Cross in the sky

Part One -The Promise
Bill and I started our married life in a tiny farmhouse in Germantown, Wi. Bill lived there for a couple of years before we were married, with a couple other guys...that should tell you something about it already! It was small and homey, but it had no furnace. We heated the house with a wood stove, and the rent was only two hundred dollars per month (even tho' it was twenty nine years ago, that was cheap then)!!! The house was about one hundred and fifty years old...thank God it had indoor plumbing! We had to haul the wood for the wood stove quite a distance, because the landlord didn't want any bugs, or woodchucks by the house. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but as we started to have children.....I would have to run out and get wood during the day, and hope the children wouldn't lock me out , touch the wood stove, or try to follow me (to help).

At one point, (I guess my point of desperation), with six young children and little space ....the children were five, three, two, one, one and a newborn. I began praying...BIG and desperately!!! I wanted our own home. Even tho' the children had a big yard to play in, the landlord didn't want the children on the lawn...this just added to my frustration!

I started praying for a home (our very own) with a big yard and enough space for our family...I prayed constantly about it! I knew it didn't look very promising, because we were always broke, but I figured God would come thru'!

After praying very expectantly for a few months, I believed God was answering in a big way! Our landlord told us that he was going to sell his house (which was on the same property as our little farmhouse) and told us we would have to move. Bill would have stayed there forever at two hundred dollars per month so I thought YEHHH God!!!

It was during this time that I kept hearing in my heart (kind of like a song that you can't get out of your head) the words "EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY." That along with "Take joy in your troubles". I didn't know what to make of it until I heard a sermon on "Standing on the Promises of God."The message said that all of God's promises are there for us as His children to claim, as long as we obey God . Well, I looked in the Bible concordance and found Eph. 3:20 "Now unto Him who is able to do EXCEEDING, ABUNDANTLY more than we can ask or imagine according to the power at work within us." I loved this promise and memorized it promptly!!! The next scripture that I got was from James 1:2-3. "Take joy in your trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." I STILL do not have that verse memorized. I didn't like that one very much!!

Now came the hard part for me......waiting, waiting, and more waiting!!! I kept hearing my promise from God (Eph. 3:20) on the christian radio, or in a book, or from a card someone would send). I continued to stand on that promise and wasn't worried because I expected God to come and give our family a wonderful big home of our own!!! I wanted God to custom deliver it to us (because He could) but He was teaching me to trust Him as he brought our family THROUGH the hard times!!

Time was running out for our family to leave our farmhouse and we had been looking for a place, but no one seemed to want such a large family (boy what would happen now with our 14). I was still standing on the promise and we were looking hard but we kept getting a big NO everywhere we looked!

We thought we finally found something when a friend was selling his home in Hartford, WI. Bill's dad said he would help us to buy the house.... it looked as tho' the doors were opening for us! The day we were going to put in the offer, Bill's dad decided he couldn't help us. My world just caved in that day! I drove past that house at night and parked there and just wept and wept for an hour or so. I was devastated and had a hard time dealing with it! I finally let it go, and I still kept hearing my verse on a daily basis. If I didn't hear it, I would speak it out loud.

After a few more weeks, I saw an ad in the paper that was offering a home for rent with an option to buy in Okauchee, WI.

I called on this home and they said Yes to us. The option was for six months so I thought NO PROBLEM!! The only problem was the rent was three times what we had been paying.....hmmm we had trouble paying the two hundred a month.... how would God work this out????

Being hard working people, Bill got another full-time job.....to help God! He worked at his shop (Bilco) about sixty hours per week ..then another forty at Ernie Von Schledorn. Is this even possible??? The home was older (but not as old as the farmhouse), and it had a beautiful big yard. The house even had a fireplace! I thought God, you are awesome! Even tho' Bill was working so much and I was with the children with no breaks I had such peace!!! Bill and I moved ourselves and we loved our new home!!

My new prayer became God, if this is the home for us would you just show me a cross in the sky????? I was always looking for my cross in the sky! Time was passing quickly, and we were trying to get a loan for the home. We didn't have good credit, so no matter what we did we were refused. I was still confident that God would give us this house...we liked it, and it was SO peaceful!!

This was not the end, but the beginning of our journey!!!!


Part Two... The Problem
I fully believed that God would come through for me and my family, because I loved the house and couldn't believe that He would have us move AGAIN in six months...In the meantime, I kept on standing on Eph.3:20 "Now, unto Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, BEYOND all that we can ask or imagine according to the power at work within us"!!!!

During this time, my brother asked if he could move in with us... I said "sure"! He told us he would help with the rent, and occasionally babysit.

The problem was, I said yes to my brother without asking my husband......wives! DO NOT EVER DO THIS!!! I thought I could help (or manipulate) God.....duh! Well, my brother never helped, he would take our car (and get in accidents)...NOT GOOD!

I did ALOT of praying during this time and drew very close to God because I knew that I was not capable of being victorious in living in joy without His help!!!

I was still standing on my promise, and always looking up for a cross in the sky!!!

I was in the country, the children had a big yard to play in, so I thought this was it!!!

It was lonely at times, because I was long distance from all my friends (yes... before cell phones) but I felt cocooned in God's love. This is the time that the Lord became my closest friend!!

We tried every kind of bank and loan, but no one would give us a chance...and we were running out of options. I was still expecting God to come and save the day, so we could stay in this house...

Did you notice a lot of my sentences began with I... that was part of my problem..I was so concerned about my family that I began to tell God what to do and HOW!! That was a major part of my PROBLEM!!

