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

Best of Facebook: July 2015

7/4/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

Happy Independence Day! We fought to be independent from other nations so we could live openly dependent on God. We fought for our freedom to live so we could live as slaves of Christ!

7/8/15:  Click here to see photo on FB:

Waiting for our discharge to take this pretty girl home from the hospital today! 30 days ago our path was shaken up and what we thought would be a joyful time bringing our new daughter home turned into sorrow when she was admitted into the hospital. We decided that we would stay firmly committed to loving her even though the future path seemed unclear and hazy. God taught us a deeper understanding of what "walking by faith and not sight" means and what love really looks like! Love is for better or for worse. Love is for richer or poorer. Love is in sickness and in health. Love doesn't see color, age, behavior or ability, it doesn't set up conditions. Love never fails!

7/8/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

In the car and headed home!

7/10/15: Click here to see post on FB:

First thing this morning as I was leaning over a sleeping Brittney pumping her meds into her G-tube and when her sleepy eyes opened I said, "Good morning, Brittney!" She stretched and her mouth curved into a big smile, "Your back!" I smiled because everytime I left her hospital room for coffee or food and returned I would announce, "I'm back, I am not leaving you Brittney."

"Yes silly, of course I'm back, you live with us now, we are your family," I quietly reassured her. She smiled big, "Good morning!" But then the smile disappeared, "you have to go, mommy?" Mirabel popped up in her bed, "She just called you mommy!" What a piece of heavenly grace to start off the morning with. I am a mommy once again! :)

7/11/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

Love sees NOT the different sizes, shapes or colors of our spots; LOVE sees our hearts! ‪#‎CowAppreciationDay‬ Get your spots on Tuesday, July 14th, 2015!

7/12/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

2 days left to get all spotted up! On Tuesday, July 14th if you go into any Chick-fil-A dressed as a cow head to toe you get a FREE meal, if you wear a cow print item of clothing or accessory you get a FREE entree!

7/13/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

1 day left until #CowAppreciationDay Just a little late night humor!

7/14/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

‪#‎CowAppreciationDay‬

7/14/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

Life is a classroom! This year we incorporated #CowAppreciationDay into our homeschool. Each child picked out a cow breed to study up on. They designed and sewed a costume that best pictured that breed, then on their sign they listed 2-5 fun facts about their cow breed! This is the result:

7/14/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

#CowAppreciationDay Life is a classroom! Did you know if you bake PVC pipe in your oven at 350F for ~2 minutes you can bend it into any shape you desire? Then let it cool and it hardens again!

7/18/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

I selfishly cried, "God this won't cute baby diapers for a season this will be big, messy diapers forever." They said they didn't think she could be potty-trained, they had tried in the past and we shouldn't get our hopes up. I should have not doubted the goodness of God. When He gave Britt and I a long month of one on one time together in the hospital we tried over and over using the potty. There were days that gave me hope and days that I thought we would never get there. Potty-training is one of my great weaknesses, I really truly loathe it after just potty-training my twins. But we kept going believing that the "impossible" was possible. I am so excited to tell you that we have kept a dry pull-up on our own ALL week! We are such a big girl going potty and quite proud our our self!

7/21/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

My hubby turned to me last night before we drifted off to sleep, "Babe, did you get a date night set up for us this week?" I smiled, "yes, sweetheart on Wednesday again." I felt his relief as he turned back over and fell asleep.

Weekly date nights are SO important for couples especially parents of lots of kids. Even if it is only for an hour or two, even if it is just sending the kids to bed early so you can catch up on all the events, emotions and dilemmas of this week, even if it is just a trip to the grocery store together. Find time...MAKE time to love being with your spouse.

The kids joke, any time they ask who my favorite is I always say, "daddy is." He is who I chose to love first and he is who I will always love more than my kids and I love these kids a TON! Our kids know more security and safety from seeing mom and dad so in love, sneaking kisses, dancing in the kitchen, sharing inside jokes, tickling, giggling, and still dating each other like young teens than they would if we spent every waking moment with them.

So go ahead ask your spouse out on a date! What God put together let no man separate!

7/26/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

Happy 9th birthday Risa and 4th birthday Maggie! My girls who couldn't be more different share one very special day. Risa is my miniture girl that can charm any animal, is still as adorable as when she was 4 and first arrived at our doorstep, has more energy than all our kids combined and loves to laugh! Maggie is my little spit-fire full of sass, always looking for activity even if it is mischief, can't say no to a good snack, keeps us laughing with her witty little commentary on our life and has the sweetest smile that makes us fall even more in love with her than the day she was handed into my arms at just 6 weeks old!

7/28/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

I was talking to a newlywed recently about her fears of starting a family how she wanted to but had such a fear of the unknown and uncontrollable. I shared how I wanted zero children and we prevented for years then described the whirlwind of parenting that God threw us into and how hard that first couple of years adjusting was. I let my words tell her all the real and raw of our parenting journey. I didn't sugar coat it or give it a rosy tint.

God pierced my heart. I forgot to point out the scarlet thread that holds all the real, raw and hard together. I should have said, "What I said was all true but I really want to encourage you to give your fears and control of that area of your life to God. I am so thankful we did. If we hadn't we wouldn't be where we are today. We wouldn't have seen the amazing grace that God promises lavished so overwhelmingly in our lives if we didn't trust Him past what we felt we could handle. We wouldn't have seen the powerful strength that God promises to give us if we hadn't come crashing at the end of our own. We wouldn't have felt the warm comfort of a seeing a little life changed before our eyes if we hadn't stepped out in to the uncomfortable. We wouldn't have felt the joy unspeakable when our little girl who spent her whole life without a family breaks out into uncontrollable and contagious laughter if we hadn't been willing to share in her sorrow. We wouldn't have seen Jesus if we hadn't been willing to care for Him through caring for the least of these."

Step out and trust God even when you are afraid and unsure of the outcome. He promises to work all together for good to those who love Him (Rom. 8:28). The love and joy we get from caring for Brittney outweighs all my initial fears of taking on a child with as many needs and medical diagnoses that she has.

7/31/15: Click here to see photo on FB:

After a two hour doctor's appointment I came back out to the waiting room where I had left my seven kids. A crowd of women stared in awe and the receptionist called me over, "We watched your kids sit still, quietly read and nap for two hours while you were in your appointment! How on earth do you do it!?! I have two that drive me crazy! What is so different about you that you can be so young and have seven children sit perfectly in a doctor's office? Can I send my kids to you!?!"

I smiled, "We seek to honor and glorify God with all we do, even sitting in a boring waiting room."

The woman jumped up and with a shout of acclimation, "I knew you was a God fearing, church going woman! I could see Jesus all over you when you walked in!"

The goal isn't that our kids simply behave in public, the goal is that they are a light to a dark world and to be the blessings that they are to the public around them who is convinced they should be limited due to their burdensome nature.

Posted by Shannon