DEBT FREEDOM! A Story Only God Could Write!

Since our very first announcement of Plan Move and our debt-free journey back in May of 2013 we have been on a roller coaster of a ride. Now we can look back and see how God perfectly directed each and every step!

To think since then we have saved up and paid over $60,000 to own two properties, and adopted two children! Wow!

This post is the follow-up to point out the very hand of God throughout our debt-free journey....let's start at the beginning!

In May 2013, "The Next Great Leap" we announced the blind leap of faith we were about to embark on. Destination: debt-freedom!

We had already paid off all car, loan and credit card debt thanks to Dave Ramsey's snow-ball techniques before the kids joined us. Shortly after making them ours we made the decision that the kids needed one stay at home parent more than they needed the pretty house in a cookie-cutter neighborhood. We realized paying our $250,000 mortgage would be a long and uphill battle that, frankly, didn't have the energy for. 

So we outlined our plan, contacted our realtor and prepared for the journey ahead. We figured if living a year or two in our 300sqft motorhome at an RV park meant paying cash for whatever house we wanted then we were so there! And we were off, "Alright God lead us!"

In August 2013, "Do You Ever Slow Down!?!" everything was happening so fast!

Our house sold the moment we got the "for sale" sign in the ground before it was even listed. We sold all our stuff and prepared to move yet didn't quite know where but as fast as the house sold we found and purchased a 7 acre plot of raw land that was beautifully trashed. We thought we could clear enough to temporarily park our motorhome on it while we saved up money to build....but God had other plans.... 

In November 2013, "So...Are You Moving or What?" we were working hard to get our land ready before Dec. 6th, the closing date on our house.

We found out that temporary housing permits restricted people from living in motorhomes in our county which put us in a bind...we have a month to get out of our house and we were now the owners of a 7 acre property but we couldn't live on it. What were we going to do and what was God up to!?!

November was also the month that God began tugging hard at our hearts making it clear that we needed to renew our homestudy again and be ready to open our home to another child...sounds crazy because at the time we didn't have a home! But God always knows and is in control. Read more here: "It is Not a Good Time"

In early December just before we moved out we were made aware of a tiny trailer on 4 acres for sale, we made the decision to take out a very small loan and buy it with the plan to pay it off in one year. That same month we were matched with our son, Sam. If we had been set on our plan to move into our RV and set on not borrowing money we wouldn't have been able to bring our amazing Sam home! 

In January 2014, "Debt Free Here We Come" we shared details and pictures of our new tiny home!

This tiny house was nothing special, it was a lot of work and we were hesitant about getting into debt to get out of debt. But if we had been set on our plan to move into our RV and set on not borrowing money we wouldn't have been able to bring our amazing Sam home! God knew what He was doing for sure and we grew to love that tiny house!!!

In December 2014 exactly one year since moving into our tiny (now paid off) home we were felt a strong pull to move out to our original 7 acre raw property. How? We owned the land but we knew that building a home or buying a mobile home to move out there would mean taking out another loan....the whole point was to get out of debt so why such a strong pull, God?

In December 2014, "Move in Progress" as quickly as we thought about moving again it became a reality. 

After finding a realtor who sold repo mobile homes we only viewed a few before we found our new home. God worked out the miracle of interest-free financing quickly and now we had enough to buy the home, move it out to our property and put in water, electric and septic. The repayment plan for the loan was one year. Although not debt-free, we were moving again. It was happening.  

In February 2015, "Feels Like a Mansion" we had finished all construction and repairs, were moved in and settled. 

As soon as we had hung up the last picture and began to take a breather we were contacted about a little girl, our Brittney. We can see now that if we had stayed in our tiny house another year as we saved up money to pay cash for this new home we wouldn't have been able to take her. Our tiny house could never become handicap accessible. We would have missed out on our sweet and joyful blessing that we have in Brittney!

In June 2015 we brought our sweet girl home!

In February 2016, one year after we moved into our current home we paid off our $20,000 loan! We were now mortgage-free!

DEBT FREEDOM!!!

In May 2016 just three years after we announced our original debt free journey we paid off a couple more small debts and are now proud to announce that we are DEBT FREE!

