We sat there in stunned silence, our minds racing. In my head, I could hear my dad’s Newyorican accent warning me: “There’s no such thing as a free lunch!”
Then another voice, soft and southern, pulled me back to reality: “So, here’s what I’m saying—we do one house a year like this. If you’re willing to put in the work, this year, we’re choosing you.”
We were in utter shock. Our secret prayers were being answered in ways far beyond anything we could have imagined.
Alright, let’s back up a bit. After we walked through the fixer-upper—the so-called "deal of the century"—someone asked us, “Have you considered building?”
Uhhh, no! It was laughable. We didn’t believe we could possibly qualify to build a house. We shared our story—the mistakes we’d made and how we were trying to walk in financial peace.
“Okay, but are you open to having a conversation about it? If so, let’s chat.”
Noah and I figured, Why not? Chatting can’t hurt, right? At the very least, we thought, we’d get some expert housing advice.
As we drove to the meeting, we were honestly perplexed. What could he possibly have to say? We felt a little embarrassed, convinced we’d have to apologize for wasting his time and politely explain that building a house was way out of reach for us.
But when we left the meeting, our minds were blown. And our hearts? Cautious, to be honest. It all sounded too good to be true.
What if we couldn’t meet our end of the bargain and everything fell apart? What if… we misunderstood?
This was God’s doing, and only God could have made a way for us like this.
Here was the deal: we were asked for our honest budget, and then walked through a lengthy list of ways to cut costs. (Remember, Noah and I fancy ourselves the Chip and Jo of the OBX! Haha!) The process involved hard work, using secondhand materials wherever possible, and calling in every favor and bro-deal we’d ever been promised.
In addition, we’d share in general contracting duties. Our contractor would step in to bail us out when our knowledge or abilities ran out. If we did everything right, we could build our “Secret Dream Home” for the same budget as buying a fixer-upper! Say whaaat?!
Why? How? One word: grace. Unmerited favor. That’s the very definition of grace.
I had no idea that our journey of painful and scary obedience would lead to this. But here we were—excited, terrified, nervous, and grateful to the point of utter humiliation. Not the negative kind of humiliation, but a raw, overwhelming awareness of how undeserving we were. This was God’s doing, and only God could have made a way for us like this. We committed to holding this opportunity with the utmost respect.
And so, we got to work.
First, we had to find a house plan that suited our needs and budget. Then came planning every detail from the ground up. Our contractor handled the technical work—framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC—but everything else was on us: walls, lights, plumbing fixtures, flooring, trim, cabinets, appliances, and all the finishing touches.
We spent every free moment planning, ordering, installing, and working on the house—all while still juggling two jobs each and raising our kids! It was exhausting but exhilarating—a personal dream come to life for me. Noah? Not quite as thrilled with the workload, but we both knew it would be worth it in the end.
To top it off, a brutal heat wave hit that summer. With no electricity yet, we worked in 115-degree heat indexes, sweating buckets and battling millions of bugs drawn to our late-night worksite lights.
Our contractors were incredible, ready to step in wherever we needed help—and we needed them!
Sometimes, a blessing comes in the form of an opportunity to work really hard for a great reward.
Our builder sent every opportunity our way to cut costs, and we took full advantage. From tearing out cedar tongue-and-groove planks from a house slated for demolition to uninstalling cabinets from a home undergoing a kitchen renovation, we reclaimed, reused, and built from scratch whenever possible.
We learned to do things we’d never done before. Great friends blessed us with bro-deals, donated time, and lent their expertise. We discovered so much that year—including our limits in home construction. For example: drywall. After spending two weeks drywalling only half the house, we called in the pros. They finished the rest—and touched up our work—in just three days. Worth every penny!
Why am I sharing all this?
Not to boast, but to boast in the Lord and His kindness! And to make this clear: what may look like it came easy in someone’s life—especially on Instagram—always costs more than you think, whether in effort, sacrifice, or growth.
Sometimes, a blessing comes in the form of an opportunity to work really hard for a great reward.
Had we chosen to cling to our first home, we might still be there—but likely in foreclosure. We would still be drowning in debt, with our marriage under immense stress. Even worse, we’d live with the heavy knowledge that we had been too afraid to follow Jesus. That what if would haunt us: lying in bed at night, crushed by the weight of regret, wondering what might have been, with our peace stolen away.
