Thank you to those who have been covering us in prayer as we seek the Lord on this matter. We are so appreciative of our friends and family who pray in earnest for us.
Language barriers can be challenging, but with a lot of patience and time, they can be worked through. There have been paperwork delays and a little stalemate from the otherside too. Maybe a little cultural/generational issue too? We have communicated that we will be respectful once we are in charge.
It looks like this is a go. We began the process to acquire it this week. It should be done in a week and a half, but with the other issues...it could very well be three, maybe four weeks. I am eager to get to work, but I've resolved myself to take care of everything I can with our home, homeschool, farm, The Asbell Project, the blog, and the group while we wait.
We have sought the Lord earnestly. We have done hours of analysis on paper looking at it from every angle we can imagine. We have sought knowledge and wisdom from experts. We've solicited our close family and friends for feedback. It looks very, very doable. It will take time and hard work though.
Just as we were not looking when God dropped something in our laps last year, we were not looking for this. We had hoped to expand upon the 2018 opportunity, but we figured if it happened it would happen in 4-5 years. It looks like God has other plans.
The story has some similarities to the 2018 blessing:
I missed a major detail of this opportunity the first time I saw it. I also got another detail wrong.
The second time I saw the component I missed and the one I mistook, and realized the potential, but I was informed it was no longer available. I was so angry with myself for missing out on it because it looked like such a very good thing. I asked God to make it known to me if it became available again if it was an opportunity meant for us and to help me be content. Then, I reminded myself that God closes doors to protect us, and I should be just as thankful for that as I would be a door He opened.
The third time, Clint made a request of me. It was a blistering hot day. I did not want to do what he asked because it meant even more time in the heat with sweat running down my back after a long day of heat and sweat. Dear Reader, I wanted that air conditioning blowing on my flesh more than I wanted to honor my husband in my spirit. I figured I'd grit my teeth to the heat and indulge my husband because it was the right thing to do.
Right when I agreed to his request, I mean almost immediately, (less a minute or two!) God put the opportunity in front of me a third time! It literally showed up right in front of me! I showed it to Clint. He dropped his plans, and we started exploring it. Clint saw the same two opportunities as I did, and, together, we discovered a possible third.
Like Abraham's Sarah, who laughed and did not take to heart the prophecy spoken to her, I would have laughed if anyone suggested we'd be here today. I'm not speaking of worldly wealth. We aren't wealthy and life is still full of work, but it is getting easier. What I am referring to is our lives are full and rich in many ways I could not have envisioned. While I was very happy and content before, I would have scoffed at anyone who suggested this huge shift in life was possible. I hope that the gratitude for it, the wonderment of it, and the joy in it never wears off in my heart. I hope to be a faithful steward and use this opportunity to bless others many times in many ways.
*I value honesty and like to be up front. I tend to be a very direct person. However, I also have to use discretion for a specific reason. We call it a business opportunity because it will provide two, and quite possibly three more, avenues of revenue for our family. We will not need a business license though. There are some reasons I can not share more here. If you want to know more, ask me, and, I will very likely tell you.
