who's building your house?

​By Joyce Pelletier
                                  Psalm 127:1 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain 

                So many times, when something new and different comes up, I pray for God’s will. I am learning that the only way to fly is in the hands of Jesus. Whenever I need to contemplate a new request from an unexpected source, I first think, ‘no, that’s not for me to consider. Others are more qualified.’ So then, I stop and think, what if God wants me to do this? My heart takes a leap of openness. Nothing is impossible with God, right?
                So, when I consider the request more thoroughly and realize that when God makes the call, He knows who He’s calling. He knows what the answer is, it is me to find out what His desire is. Then like Romans 8:28 says, “everything works out for good for those who love the Lord and fit into His plan.”
                How many times have we quoted this from Romans and leave out “fit into His Plan.?” I know I am guilty of that. But more and more He leads me to seek his plan. To build a house, we need a blueprint, plans, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and yes sometimes a decorator. I know whenever we moved to a new space, which were many, I’ve decorated with what we have. Somehow, we make do.
                In our nearly sixty years of marriage, we have moved 13 times. Each place was different. In the first two years we moved 9 times. We were trying to find ourselves and where we belonged. The nineth time we had our two children. We moved to a small garage apartment on a farm and the owner that we worked for built a house for us to live with more space. This was down the road a mile at end, of the property. Nine years later, we moved to a different farm for about five years. We then found a new job in the Burlington area. After a few more moves we retired and came to Colchester.
                Each place we lived we learned so much. When we moved to the house at the end of the property, we started to meet neighbors and returned to church. Both of us came into contact with Jesus through our neighbors who became our first Christian family. Every place we lived was a new steppingstone for our journey.
                In 2008 we found ourselves at the doorstep of Daybreak. So much of life that we have experienced along the way. There was the good, the hard, the challenging events. But, God’ light gets brighter and brighter. God has worked with us all along the road. He gave us tools to work with and the promise of him being at our side. Colchester has been the longest stay of all. Since walking through the doors of Daybreak, we’ve been able to grow and each step has been a conviction to trust in Jesus for all things.
                Or there are times we try to take things back into our control, but, it just doesn’t work that way. A lot of ways along this journey has had moments of feeling inadequate. Truth be told, those inadequacies have carried us through every door that Jesus has brought us to where we are today. It’s been over 45 years since we started this journey. We are in our 19th year in Colchester. The longest time in any place.
                We don’t know what the future holds, but I do know we are being protected and guided by our Loving Father. His Son has seen to it to put us where we are and there is no other place to be. I highly recommend Jesus as your architect. He has a plan for you and us, too.
                Father, show us the path you want us to travel, so we may stay in touch with your plan for all our lives. Lord, I trust you know what is best for us. For your name and glory.
AMEN