The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men...

...often go awry.

Our house did not sell.

Not only did it not sell, we weren't even close. Out of two Open Houses, we had two visitors. We had one showing. She was not remotely interested.

One of the familiar statements we hear is, "Maybe you should change realtors." We always shake our heads at this for several reasons, one of which is that we love our realtor and the agency for which she works is very successful in our area. Before this go-around, we always had a lot of interest in our house. And we always listed with her.

But the biggest reason we shake our heads is because we know the reality. We know that God is our realtor. We know that, no matter what, we won't sell our house until it is time to do so. We could have every realtor in our region listing our house, we could have an Open House every day, we could list our house for $10, and it wouldn't matter. Our house will sell when it is God's time for it to sell. Period.

This realization initially made me mad. I felt like God was holding me hostage, keeping my children away from the freedom of a rural lifestyle, keeping Shawn from his dreams of cutting our own trees for fuel and hiking through the woods to find a Christmas tree on our own property.

I also felt like I must have done something wrong. I was being punished for making a mistake or not having enough faith or zigging when I should have zagged or not being content enough with the blessings I had been given. But it had to be my fault.

However, after attending my ladies' Bible Study, a Women's Conference with Elyse Fitzgerald (and also re-reading portions of her book Because He Loves Me), and reading countless devotions from Proverbs 31 Ministries, and Turning Point, and Paul David Tripp, and listening to Charles Stanley and David Jeremiah, I realized that this is not who God is. He loves me. If he withholds things from me, it is out of love, for my edification and growth and maybe even protection. He's not necessarily saying no. He may be saying, "Wait."

And that has to be okay.