Prayer is So Big

​"But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ." -  Hebrews 3:6 NLT

Ready.  Set… Wait.

What? Wait? Again? But Lord…

It’s been a tough month. This September, an opening date for the Mountain House finally seemed to be in reach. Ryan and Catherine King, missionaries living in the Willey house, were headed back to Haiti, and So Big had been given the green light to start the renovations for the maternity home. We had begun remodeling the downstairs bathroom and had scheduled a couple of volunteer workdays. Amidst all this activity, the Whitestown planning and development division contacted us to arrange a time to walk through and perform a pre-inspection of the house. A date was set for September 22. Ashlee and I arrived early to start preparing the house for painting the following day. As we worked, we talked and laughed and sang along to our favorite songs on the radio. We were excited. Our plans were moving forward. Then the inspectors arrived. While they walked through the Mountain House, they discussed all the improvements that we needed to do to pass inspection before we opened our doors. The excitement drained from my body as I listened to the long list. I felt overwhelmed. The preliminary report given by the inspectors revealed a considerable amount of reconstructive work. We would have to put the painting on hold. We contacted our volunteers and cancelled the workday. Hundreds of questions raced through my mind but one loomed heaviest in my heart. “Were the changes too much for this beautiful old home?” I knew the answer to my question could only be found on my knees. So the next day, several members of our board linked arms and took a prayer journey through the house.  We spent the day praying in each room asking God what He wanted. And, in His gracious and lavish love, God revealed Himself in many ways. We left that day knowing the Mountain House will open in God’s timing and that He wants this home to continue to carry on its legacy of knitting families together.  As I reflected on our time, I was reminded of God’s promises in Jeremiah 29:12-13,“ Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This journey is about deepening our relationship with Jesus. As we come to Him in prayer and step out to serve Him, He will reveal more and more of Himself to us. That takes my breath away. The God of the universe, who holds all creation in His hands, wants to have a relationship with me. He wants to share His heart with me. It humbles me to my core.

So what are our next steps? We are currently working with Shawn Curran, a structural architect. He is evaluating the renovations that need to be done to make the Mountain House a safe home for all involved. Once he has formulated a plan for us, we will then begin the work on the house. We are also putting together prayer groups that will meet on a regular basis to intercede for So Big and the Mountain House. 
As we keep our courage and remain confident in Jesus, please pray that we run this race with perseverance as He directs our steps to open the Mountain House. Thank you for your love and support.

God’s Peace,

Lori