Our Journey Home Part 2

After saying no to purchasing our previous building, we didn’t know where God was leading us. We knew we couldn’t stay where we were because our lease was about to expire.

Check out Our Journey Home Part 1

Shortly thereafter, one of the men in our church, Steve, sent me a text with the address of a church on 7700 Lawyers Road. I drove by the property that day. It looked promising, but there was one problem: we didn’t even know if it was for sale.

Before our realtor could confirm anything, Steve somehow discovered that it was available.

The very next day we toured the property.

As soon as we walked through the building, something stirred in our hearts. It wasn’t perfect, but I could see the possibilities. I could picture people worshipping there. I could imagine children filling the classrooms. I could envision lives being changed on that property for years to come.

Within 24 hours, we submitted an offer.

Then… we waited.

If you’re anything like me, waiting is often harder than working. I don’t mind taking action, making calls, or solving problems. But sitting still while someone else holds the answer can be very difficult.

Days passed, and it felt like we were being ignored. There was no clear response. No acceptance. No rejection. Just silence.

The waiting began to wear on me.

One evening, while our family was out for dinner, something happened that I’ll never forget. My son, Zayvn, looked at me and shared a verse the Lord had placed on his heart: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:14)

It was exactly what I needed to hear. Even though we couldn’t see what He was doing, we chose to believe that He was still working behind the scenes.

Eventually, our realtor called with news.

Our offer was declined.

It wasn’t the answer we wanted, and if I’m being honest, it hurt. We had begun to picture and plan our church’s future there, and suddenly that possibility seemed to disappear.

Yet looking back now, I realize something important.

God wasn’t absent in the silence.

He was teaching us to trust Him. Faith and patience are developed while you’re waiting.

Sometimes God seems quiet not because He has forgotten you, but because He’s arranging things that you cannot yet see.

Little did we know, this “no” was not the end of our story. It was simply the first chapter in a much bigger miracle.

Faith Lesson: Don’t confuse God’s silence with God’s absence. Even when you don’t have an answer, God is still at work behind the scenes.

As you’ll see in next week’s blog, what felt like the end of the journey was actually the beginning of one of the greatest tests of our faith. The building would go under contract with another buyer, our hearts would be crushed, and we’d be forced to wrestle with a difficult question: What do you do when the door you believed God opened suddenly closes?