It certainly took some determination and focus but most of all it took the ability to be in tune with the Holy Spirits promptings and the readiness to trust God wherever He led us. We could have been debt free sooner. We could have chosen to not borrow another dime. But we just may have missed out on two great blessings if we had! 

Now on to the journey of farming, self-sustainablity and starting our own family business...and who knows, maybe another blessing on the way! ;)

Click here to see our business, Redemptive Love Farm, page

Posted by Shannon

Move in Progress. Saying Goodbye to our Tiny House and Hello to Hard Work!

I can't bear to wake up the kids yet, even though it is 10 in the morning. We rolled into bed at 3am after pulling a LONG night of working after waking up early to begin our long to-do list! And yeah, I am totally the mother that at 8pm, which is normally bedtime, I give my kids a pot of coffee and say, "We are pulling an all-nighter!" We are making memories for sure! Praise God for Nanny Diane, who has offered to keep our little ones as long as we need, they are gettign spoiled and loving it!

Our moving plans are becoming a reality. We have lived in our tiny 700sqft for exactly a year. Despite the fact that we have sacrificed a ton of our material items to move in and sacrificed our large, comfortable personal space boundaries we have found great contentment living in these tiny quarters! I truly did find a love for this tiny house, plus having 4 acres in the country has been amazing for this city girl.

 

Click here for the post explaining our move into our tiny house back in January 2014

  

In August God brought us a family interested in becoming debt-free also and possibly wanting to rent our tiny home for a season. God put a stong pull on our hearts to get out to our other property, a 7 acre raw property we paid cash for over a year ago, that was just sitting there and we are paying taxes on. We were tempted to take out a small loan so we could buy a used home and have it moved to our property. After much thought, prayer and wise counsel from others who have gone before us we decided that it was best we weren't unequally yoked to a mortgage company again. As we let go of this new dream of moving we had a brother in Christ offer to loan us money on biblical terms, no interest, 7 year forgiveness, on a handshake, to buy a home to put out there. We felt that although this was a hinderance to our plan to become debt free it would allow us to follow our strong urge to be where we really felt led to go!

  
  

After much shopping and looking at repo/forclosure mobile homes we found OUR house. It was an 1996 Homes of Merit 1904sqft mobile home. It needed new flooring and paint, maybe electrical and plumbing but the bones (as Dave Ramsey says) were BEAUTIFUL! We were able to purchase it for $11,500 and have it moved for $6000, we thought it was a great deal. Of course all big purchases come with "hidden" costs or at least costs that we fail to take into account. Permitting ended up costing almost $2000 and installing a septic system was just under $4000. God has blessed us tremendously by putting charity on the hearts of others. Mr. Rooter donated all plumbing work, a short-term friend offer to do our electrical work for free, and Brian's brother, a contractor from VA, flew in to re-do all our AC duct work, fix walls, repair floors, etc. We even had a sweet friend share our story with Lowe's who in turn let us buy all our supply needs at cost (a 40-60% savings from retail). And God provided any of our other needs through giving friends, thrift stores, free ads on craigslist and even the "trash" on the side of the road! God has been good to us through and through!

So here we are, a week before Christmas, busting our tails to get this house turned into a home and move in! God will work all things out in His timing! We may only have our tree up for two days this year but either way we will celebrate the birth of our Savior, the one who gave Himself up for us and lavishes us with continual, unmerited blessings!

 

 

Before and after pictures, prayerfully coming soon!!!

 

Click here to follow us on Facebook for more frequent updates!

 

 

 

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone

 

It is Not a Good Time

Did you see our cover photo? In May 2013 we let our adoption homestudy expire. We were just about to put our house on the market, any normal person would say this is not a good time to bring another child into our family. We agreed. I cried and grieved knowing that it wouldn't be a "good time" to add a child to our family for a couple years while we were living lower to pursue our debt free calling. Wasn't one calling from God enough? He can't call us to adoption and debt freedom can He? 

 

6 months passed by and God was convicting my heart more and more. When God changed our heart in 2010 to commit to leave our family planning in His hands alone we committed to never pursue birth control again, not due to family size or current circumstances. As God tilled my heart I began to justify myself before Him. One night crying out to Him in the shower I heard, "you are on birth control, you are hindering a blessing in the way I choose to give it, through adoption". Brian and I repented right away and began the process of opening up our home once again.

