Bennett Housing Update: Follow Me
Friday, October 17, 2008
Friends,OK, so this will not be our typical blog regarding Overflow and the updates, but rather a glimpse into what it has and continues to mean for myself and our family to follow God's calling to plant Overflow. As many of you know we have had our house for sale in Battle Creek since April, 2007 and have asked God every way we know how to sell our house (and many of you have as well). While the prayer for our house to sell has not yet been answered we have seen Him answer prayers in other ways as He has provided along the way, deepened our trust in Him, helped us to understand what many others are experiencing, and challenged us in what it means to follow Jesus. 
http://www.pprmi.com/SWMRICRETS_2820182
http://www.pprmi.com/SWMRICRETS_2820182
Currently, we still have many questions and continue to pray about the situation. Here is where things are at with our house:
- We moved to the Benton Harbor region in October 2007 and began making two payments (mortgage and rent) and by summer 2007 had incurred significant debt in trying to manage both.
- During the 18months our house has been for sale the market in Battle Creek has dropped so dramatically that the only 2 offers on our home have been for $30,000 less than we paid or owe on our mortgage.
- We began working with our bank in July 2007 and currently have a short sale offer submitted that is pending approval by the bank. This offer on our home is for much less than we owe and we are praying that they will release us from the house and mortgage through a short sale.
- We have had to also face the possibility of losing the home should this short sale not go through. As people with excellent credit history this has been very difficult and we have had many ups and downs through this time. Through it all we continue to sense God asking us to "follow Him" and trust Him through this and that is what we are doing.
Matthew 8:18-22
18And when Jesus saw great multitudes about Him, He gave a command to depart to the other side. 19Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”
20And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
- Jesus helped this man to see that He did not have a home and that to follow Him "wherever you go" would mean that He may not have a home either. While this is not easy to swallow, we realize that we are serving something and someone greater than this world and He will see us through this tough time. The bottom line is that we know where He has led us and we trust the results, the process, and the house to Him!
22But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
- Jesus addressed this man's own need for security (in that culture burying his father would have meant also receiving an inheritance that he could have trusted in) and his sense of timing. The man most likely was saying that he would like to return to bury his father, because his father had a number of years left to live. Jesus responded by clearly helping Him to see that he needed to follow Jesus right then and there. While we know we could have waited till the house sold we also realize that God has opened many unique doors for Overflow, and touched many lives in the past 18 months and this was His time for the church to be planted. As we answer His call, in His timing, we are learning to trust our security to Him.
So, there is a little of what we have been learning, a lot of what we have been going through personally, and hopefully even more encouragement for you to trust Jesus as He asks you to "follow Him" in a difficult economy and time in our country.
Please keep us in your prayers and especially pray for favor with our case agent on the short sale (his name is Tony). Pray that if this is God's will the short sale will go through quickly and free us from the stress and financial burden of the house.
Thank you for everything and continuing to walk with us!
In Pursuit,
Brian
Romans 15:13
posted by Brian @ 10:41 PM,
2 Comments:
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At October 18, 2008 11:38 AM,
tonymyles said...
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Count me in.
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At October 20, 2008 9:14 AM,
Dennis Jackson said...
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Praying for you guys - you bring us such great joy in watching you trust God. We are so grateful for your pursuit of Him.
Lord, please sell this home! Amen.