Life was hard at this time, but good! I was coming to the end of myself, and that began a process of God working in me to lighten my grasp and open my hand to Him!

During this time, my brother came to the end of himself.. He had gotten into accidents with our car, drank too much and other things and he found nothing seemed to go right for him.
One night, he opened up and was ready to receive some prayer. On this night he asked Jesus to be his Lord and Savior!!!! This was a huge blessing and we saw an immediate change! My brother was the person that said to me, "maybe this is a resting place(our house) and not where God ultimately wants you". That got me mad!!! I really wanted to stay in this house so I didn't want to hear any of that kind of talk!!

Bill had been working , plus trying to get a loan any time he could. nothing was working. We went on rent search, put an ad in the local paper, and asked for prayer on the local christian radio station.

Bill and I found ourselves once again desperately looking for a home. By now I had given up on the idea of owning a home since we had exhausted all avenues. Our six month option was just about up and I was still standing on the promise of Eph.3:20 and looking for my cross in the sky, but nothing was happening!

We checked out the only house we found...it was all the way in Green Lake. A huge house and Bill would have to stay at my folks during the week and come home on weekends. This house was the only option we could find so I finally said, if this is where you want us.. Thank you, God!
I was broken, but surrendered to whatever God wanted for us! This house didn't have a furnace either.... what's with that???? At this point I just didn't care anymore. I gave up!

We were at our last week at our "resting place" home and had to be out by Saturday. On Wednesday, I got a response from the ad I had put in the paper, and Mrs. Bourque wanted to meet with me and Bill. So, on Thurs. we met, she approved of us, and we started cleaning on Friday, so we could move in on Saturday. Mrs. Bourque had rented the house for the last sixteen years to a woman that had SIX cats!!! I have one son that was extremely allergic to cats, so we needed to do BIG CLEANING!!!

The person that had rented from Mrs. Bourque didn't have a vacuum, so it was filthy!
I was broken and at the end of myself!

All the packing.... AGAIN!! The cleaning of the house we were leaving plus the cleaning of what would be our "new" old home..It was the original schoolhouse in Brookfield.

I guess I would describe this phase of my life as confused, exhausted, and vulnerable.

The last move Bill and I did on our own, but this time my friends Pat and Linda surrounded me and helped me!! They even got a team together to help with the move.

On the evening Bill and I started to clean the house in Brookfield, two of our friends showed up to help!! Joe and Barb didn't know anything of my prayers and I was empty and not thinking too much about my prayer for a "cross in the sky"..... until....end of part two

Part Three .. The provision!!! "Cross in the sky"
After working all evening cleaning the house in Brookfield, we all walked outside. It was a very dark night and we were all exhausted (yes I was expecting again, too). After talking for a while and thanking Joe and Barb for helping, we were going to leave, but just before we did.... Barb looked up and said "Wow," LOOK AT THAT CROSS IN THE SKY!!!!" We looked up and there was a brilliant yellow fluorescent huge cross lit up! There was NO mistaking it!!! Barb had no knowledge of my prayer for all those months..... the cross was from a church down the street and against the black sky it looked just like a huge cross suspended by the velvety night!! I had been so down, that I don't believe I would've even seen that cross! After I saw that cross, I knew that God was in control, that He had heard every cry and prayer of my heart and He gave me an absolute miracle!! Time stood still for me as I tried to grasp the awesome love of my heavenly Father!

I never again questioned this move....I knew God had it all planned out in advance and I didn't question Him anymore....just thanked Him for being God and being good!!!

Well, the next day was moving day and we had loads of help! It actually made the move fast and fairly easy!

In the next couple of weeks, Mrs. Bourque would stop by on a regular basis to see how we were doing...she felt so bad that the house was so filthy when we were about to move in that she ordered us a brand new stove and refrigerator (frost free). Wow!!! We needed the appliances, too! She kept on telling us that we should buy her house! I kept dismissing the idea because we had just been through all of this! In fact, it was almost laughable!!!

After a few more weeks, Mrs. Bourque stopped by and told me "I really WANT you to buy this house!! I told her it was impossible and we couldn't get financing...to which she replied "I'll be your bank...you can buy it on land contract". I had never heard of this before, but hope was rising!!! After Bill and I discussed it we just went DUH! Isn't this what we were praying for???!!!
So, after five years we were able to get a conventional bank loan...we said YES! and the rest is history!!!

After three years in the house, it seems to be getting smaller.... could have been the nine children!!!! I got on my knees again, and prayed to God..."can I ask you for another sign if we can move"?? I heard in my heart..."I'll speak to your husband"! OH, NO! I knew this could be a LONG wait....in fact, we have now been at our home for twenty three years.....hmm......Now there are fourteen children and they are starting to get married. I think we need more room, but I will wait until God puts it on Bill's heart....hunker down for a LONG wait!!!! end of part three!

Part Four: Lessons Learned
So many emotions...so many lessons learned!
Bill and I learned that God is interested in the details of our lives. We found out that God doesn't just take us over the problems (like I would want) he takes us through them!!!!!
God also taught us to ASK!!! and to ask BIG!! If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough!!!

We learned that God doesn't need (or want) our "help".... He wants us to trust and obey Him!!!
We came to understand that His timing is perfect!! Never early, but ALWAYS on time!!!
God showed us that He works through His people.....to be Jesus with skin on! All the people that blessed us with help packing, moving, praying!!!! PRICELESS!

One of the biggest lessons we learned, was to STAND on the promises of God, and having done all..STAND!!!

Some miracles take time...and God works out ALL the details!
GOD IS GOOD!!!! ALL THE TIME!!!!!