On Thanksgiving day we chose to announce (via our photo) to the world we were ready for God's blessing regardless of our circumstances, our upcoming move, or our debt free journey. We wouldn't buy into the "it is not a good time" lie that the world sold us again, God's timing is always perfect!
 

Little did we know God was already weaving our new child's story as well. A little boy came up for adoption on Thanksgiving day. We began praying for the perfect home for him in early December, since we wouldn't be homestudy ready for months. God worked miracles, and we were chosen as this child's new family and our homestudy was completed 9 days later. God instantly began providing financially through generous donations and we began this new to us process through private domestic interstate adoption.

We could possibly bring home our new son in as little as 2-3 weeks. If you feel called to care for the orphan through adoption please come along side us and help us bring our son home!

What we need:

• PRAYER 
• FUNDS 
• and most of all a community willing to show him UNFAILING LOVE!

 

Click here if you feel led to donate to our 6th adoption!

 

 

Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone  

So Many Preperations! So Many Distractions!

A whirlwind doesn't even begin to describe the turbulence of our life for the past month! Wind constantly pushing and turning and rushing! (Click here for post explaining our upcoming move) We have had garage sale after garage sale, met with 50+ people for sales from craigslist and facebook, listed and shipped dozens of items on eBay.
 
  
 
Tried to stay consistent on potty-training the twins (Titus and Maggie are both 2 years old).
 
                            

 Cleaned and cleaned and cleaned to keep our home "show clean" for any perspective buyers (which is a triumph in itself with 5 kids and 2 dogs).
 
              

We have been traveling back and forth daily to care for our land-clearing goats and join them by picking up trash and chopping down trees with the added bonus of ticks and poison ivy!
 
  
  

I feel like I skipped July and now August is slipping away! Our goal was finishing clearing enough of a path to park RV on property and moving completely out of the house by Sept. 1st. That gives us 15 days left.....God has put all this above busyness on halt. We are now packing quickly to go visit family in Virginia. Brian's father (grandpa) is in the ICU on life support. We are going to rush up there to spend one last week with him and make his passing as peaceful and joyful as possible. Although this is a very sad time the kids are also excited to see extended family again! They had so much fun meeting their grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins last November for the first time!

Although I am a crazy planner I am at peace with this change in my plans. God has been so gracious to not take grandpa suddenly but to give us a chance to say good-bye. We cannot plan death, it sneaks up on us and halts all our plans without apology. It reels us in from looking at the big picture, the future, the "could be"s and the "what if"s, it slows us down again and lets us marvel at the little things.  The way a nectarine  tastes and smells when you take the first bite. The way our dogs' tails wags when we come home after leaving them. The sparkle in Mirabel's eye as she falls in love and nuzzles her little goat. The way Maggie's tiny hands wrap around my neck ever so tightly when I am pulling her training pants up. The way Risa's long black hair waves and flows at her every carefree leap and twirl. The way Titus's smile beams with the biggest sense of accomplishment after doing something as overlooked as throwing something away for me. The way I hug Anthony and realize for the first time he is almost at eye level and isn't little anymore. The little things that are found in this life alone. The things that can be so easily missed when death seems so far away. Funerals bring that zeal for life, that preciousness back like a slap in the face....

With all our preparations, move, and going ons I jumped on every waking moment to DO something, to pack, to work, to go, to sell, to list, to train....I forgot the "only thing necessary".


Luke 10:38-42
³⁸ Now as they were traveling along, He (Jesus) entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” ⁴¹ But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; ⁴² but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”


Lord I feel so much like Martha, always distracted by preparations! Lord let me learn to be like Mary and just sit at Your feet! For I will never regret marveling at You or Your creation!


Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone

Do you ever slow down!?!

