Its that time again, where we reflect on the past year and look forward to the new one. When I look back on 2025, the event that stands out the most is the purchase of my first home in July. I put nearly all my time, energy and money into this new house. As a first time home owner, everything was new and difficult. I was stretched physically, emotionally and financially like never before. If you asked me a year ago if I would ever buy a fixer upper, I would have said no way with absolute certainty. I wasn’t even sure a new home would be a right fit for me as a single mom working full time and busy with kids activities. Yet, that two bedroom 1 bathroom condo kept getting smaller and smaller, and my heart kept thinking about the “what ifs’ of the future. So I started the journey.
The story of getting this new house is definitely a God story. I started casually looking for a house in May. I was on a month to month lease and wanted to see what was out there. I did not have any expectations or a timeline. My generous ex-mother-in-law was my realtor and we signed a contract through January. She told me to make a list and prioritize the most important things in my search. #1 was immediately a second bathroom! I was done with sharing a bathroom with two boys! Yet as I looked at houses, I quickly realized an outdoor space that could be considered peaceful quickly shot to the top of my list. I wanted a place that I could drink my coffee, journal, read and pray outside without distractions. On a Wednesday night I literally said aloud that I was not asking God for a lake view because that would be greedy and impossible, but I just needed a place that gave me some peace and felt like a sanctuary for me. Just a few hours later, a friend of mine texted that the house across the street from her would be going on the market. Go figure, this house is located right on a lake. I quickly dismissed it assuming it would be out of my price range, but was open to exploring the option. Two days later, I was touring the house and three days later I was putting an offer on it, all before it ever hit the market! Apparently it wasn’t too greedy or impossible to ask God for.
Closing day was just the beginning of our new adventure. From July 2nd through September 6th, I spent nearly every day and night working on this house. I canceled all plans and focused on this massive project. I had a village of people come around me, tearing up carpets, tearing down ceilings, installing insulation, building walls, laying new flooring, painting every room in the house and more! I used power tools I never knew existed, gained new scars, learned just how itchy insulation really is, and stretched muscles that hadn’t been stretched before. Yet here I am at the end of the year sitting in a beautiful home overlooking a lake and taking in the sanctuary I was both given and worked so hard for. As I reflect here are some of my takeaways I learned this year in the journey to homeownership.
- I can choose to do hard things.- For my entire adult life, I have been forced to do hard things without any consent on my part. This was a time where I got to choose to do the hard thing and count the cost. I wanted to give up at times, but I knew it would be worth it. Choosing to do hard things is valuable for an abundant life.
- Impossible things can be made possible. – Sometimes God shows up to make you remember that he is sovereign over all things and that he does give good gifts even to those whose faith is small or not even there at all.
- Beauty can come from the worst of situations. – For over a decade, I have witnessed God doing this in my personal life. However, this was the culmination and physical representation of transformation of a house that was falling apart turning into a home I am proud of. A true metaphor of how God shows up in our lives and world making all things new.
- I can do hard things, but not alone. – This project was bigger than I could have ever managed. It took a village of people with different skillsets to come together and make this happen. From coworkers, neighbors, family, friends, students and even some strangers coming together, I was given the gift of community support and was so overwhelmed with the generosity of others.
As I finish 2025, sitting by my fireplace overlooking the lake as snow falls down, I am feeling an immense amount of gratitude. How did this even happen? God has let so many of prayers go unanswered over the years. For some reason, he chose to allow this one to be fulfilled. I may not understand it, but I will praise Him for it. This house represents so much to me. So far we have already created memories of multiple nights sitting around a bonfire with friends, kayaking and paddleboarding, lake beach days, sleepovers with the kids friends and cousins, hosting dinners, fall hikes, and more. Looking to 2026, I pray that this house not only serves as a sanctuary for me and my family, but for others as well. May it be a place where peace is felt in the midst of the chaos of the word around us. So if you are reading this and you need some peace, you are officially invited.
Sound of Surviving 