Thursday, July 16, 2009

Coffee talks & plan making and a request for PRAYER!



So ~ it has been a while since I have written on this blog and a lot has happened. We have met twice to go over plans for our house/retreat house combined.  What an exciting time it is! Believe me ~ after we meet, I can hardly go to sleep. The conversations, the plans, all of it just continues to run around and around my mind.
The last time I met with Jerald ~ he shared some preliminary plans with me.  Alvin was at work, so I had to relay all the exciting news and papers with measurements, plans, etc. I really love meeting with Jerald, as it seems that God is laying as much on his mind as on ours and it shows up in the way that we come to the table with the same ideas, and seem to be on the same page.
Right now however, we are at the point where we solicit your prayers!  Before we go too much farther, we have to get permission from the council of the Rural Municipality that we are in (St. Clements) as we are wanting to build a bigger and higher barn than they allow, and we are also asking if they will allow us to have 5 rooms committed to bed and breakfast (which is the closest thing we can find to describe what will happen).
So, after also soliciting the expertise of my son, and his knowledge of photoshop (see the picture of the land with the barn in it
So, please pray!!  Pray that we would find favor with them, and that they allow us to build the size we feel we need to build, for both shop and for the house.  From the beginning God has indicated that we should put in enough bedrooms for 5 people!  Okay, I didn’t write that in my letter ~ that would have perhaps been pushing it if one isn’t used to getting their instructions from God! (smile)
So, please pray!!  Pray without ceasing.  Pray believing that God has begun a good work and will bring this ministry to fruition.  To God be the Glory!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Land purchase!


WRATW_land_004
The other day when our son Josh gave us a little pep talk and said, “if you are going to do it, you have to just DO IT” I told him it would be really hard, and tear-filled when it came time to move away from the place that we have called home for the better half of our lives!  He agreed! 
Funny thing is it seems like THIS IS THE TIME. For the past year when God kept saying with even more urgency “GET THE BALL ROLLING!!”  It seems that within the past year, many people have asked me, and told me that for some reason, God had laid WRATW on their heart.  People are praying, telling me of dreams and visions they have been given in regards to it.   While it has been “simmering on the back burner” over the past few years, now it seemed that God was turning up the heat! 
So it was, with a combination of anxiousness and excitement (actually great excitement) that on the morning of March 18th – Dave (real estate agent) came to where Alvin was working, to write up an offer to purchase.  I have to say that we fully expected to have to respond to a counter offer.  We were praying about it.  If this was the time – God would make that clear.  We had no doubt about that.   So, would this be the land that would become the future place of our home and Women Refreshed at the Well? 
David was one guy who I had shared the Vision with back in 2001 and I will never forget him praying for WRATW in Perkins that morning years ago.  He was going to share the Vision with the people who owned the land.  Only God knew what would happen.  We trusted Him for the best answer.
Later that day, while I was having supper with my daughter and son-in-law – my cell phone rang.  I recognized the caller, even though it said “BLOCKED ID” on the call display. I knew it was David, our real estate agent. My heart picked up a few beats. My thoughts were, well here goes, we will have to give a counter offer.
David began….”well Joy, they didn’t like the offer.”  (I think my heart sank momentarily) You know somehow I had really prayed that I would trust and not worry or fret, and let God be God. Lately I have had a hard time with this one, and the waiting part of God’s timing.   Perhaps they didn’t like the offer because it was low.  It was $25,000 less than their first listed price, and $15,000 lower than their “reduced” listed price. BUT THEN….this is where the “GOOD NEWS” comes into place!   David continued on ~ “they didn’t like the offer, but they were glad to hear what the place would be used for, so they will accept the offer you gave.”
Oh my ~ God, you have decided that this is the time, this is the place~ I was wonderfully caught off guard! 7 years ago David and I had talked about the Vision and now ~ he was telling me that we have just bought some land!  I am sure that my smile was a foot wide!
I think both Alvin and I were shocked, as were our kids. (Isn’t that so like God to shock and surprise us!) Shocked, surprised, excited. Thankful!!  God, I am so thankful. We are one step closer to the vision that God entrusted to my heart many years ago.  The ball is rolling!
I want to say again – this is not my Vision. This is HIS vision laid on my heart…. I am just the conduit…. the clay vessel that He is using to bring this about. God give both wisdom and strength to follow on.  Oh that He would find me faithful!
To GOD BE THE GLORY….. and as my good friend Lynda said to me many years ago, in regards to this vision, “fasten your seatbelt Joy, you are in for a ride!”
I think we all are!! 
Location of the land:  about 13 kms from Henderson Hwy and the perimeter.  Travel NORTH on Henderson and you will come to the community of NAROL.  We own almost 19 acres right beside (to the NORTH of) Corpus Christi Catholic Church.  We are on the EAST side of Henderson Hwy.  (not the river side).  Not sure what our number is, but the Catholic Church is 5819 Henderson.  Go and check out the location!