country and establishing our dream farm. There were many things we were looking for this dream property to have.  First of all, it had to be in the country with minimal neighbors, good fertile soil, pasture areas, a creek, branch, constant water source,  hardwood forest full of old beautiful trees and native plant life, inhabited with wildlife, especially deer.  We were really hoping for an old farm house and barn to restore, but not a requirement. 

We purchased our first home in Central AL. in 1996 when our boys were little and made it our home for almost 18 years.  We had 3 acres which we gardened and raised chickens on a very small level.  We had very close neighbors, traffic, and no privacy. 

Due to the economic downfall in 2008 and many years of personal family crisis, we went from being financially secure to losing our home of almost 18 years and almost everything we had materially obtained. We found ourselves in our 40's having to completely start over. We held on to our faith in Jesus, remained thankful that we still had each other and our family and made our minds up this was not going to be our downfall, this was going to be our opportunity to obtain our dream and goals. 
The previous sentence makes it sound easy, it definitely was not easy!  It was extremely hard!

Genes parents graciously offered to let us live with them so we could get back on our feet and save money for our dream of obtaining our farm. 
We turned Gene's parents garage into somewhat of an apartment and in August 2013 we moved from our 1800 square foot home to less than a 400 square foot garage. 
We began our plan to get out of financial debt and save for our dream.
Although this was all very devastating and has not been easy, God has been so gracious to us.  Everything the enemy has intended for harm, God is turning it all around for our good and His glory!

We spent every weekend we had off work driving around looking for our perfect piece of property with our list of requirements, and praying for a miracle for God to open some kind of door and opportunity for us to have favor with someone who would work with us.
An impossible endeavor through human eyes, but believing through Christ all things are possible.
On April 5, 2014 Gene and I were driving down back roads in Autauga County, AL. We passed a beautiful piece of property with a real estate sign.  We almost didn't call because we figured it was out of our reach, but by faith we called.  The man who owned the property is in the military and moved to Colorado and decided to sale.  Gene set up a time to meet with the real estate agent.  He was actually the original owner of the land.  This piece of land and all the surrounding was his family owned property for decades.  We met with him and looked at the property.  It was perfect, having everything we wanted and more than we could imagine.  It was 18 acres of heaven.  The creek flowed across the whole back of the property and ran into the Alabama River. The creek was clear and clean with a pebble stone floor and beached areas. Natural springs flow off the mountain across the road and onto the property. About 9 acres of the land was cleared pasture that had not been farmed or chemically altered in over 30 years.  The other 9 acres was beautiful hardwoods with trails cleared and old enchanted forest looking trees covered in Spanish moss. It was a mecca of a large diversity of native plant and wildlife.  It even had a zip line on it and a tree stand set up in a great hunting spot.  Absolutely amazing!  It was located completely in the country surrounded by big land owners and farmers but yet only 25 minutes to the interstate.  The only thing missing was the house and barn.
Gene and I sat on the hillside that morning and held hands and prayed that God would bless us with this beautiful land, if it was his perfect will for our lives.  I knew in that moment that this was the place.  This would be our home, our farm!  This was the spot we had been dreaming of and looking for. Even though it was absolutely humanly impossible, I had complete faith God was going to work it all out and there would be no doubt it would be a GOD THING!
 Gene explained our whole financial situation to the real estate agent.  He told him we didn't have much to put down and we would like to know if the land owner would be willing to lease purchase the land for us.
We waited and waited!  On April 22, 2014 we got a call from the agent.  He said, "The land owner wouldn't consider our offer, he needed the money up front." The agent told Gene, "Don't be discouraged over time he may change his mind."
We were extremely disappointed and upset!  However, I knew in the depths of my spirit God was going to work it out in his timing.  We would have divine favor with the landowner and I knew this was going to be our farm!
We continued on our quest for looking for land, but nothing compared to the little piece of heaven we had found!
On July 10, 2014, Gene and I got a phone call from the agent!  When we saw his name come across the caller id, we knew it was the call we had been waiting on.  Gene answered, the agent said, "I've been trying to get you.  I lost your new phone number.  The land owner changed his mind and has an offer for you. He will finance it for you for 2 years and everything you pay monthly will go towards the loan.  After the 2 years you will have to get financing on your own and pay him off."
We sent back a counter offer and on July 16, we got a call back that he accepted our offer.
On September 4, 2014 we signed the owner financing lease purchase contract!
We went to our new property, took our lounge chairs sat in the creek and thanked God for his divine favor and miracle!

After signing our contract, on our way to our farm to celebrate, this rain cloud was pouring right on our property.  God gave me this scripture..............

"I will throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it"  Malachi 3:10

 

The Creek

September 4, 2014 Gene and I celebrating the day we signed our lease purchase contract. 

 

 

We have 2 years to make our lease purchase payment towards the loan, save the bank required down payment, rebuild our credit, and get the land financed in our name.  All this appears to be impossible when we look at it realistically.  But how can I doubt, when I see all these things that has happened thus far that only GOD could do!

So now we stand firm on our FAITH, we TRUST & BELIEVE, COMMIT our plans to Jesus, and WORK hard to reach our Dream!

 

 

"For with God nothing shall be impossible."  Luke 1:37

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13