Proverbs 24:3-4- By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.
I vividly remember the excitement, anticipation, and joy that overcame Matt and me 20 years ago when we bought the lot where our house now stands. We built our house, which has become our family home, with the thought of “this could be our forever house, or this could be our starter house.” I remember the excitement, and the overwhelm, of picking out the brick, siding, cabinets, countertops, floors, doors….. and the list goes on, and on, and on! I also remember having so much fun as we drove around our soon-to-be neighborhood and other neighborhoods in the area, looking at other houses to get ideas on colors, layouts, and designs. We thought we were so mature, so grown-up, so wise at our ripe old ages of 26 and 25.
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Fast-forward 20 years, and here we are still living and loving life in our home on Birchwood Court. A lot has changed since we closed on our house and moved in in the spring of 2002. The trees we planted are bigger, the walls have been painted several different colors, the cabinets updated, countertops replaced, new appliances purchased, new furniture in all the rooms, a finished basement, and the beautiful addition of our outdoor bonus living space have made our house all that we want it to be…. aesthetically speaking, that is.
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But all the new things, all the fresh paint, all the laboring in the lawn is not what has made our house our home. Our house, the structure, is so much more than wood, paint, nails, and decor. Our house is home because it is where we brought all four of our babies home from the hospital. It is where we have celebrated Christmases, birthdays, and many other fun-loving family moments. Our house is where all of the babies have grown up and become young adults. Our house is where Matt and I have loved and led each other, laughed and cried together, and really grown up.
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The rooms of this house are filled with treasure but not the kind of treasure most people think of. The rooms are filled with treasures of love, patience, understanding, forgiveness, respect, admiration, humility, and selflessness. As we have journeyed through our marriage, raised four kids, and grown as a couple and a family, we have also grown in our faith. We have relied on God every step of the way- His voice, His word is the wisdom that speaks in our home. By understanding His way and His desire for our lives, we have established a home that is Christ-centered. We know that without Him, our house would crumble and fall in the turbulence of
tough times.
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Matt and I built a house 20 years ago, but our awesome God built a home. I pray that our home, our marriage, and your marriage continue to be built on His firm foundation. Let’s fill the rooms in our homes with real beauty and treasure- His love, His presence. Let’s build and continually restore our homes on unshakable ground by renewing our faith and trust in Him. By having a marriage grounded in faith, we will have homes that will sustain the tests of the times.
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