Provider

To Whom It May Concern;

This past week, our family traveled from Alaska to look for a home at our new duty station in Colorado Springs. Initially, we were very discouraged because there was little on the market in our price range worth seeing. It seemed like investors were snatching everything up. Because of this, our realtor encouraged us to look at a couple houses a little higher in price. So, on our third day of looking, we did, and things started seeming more hopeful.

When we walked into your home, my husband and I immediately began talking about how much we liked the house. We were drawn to the layout and brightness of the home, along with the updates that had been done. It seemed like a great match, with a nice yard for our Golden Retriever and one year old daughter, and a basement to finish out for our growing family.

However, looking at your home was bittersweet because we knew it was above our price range. It is a wonderful house but we really did not want to ignore the max price we had set for ourselves. We understand that we are offering quite a bit below your asking price, but we would greatly appreciate it if you would consider our offer. Thank you so much for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Brandon and Emily White

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     This was a letter I included with our offer on the house we will be calling home if all goes as planned! How we came to the decision to submit an offer for this house is kind of a long story, but I will share a few of the details. 

      So... late March, the Air Force gave us the opportunity to go search for a house at our new duty station. Brandon and I, as per usgh, immediately got to work on both of our computers, creating excel spreadsheets and scouring websites for potential homes. Crazy enough, though, by the time we were ready to leave for our trip, about 90% of the houses we had found were sold! The market in the price range and area we were searching is moving crazy fast. But there were still a few we were hopeful about. 

      Our first day in Colorado Springs, we actually saw all except two of the ones we had found beforehand. Honestly, all fourteen of them were duds and we were quite discouraged. But, knowing this was our only opportunity to look, we stayed up late that night to find more options. The second day was a little more hopeful, but we still didn't feel great about anything we had seen. Then, the third day came, and we were even more pleased with what we saw. Almost the minute we stepped in our last house of the day (number 37 I think), we both agreed that we wanted to put an offer in as quickly as possible. No, this isn't the house that we are going to call home. This situation was a complicated mess and the house was sold by the time our offer was presented. 

   So we went back to Alaska, fairly discouraged, but holding two options in hand that we were heavily considering, but neither of us felt entirely at peace about. Then comes the day that Brandon and I are weary from the whole decision making process so we decide to just set aside some time to pray together. All the while, Kaylee is playing with my Ipad. We finish praying and begin discussing our thoughts, when Kaylee takes my Ipad and starts shaking it (not something we approve of), but as she shakes, these papers start falling out. You see, while in Colorado, I took detailed notes of each house on my Ipad and I had stuffed "maybe" houses in between my Ipad and the cover. In that pile, was this house, the house we plan to call home. 

     When we looked at this particular house, we really liked it. It had several aspects that we were really wanting (a half bath on the main level, an unfinished basement, a bright feel, a 2 car garage, etc). I liked the layout but it was above our price range, and once we thought about the cost to finish the basement, we just knew it was too much, especially since it wasn't perfect.... So I stuffed it out of sight to not distract us from other houses.... and it was brought back into the light at just the right moment. Both Brandon and I felt at peace about putting in an offer that was in our price range, and believe it or not, they didn't even counter; they just flat out accepted it!     

     During our trip to Colorado and then the week following, there was a word that continuously kept popping into my head. Does anyone else ever have that happen? You don't exactly know why, but as thoughts come or as texts are read or as houses are being walked through or as children are being put to bed... whatever you are doing, your mind just almost speaks a word to you. Well, anyway, once in a while, this persistently happens to me, and this time, the word was "Provider". And I knew this word was describing a characteristic of God.  

      But, to be honest, at some of the moments when this word would come, it didn't feel like a moment where that characteristic rang true. None of the excitingness of the aforementioned had happened. Yet, while in Colorado or once we returned to Alaska, it wasn't at all like my mind doubted that God would provide or like I was trying to guilt God into providing us with a house. It wasn't even typically while thinking about anything related to all that. 
      Nonetheless, over and over, I was just reminded of what a good Provider He is. There were so many little and big ways that this was revealed, situations past and present, that I would have missed if that word was not there, speaking to me. Not often did the word come in relation to materialistic things; more experiences and relationships and situations and answers and blessings, sometimes tangible, sometimes not. And in all this revelation, there has been much praise. And this praise has been amplified by the news that our offer was accepted, but even if this house falls through, we will still praise and trust in Him, because we know He is a faithful and good Provider.

      Besides the weariness of the house hunting portion and some health issues, the trip was actually a really sweet time with family, both immediate and extended. I was very thankful to have Brandon alongside me to face the all night flight with Kaylee this time and the second we arrived in Colorado til the moment we left, everyone loved on us like crazy (while our dog received the same treatment back here in Alaska, thanks to dear friends). It was good and we are thankful for the opportunity, for the lessons learned, for the relationships renewed, for the return to Alaska uplifted and ready to serve headstrong until we leave, and the provision of a house that we are at peace about and excited to call home! Tears and fears come more and more often as we get closer to leaving Anderson, but we trust He is already preparing a way for us to connect and grow and be used in Colorado. He is our Provider.

A glimpse of the house