Annie: We bought our home in the evening of July 8, 2010. It was our 4th wedding anniversary and my best friend had her first baby unexpectedly that morning (5-6 weeks early, I can’t recall)–so unexpectedly that her husband was out of town on business and miraculously caught a flight home and was able to be there about 20 minutes before showtime! For a minute, I thought I was gonna have to sign the birth certificate in his place (wink).
We bought at a “good” time for buyers, when mortgage rates were lower than ever and we’ve always kept within our means. That being said, another of my “10 Things to have Big Faith For in 2019” was: Our family earnings and steps to take to be more of a blessing as the Lord directs. We kept getting mailers this past year (or couple of years) about mortgage rates dropping even more and decided that the wise thing to do would be to refinance–there was the potential for less expenditure over time and more resources at our fingertips to release.
We started really considering this in August 2019 and then finally began the process in November. We ended up settling on a 15-year mortgage–paying about $200 more per month than the 2010 mortgage, but with substantial long-term savings. We were in a good place for this to not really stretch us financially, however we also started look at other areas in which to save. We got rid of cable and figured out just how much internet speed we really needed…a downgrade. We also focused more on healthful free things: physical movement outdoors, reading, and spending quality time in conversation.
With the news of Matt’s diagnosis, we both had major questions about the future, and FEAR does love to snowball! Should we stop the process of refinance and get that $200 per month back into our bank account? Is Matt going to have to stop working? What are our finances going to look like? All the questions!
Then came the TRUTH. I think there’s a specific theological word for when one can apply the scripture to their current situation, but I do know the greek word “rhema” which in Christian doctrine is the concept that the Holy Spirit illuminates understanding of the scripture to the reader. Since I don’t have a technical term for it, I’ll just say that I received illumination of the scripture to my current situation.
A collection of verses were sent to Matt and I on 1/17/20 and it included Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV) “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” At this point in the journey, Matt and I both poured over the scriptures for anything of comfort, promise, or hope and so I went back and read the surrounding context of this verse. The young prophet, Jeremiah, had just been commanded by the LORD to buy (redeem) a family-owned field and yet Babylon was about to conquer Israel and take many into captivity back to Babylon. There came with this act of faith (purchase of the field), a prophetic word, that someday the people would return to the land of Israel and that God would provide for their needs and it would absolutely delight Him to do them good that they may also be a blessing to the world.
Those words were FOR US as I read through Jeremiah chapters 31, 32 and 33. The Holy Spirit illuminated these words and said, “Trust in me to provide for you and carry you through this dark time. Your prophetic act of faith is to continue on with your wise plan to refinance your home. I will bless your efforts to be good stewards of the resources I have placed in your hands, not only for yourselves, but because your true desire is to allow my blessing to flow through you to bless others. It is my pleasure to do good to you and for you.”
We walked confidently into the mortgage signing 1/27/20, with knowing glances shared between us. The loan officer later emailed that this process was miraculously fast by her estimate. It was right on time for us.
Matt & Annie - Journey 