A Walk Around My House

(I would like to apologize for using a picture with snow but I was too lazy to take a fresh one.)

7 times around my house.

My house is more than a building.  I don't necessarily care about my physical house.  I love it but would give it to God in a moment.  My house represents something.

It represents my life, the life of my family.

It represents our financial status--It needs a paint job, some landscaping, my kitchen faucet leaks. Yet we care for it with the resources we have when we can, welcome friends and share it with anyone in need.  It isn't perfect but it is warm and full of love.

It represents our family life--memories of holidays, birthdays, celebrations.  Times of learning together, praying together, playing games together, snuggling up with a big bowl of popcorn for a movie marathon.  Memories of good news and bad news, supporting, encouraging and loving one another.  Our family exists in this house.

It represents our future.  Dreams have been made here, ideas shared, a child sent off to try his wings.  New businesses started here, new seasons of life experienced.  The possibilities that lie before us are represented in this house.

All that we are, all that I have, all I desire, it is all represented in this house.

So today I circled my house 7 times.  7 times around the house while I prayed big prayers for our family, our finances and our future.

The Israelites walked around Jericho 7 times.  They believed that there was a purpose and that God would deliver the city into their hands because He told them He would.  So they walked and believed.  And God acted and they were ready.

So today I walked and I prayed and I believed.  This is where we are all supposed to be at this moment.  Jake at Wheaton, John at Normandale, Isabelle at the public school and me working from home.  And I believe God will provide for us in this place of obedience.  I will grow a business and provide for our family finances in this place, Jake will discover his calling, John will build his academic foundation and go on to further education and a new career, Isabelle will learn, grow and become. She is safe for now where she is and I trust God to take care of her.

7 times I circled the house and I prayed and I believe.  And now I wait and watch and prepare for what the Lord will do and how He will answer.

I am reading "The Circle Maker" by Mark Batterson.  It is wonderful and I am drawing circles and praying big bold prayers for my life and believing that God will answer, provide and fulfill his promises to me.

I am dedicating this month to prayer and seeking God's direction as I begin to take some new action steps in my life.  It is easy to run ahead of God and end up discovering you have actually fallen behind Him.  I want to walk the path God has cleared for me and so I am stopping to look for where he is at and join Him.  That is where I know I will find the most success.  (And that is a little lesson from an Experiencing God study I did almost 20 years ago.)