When God called us to Paisley, we were both keen to move into Paisley so we could be in the community.
So we began the journey of looking for a house (whilst in the middle of planning our wedding) and we were facing challenges. The market was just a bit too wild, offers £35K over the home report was just a bit too crazy for us.
We were specific, we wanted a house (not an apartment), a house that didn’t need a lot of work due to DIY commitments we had at Re:Hope Paisley, close to the church building, and a garden big enough for doggies (in the future). We saw a place and we really liked it, put an offer in at the closing date and found out that it was one of those crazy offers that won.
For anyone who has bought a house before, the excitement of looking, viewing and bidding tends to wear thin pretty quickly, for us it was after the third viewing. After weeks of looking, I mentioned to Claudia, I think we should take a break. We were looking and looking and getting nowhere, this wasn’t helping us as we were struggling to see God’s provision. “But God has called us here!”
So we began our one week break, we decided not to arrange any viewings. However, on day two I had a little look and saw a house that had been on the market for over 10 days.
Again, during this time, houses were on and off the market within 7 days, so this caught my attention. I spoke to God about this and He told me, go and see it… But I had said to Claudia we should take a break! I got over myself and really felt God say “Go and see it…” So I humbled myself and said to Claudia “I know I said we shouldn’t, but God…”
So we managed to arrange a viewing really quickly and when we saw the area and the house, it ticked every one of our boxes. We asked why the house is still on the market, and it turned out they messed up the dates of when to put the house on the market, and so for the first week they couldn’t arrange any viewings.
We asked some further questions and had a further look, then Claudia mentioned that she feels God is telling her to pray for the couple. Turns out they were recently married and were trying for children. So Claudia asked to pray for them and they were slightly bemused but open to the idea, so we prayed that she would fall pregnant and God would bless their family and home.
Shortly after the viewing, we submitted our offer and it was nowhere near the market hysteria. Two days later, our offer was accepted! God ticked every one of our boxes and to add to the blessing, we have family living in the same neighbourhood!
And yes, some months later, the lady we prayed for fell pregnant.
Buchan and Claudia Lennon
Re:Hope Paisley
Is there a very real practical reality making your prayer request feel unlikely or out of reach? Pray with high faith today in God’s ability and His timing: God you can make a way!