Living Among Our People Group

A little over two years ago, we were expecting our second child.  We were living in a two bedroom apartment that had been our home for several years.  Cole and I knew we needed to find a new place to live before baby boy came.  At the time, Cole was the interim director of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry.  We weren't sure if the job would pan out into anything more permanent.  With that in mind, we did not want to buy a house, not knowing how much longer our stay would be in Fayetteville.  

 

One day, Cole came home from work and said, "Ok, I have a crazy idea.  What if we moved into one of the BCM houses?"  Our ministry owns several houses where we house students.  They in turn use their houses for ministry to other students on campus by inviting them to hang out there or hosting a small group.  Seriously, I thought.  This is a terrible idea.  We won't have any privacy.  It will be like living in a glass house.  The kitchen is so small.  There's hardly any storage space or counter space.  There's no garbage disposal or dishwasher.  A long list of cons kept coming to mind.  "Could you make it work for one year?" Cole asked.  Well, yes.  You can do anything for a year.  

 

So we did it.  We moved into a house built in the 1930's that is essentially on campus.  And at first it was hard.  The kitchen was....ummm, unique.  Not a lot of storage space and no garbage disposal or dishwasher.  Then, there were the smokers that like to smoke on the sidewalk in front of our house.  There was only one bathroom.  I felt a lot like Mary Bailey in "What a Wonderful Life."  I was tasked with making this old house a home.  

 

But one day I read an article on missionary wives and mothers and it changed my whole perspective.  It talked about what it was like to live among a people group and blessings and challenges for families who were called to live among the people that they ministered to.  Whoa....that is what God had called us to do.  Our people group is college students and God has called us to do life, day in and day out, with this group of people that we so passionately love and live to serve for the gospel's sake. Our living in the house was recently reconfirmed; I had an itch to start looking elsewhere for a house...something that was "ours."   Then, I heard an interview with a pastor where he was asked about how he shepherds people he is tasked with ministering to. His response was, "How can I shepherd a people I don't know?  I can't know them unless I am among them."  And once again God took away my desire for having what everyone else seems to have that I don't and he made me satified in the plans he has (for know) for our family.  

Honestly, if I sit down with a paper and pencil and list the things I want in a home, this place actually hits a lot of them.  On my wish list would be: older home with character, mature trees in yard/neighborhood, close enough to university for students to come over, close to our church, a decent sized yard, access to trail system, and sidewalks so I can take kiddos for walks.  THIS PLACE HOLDS ALL OF THOSE THINGS!  Isn't God good?  And isn't it like him to give us our hearts desire but in a different way than we thought. Besides that, there are opportunities for picnics and bike rides on campus, interacting with students when we are in our yard, being close to the action during home football games and so many more benefits!

Now, there are still days when I feel the tug of not being satisfied....this house has put us through the wringer a few times.  Flooded basement, flea infestation, dead possum under the house, rewiring of entire home, kitchen remodel (intentional), broken heater have all been par for the course.  But I know that as long as the Lord wants us here I will strive to find the humor and blessing of living in our home.