9 months ago we left our property with no idea what we would face for the next 9 months. We were encouraged to take the RV in for it’s repairs with the promise of a place to stay until those repairs were fixed…
In that time we had a baby, moved 5 times, faced Lyme’s disease, faced being homeless in the middle of winter when it seemed to snow every week for over two months, and lived four of those months with no electricity and hauling water! I’d like to say that I handled all of that with grace and enthusiasm….but I didn’t!!
When we were told to leave knowing that our only home was in the shop I was angry!! When we had to move for the 4th time I was frustrated and angry all over again. When we faced the possibility of being homeless I was scared. When we faced lymes I was scared again! When we moved into a cabin with no electricity and no water I had just a plain old bad attitude!! When we sorted through the damages caused by a rat getting into our storage container….it gave all new meaning to….
Matthew 6 (KJV)¹⁹ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:²⁰ But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:²¹ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
After moving so many times, having no running water was the last straw. I loved being kept warm by the wood stove but the water was what really got me. When all of the children, including the baby, came down with the stomach bug things seemed impossible!! During that time I cried and I prayed and cried some more!
I lost sight of the promise!! You see…God doesn’t promise us a life of ease this side of heaven. Even Jesus didn’t have a place to lay his head.
“And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”
— Matthew 8:20
He does promise that He will be with us and that if we keep our eyes focused on Him He will provide all that we need!
Matthew 6
³¹ Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
³² (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
³³ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
For a few months I lost sight of Gods promises and truth because I let the things of this world distract me. I didn’t keep Him first as I began to get overwhelmed with a newborn (now 8 month old), moving, betrayal, health problems, loneliness, and everything else! Eventually I dropped to my knees with no strength left and had to repent. I’m so thankful that God is faithful to forgive us when we are willing to humble ourselves and admit we messed up!
Things I learned along the way….
We can, and should only, depend on God…not people. People will say one thing and then do another. People will turn there backs on us and leave us stranded, but when I look to God and love Him..He will do just the opposite. He will make a way out of nothing. He will give me strength when I can’t keep going.
I also have no words to describe how thankful I am for these modern day amenities that we have like running water and electricity!! I used to think that I would have enjoyed being born in a different time period… before these amenities…but now I know I wasn’t cut out for that!! It took me a few months of grumbling and complaining before I changed my attitude and got the hang of things. The electricity isn’t a big deal…no running water on the other hand is huge!! I don’t envy those mom’s shoe lived before running water…..that one thing makes being a keeper of the home 1,000s of times harder!! Admittedly, I wasn’t always able to keep up with the dishes and cleaning and laundry after hauling and boiling all the water!!
We are finally back in our RV AND on our property and my whole perspective has changed!! I’m reminded how much I love this small space for my family. I’ve enjoyed standing in the kitchen cooking while listening to my babies play and giggle right beside me in their room rather than on another floor completely or on the other side of the house!! The small counter space or tiny storage space isn’t so frustrating any more. I’m eager to keep our home cleaner and tidier than ever before. Eager to put a routine in place and teach my girls to be keepers of the home so that they don’t struggle with that like I have for so long. I definitely enjoyed that first actual shower after 4 months of bathing in a storage bucket!!
We have a long road ahead to get into our shipping container home, but God is so good I know I’ve grown a lot over the last 9 months!! I need to do a better job keeping my eyes on Him, remembering His call to leave the world and follow Him with my whole heart! If I do that, He will provide all that my family needs!!