UPDATE TO OUR PLAN TO BE DEBT FREE!
So "Plan Move" is underway and sweeping us off our feet! Click here for our previous blog post. We are moving through our goals quickly:
Sell everything (most everything we have has sold, the little left is listed for sale)
Sell house (we have a contracted buyer for house)
Buy or rent small piece of land (or pay rent at RV park) (we have land!)
Move into RV 
Save up every dime of Brian's income for 2-3 years
Pay CASH for whatever house we want
Pray for a new plan (kids say adopt 20 more kids...hope that isn't God inspired)

In late June we went public about this plan and began operation get debt free, it is early August and all is happening so quickly! We don't even have our house on the market yet, the Realtor just put a sign out front and we have already had 4 showings, which by the way cleaning your house in a way that it looks so enticing that someone else wants to live there is very difficult with 5 kids and 2 dogs. We found out today we officially have a contracted buyer! If God wants our house to sell, sell it He will!

 

It is strange to think of life anywhere but our cozy little 3 bedroom 2 bath home in our perfect little city door to door neighborhood. It was our dream home, it has murals on the walls that remind me of my time spent waiting, waiting on children to come. It was here that we prayed for children, that we cried, that we rejoiced. It was here that the kids first knew what it was like to have a real home, one with running water, electric, food, and a family. This is our first home, but one that came with a heavy price tag and financial strain. Although we will miss our life here we are learning that stuff and walls don't make a home, family does.

We have sorted through stuff and more stuff and more stuff! This is different than most moves as we don't have any space for stuff, we need clothes and schooling materials and only very little of either can fit. We have sorted through our clothes and now each of us only have 14 outfits each plus 4 church outfits, which is still more clothes than we can fit in the RV. The kids have chosen their favorite toys and filled a shoebox full, all the rest had to leave. We have all had our material possession idols torn down as we part with every item that provides memories or comfort.

Even with all our losses we are excited about the future to come! We had decided to look for cheap plots of land to park our RV on while we save money to build or buy a house. We know that the RV park in town is $600/month and we know it would take us at least 2 years to save up enough for a reasonable house. So in looking for land we wanted something that would cost less than what we would pay in rent to an RV park for 24 months. We were looking for an acre maybe two in our price range. God had plans for sure! The very first property we looked at was 7 acres, but out of our price range. We tinkered with the idea, what if we could get that land, what if we could have the farm we always wanted! God was weaving our steps as we day dreamed and not only did this property get negotiated into our price range but it is also being owner financed over the next 6 months. But this is 7 acres with a history, a story, 7 acres that is not pretty and looks like it has just plain given up on life. 7 acres of trash and filth that is screaming for salvation, wishing to be cleansed, wanting to be pure!

  

The yarn God uses to weave our tapestry is always worn out and beat up. To the world it is ugly and tattered, but when He is done and says "See what I have created!?!" the world takes a second glance and can only give glory to Him alone who can make the most stunningly beautiful tapestries from worn and tattered yarn! Our life has been one jumbled mess of tattered yarn, we don't buy pedigree puppies, we don't birth perfect newborn babies and we don't buy gorgeous, pristine property, for if you see any beauty in us you see our Father's amazing talent alone, He is the creator of beauty!

  

I love thrift store shopping! I actually NEVER shop retail, it is too perfect, with it's too perfect high price tag. We frequent every thrift store in town and we are recognized by all the workers and owners. We are always buying used and broken toys and turning them into what they were created to be or better. Often with just a new coat of paint, some elbow grease and love they turn into amazing treasures that the kids love playing with (and often can be turned around for a good profit!). This land we got is like the thrift store of land, but with a little elbow grease and labor of love it will one day be the gorgeous green pasture with scattered pine trees for shade with a swing set and clothes line behind a huge light blue country farm house!

  

Before                                                                       After

The path from here won't be easy. It is raw land. No water, electric, or septic. It looks like the forest and we have enough bug bites and poison ivy to show you that the wildlife there is thriving! It will take time and we are working hard every chance we get, we have cleared about .20 of an acre by hand, just clippers, an ax and a rake (we can't afford to rent machine help!). We even had the brilliant idea of getting some free labor out there so we got goats to chow down on brush so we can clear enough of an area to get our RV parked in there. We have had the blessing of some amazing people jumping in with the task of putting up a fence and even brought us a gate and we look so legit! 

  

At this rate we will be moved in no time! This next step of the journey is so exciting and scary all at once. It is at the same time freeing and overwhelming as we lose our financial weight of a mortgage but gain tons of work as we pretty up our new home!

               


Posted by Shannon
Soli Deo gloria - Glory to God alone