How it all started....

I bought my home in Manchester, CT five years ago. I know that it was definitely a gift from God. I had been searching properties with my real estate agent for 3 weeks, which is not a long time. Except, I had only 1 more week to make a decision about signing a new 1 year lease in the current apartment complex that I was staying at. Every home I tried to put a contract on had multiple offers and my offer was not accepted. My son was away with his father for the summer and I was pressed to get a move on before he came back for school. I prayed and asked God to help me and He did.
One day I was surfing the internet and ran across a website called www.isoldmyhouse.com. It was a place where homeowners could list their homes without a real estate agent. On the first page, three houses down, stood the edifice which we currently reside. I knew when I first saw that house that it was where I was suppose to live. It was priced slightly higher than the houses that I was looking at, but was still under the amount that I was preapproved for. I contacted the owner and they agreed to let me see it that evening, but I was on my way to Boston for a three day business meeting and leaving late at night would not have worked for me. I contacted the owners and pleaded with them to see me earlier so that I could leave town in peace. They agreed.
I must say that they were shocked to see this very young looking African American female step out of a brand new Grand Prix GT dressed like the business professional that I was. I guess my voice was very deceiving on the phone. The home was neat and pristine on the outside. The yard was neatly manicured and there was nothing but healthy growth all around. When I entered in and looked at the place, although it was not my style, I saw the vision of my things being there. It was a decorators dream!
Once I looked at every room in the house, we sat down and talked business. They under-priced the house because they were motivated to sell it. They showed comparisons of other split-level homes in the area and indeed the price was lower. Once I made my decision to purchase, they asked me, "Are you sure that you can afford this?" I was offended by the question because I wondered why they would think that. I went through my files and pulled out the pre-approval and wrote a check for $2000.00 for the deposit. "Yes. I can afford to buy your home and the bank believes I can too." They accepted my offer and several weeks later, I closed on the home.
I was nervous about the payments, but I knew that if the good Lord brought me to this, he was going to bring me through it. I made arrangements with friends to do the necessary painting before the furniture would be delivered. My mother and I packed up all of the things in my apartment and the movers did the rest of the work. My first night there was strange because it was a new environment that I not used to. I am a city girl and I went from a massive apartment complex community to a quiet neighborhood with a house on lots of land and woods and small trees on three sides of my property. All I could hear was crickets and the white noise of the nearby freeway. There were no children playing outside and really no signs of life after the work and school hour rush.
I found a place to worship in Hartford,CT and asked my new Pastor to come and bless the house. I cooked up a spread of food and invited the entire congregation and all of my friends to come and participate in this blessing. And when it was all over and the place was cleaned, I could feel the peace of God residing. I could feel His presence in every room of the house. I could sing praises and songs of worship to the Lord and feel myself soaking up His presence.
So, I urge you that if you have not had your home blessed and peace spoken over it to make sure you ask your Pastor or a minister to do it. This is fundamental in everything else that you do for your home. Create a space for prayer, praise, and worship. Make the Lord feel welcome in your home. After that, you can decorate and renovate!!!!