We gave ourselves five weeks to move, praying all the time that the Lord would tell us if we needed to leave sooner. We didn't know anyone where we were going, had no job lined up, had no place to live once we got there. We just knew the Lord would provide for us. We even held the destination loosely and prayed that the Lord would direct our path and make it clear to us. In the meantime, we kept praying that He would send His Spirit ahead of us to prepare a place for us.
Before leaving Portland, Eric applied for several jobs and made several phone calls about housing, including a call to Annemari about a one room cabin on 20 acres with a creek. When I heard about the cabin, I was giddy! How quaint! A "Little House On The Prairie" cabin in Montana! Perfect! But Eric, never having read the "Little House On The Prairie" books, decided a one room cabin wouldn't be practical for our family of four.
The time to leave was close and Eric commented that "doors were closing" for cheap apartments in the area. Then, when another apartment came available, the Lord brought us to Annemari's mind and she called us. The Lord ended up giving me the desire of my heart! The cabin was suppposed to be ours for two weeks for an unbelievably awesome price and then we would move into another one room apartment for January, also for wonderfully affordable rent. But the Lord allowed us to stay in the cabin for the entire time we were in Emigrant! We had a destination! The Lord was making a place for us! Annemari said the door would be unlocked and the key on the table. What?! Both Eric and I, being from the city, laughed out loud when we read that in the email! We couldn't wait to get to a town where people left doors unlocked with keys on the table!
As we prepared to paypal the few hundred dollars to secure both the cabin and the apartment, Eric and I were afraid it was a scam and that a big chunk of the money we had would be gone. Then the Lord brought to us Gideon's story and we sent the money, on faith that the Lord would provide for us:
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
Judges 7:2,4,7
Everything seemed legit! But the price for the cabin had to be too good to be true. We were sure it would be a dark, dingy, dirty, smelly little shack with no running water. We thought we were prepared for almost anything, but when we walked through the front door of the little cabin, we were not prepared for what we saw: It was perfect! Better than I could have imagined! It was toasty warm, had a little wood burning stove and a beautiful modern kitchen. It was bright, spacious and airy with clean floors, new rugs and lace curtains. There was even a bed and dining room table with wooden chairs. Since we were married, I've wanted wooden chairs. Sometimes I was patient about chairs, sometimes I've been stinky about chairs, as if I'm somehow entitled to them. The Lord has blessed me with the desires of my heart! But know it was meant to be just for a short time. And I'm ready to give up cute cabins and wooden chairs to follow Him, whatever He has for us next.
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:22-32
#1 - Going West
#2 - In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge
#3 - Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart
#4 - Let The Journey Begin
#5 - Yahweh-Yireh
#6 - for the love of money... and coffee.
#7 - Testing God
#8 - Billings, MT
#9 - who needs furniture?
#10 - The floodgates of heaven thrown open
#11 - Hardwood Floors, Terrible Neighbors, and God
To invite Genevieve West to speak at your group or church, please email Genevieve directly at MrsGWest@gmail.com.
Before leaving Portland, Eric applied for several jobs and made several phone calls about housing, including a call to Annemari about a one room cabin on 20 acres with a creek. When I heard about the cabin, I was giddy! How quaint! A "Little House On The Prairie" cabin in Montana! Perfect! But Eric, never having read the "Little House On The Prairie" books, decided a one room cabin wouldn't be practical for our family of four.
The time to leave was close and Eric commented that "doors were closing" for cheap apartments in the area. Then, when another apartment came available, the Lord brought us to Annemari's mind and she called us. The Lord ended up giving me the desire of my heart! The cabin was suppposed to be ours for two weeks for an unbelievably awesome price and then we would move into another one room apartment for January, also for wonderfully affordable rent. But the Lord allowed us to stay in the cabin for the entire time we were in Emigrant! We had a destination! The Lord was making a place for us! Annemari said the door would be unlocked and the key on the table. What?! Both Eric and I, being from the city, laughed out loud when we read that in the email! We couldn't wait to get to a town where people left doors unlocked with keys on the table!
As we prepared to paypal the few hundred dollars to secure both the cabin and the apartment, Eric and I were afraid it was a scam and that a big chunk of the money we had would be gone. Then the Lord brought to us Gideon's story and we sent the money, on faith that the Lord would provide for us:
2 The LORD said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
4 But the LORD said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there.
7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.”
Judges 7:2,4,7
9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:9Everything seemed legit! But the price for the cabin had to be too good to be true. We were sure it would be a dark, dingy, dirty, smelly little shack with no running water. We thought we were prepared for almost anything, but when we walked through the front door of the little cabin, we were not prepared for what we saw: It was perfect! Better than I could have imagined! It was toasty warm, had a little wood burning stove and a beautiful modern kitchen. It was bright, spacious and airy with clean floors, new rugs and lace curtains. There was even a bed and dining room table with wooden chairs. Since we were married, I've wanted wooden chairs. Sometimes I was patient about chairs, sometimes I've been stinky about chairs, as if I'm somehow entitled to them. The Lord has blessed me with the desires of my heart! But know it was meant to be just for a short time. And I'm ready to give up cute cabins and wooden chairs to follow Him, whatever He has for us next.
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| Our cabin! |
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| Eric & Evie playing in the snow outside our cabin |
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| The beautiful view from our kitchen window |
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| Our cabin in Emigrant Montana |
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Luke 12:22-32
#1 - Going West
#2 - In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge
#3 - Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart
#4 - Let The Journey Begin
#5 - Yahweh-Yireh
#6 - for the love of money... and coffee.
#7 - Testing God
#8 - Billings, MT
#9 - who needs furniture?
#10 - The floodgates of heaven thrown open
#11 - Hardwood Floors, Terrible Neighbors, and God
To invite Genevieve West to speak at your group or church, please email Genevieve directly at MrsGWest@gmail.com.
Genevieve West is a professional Matchmaker and personal consultant, prolific blogger and speaker, perpetual manuscript attempter, wine-drinking, coffee-chugging, sometimes irreverent, often overwhelmed housewife and homeschool mom of three, redeemed by God's grace.
You can find more of Genevieve's insights and antics at:
Find resources and learn about Genevieve's Matchmaking services:
GenevieveWestMatchmaker.blogspot.com
GenevieveWestMatchmaker.blogspot.com