I lived with that feeling for years, and I’m so sorry for those of you who live day in and day out with that lump in your throat—hanging on by a thread.
Let me tell you, there is freedom. But it takes faith, courage, obedience, and perseverance.
"don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You are mine. When you are in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you are in rough waters, you will not go down. When your are between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end-- because I am God, your personal God, The holy one of Israel, your Savior..."
Isaiah 43:1-3 MSG (paraphrased)
I am so thankful we said “yes” to the hard stuff! Even if we had never owned another house, the peace that followed our decision to get debt-free—no matter what—was reason enough. And let me tell you: you can do this too! You will never regret choosing freedom.
The story that followed? I couldn’t have predicted it, but WOW! We’ve had the privilege of a front-row seat, watching miracle after miracle unfold.
Here’s the thing: if we can do it ourselves, then we don’t need a miracle, do we? Beware—self-reliance is a trap and a lie. Take the challenge. Step out of your comfort zone. Lean not on your own understanding; instead, lean into Jesus. Then watch Him work on your behalf!
This journey has been about stewardship, obedience, and trust. Money and houses just happened to be the medium God used to teach us to trust Him. And trust me, we’ve learned so much!
The greatest lesson? God is faithful.
Now, I haven’t even gotten to some of the really incredible things that happened along the way. Let’s call them... frosting. Little extras. Things that were hidden in my heart—things God didn’t have to do but did anyway. He loves us so much that He lavishes His love on us in ways we don’t expect.
For example:
We loved our first home, and I prayed that whoever bought it would love it just as much as we did. The family who bought it? They are so sweet and absolutely LOVE the home—maybe even more than we ever did. It’s such a joy to watch them make it their own, customizing it for their family.
How am I watching this, you ask? Because God, in His kindness, allowed us to buy land just two doors down from our old house!
This is huge because we also loved our neighborhood, and our kids desperately wanted to stay nearby. Well, here we are—close enough to make them (and us!) so happy.
It’s not weird at all. In fact, it feels like our first house was always meant to be theirs. We were simply stewarding it for them until the right time.
Throughout the construction and design process, I had a vision for certain details. I sketched interior designs for the entire house, even though I had almost zero budget for design. One specific element I envisioned was shiplap in the entryway and kitchen/dining room.
To make it happen, we spent two grueling days ripping cedar boards out of a home slated for deconstruction, not knowing how far the reclaimed wood would stretch. When we finally finished the project, there was exactly one board left—just enough to complete the design.
It was a fishes and loaves moment.
And that’s just one example—I could tell you a dozen stories like this!
I’m a lover of vintage and retro design. All throughout my home, I chose elements that reminded me of my grandparents’ house, my childhood, and my heritage. I joked that I was resurrecting my grandparents through my home design.
Interestingly, I didn’t even choose the final house plans. I gave our builder my top three choices, and he selected the one that would be the most economical to build.
When my mom came to see our house for the first time, she gasped, “What?!”
Naturally, I panicked and asked, “What’s wrong?”
She replied, “Corissa, your house looks just like the house I grew up in—just reversed!”
I hadn’t even noticed it before, but she was right. Our home’s exterior design was almost identical to my grandparents’ farmhouse.
I love that so much. It’s the kind of extra touch that feels like God’s frosting on the cake.
I want to be clear about what all of this has been about: faith. Acting on your faith through obedience to God’s Word.
It’s about freedom—freedom from being enslaved to debt and fear. Freedom that brings peace—financially and physically. Owning things, not letting things own you.
It’s about blessing—not just monetary blessings, but a heritage. Blessings that extend into your future, your children’s future, and your grandchildren’s future. Your obedience and faithfulness become a blessing to those who come after you.
It’s about trusting the Lord with all your heart.
It’s about humility—owning your mistakes so you can move forward, knowing that His thoughts are higher than your thoughts.
It’s about patience—waiting for God’s plan, not just a good plan.
And it’s about love—receiving the perfect love of the Father. He is for you, not against you.
It’s about hope: “God will make a way where there seems to be no way” (Isaiah 43:16, paraphrased).
Our journey to financial freedom isn’t over. We still budget, tithe, give, plan, and make intentional choices every month. Right now, we’re working hard to pay off a small business loan we took out with a one-year interest-free term. It’s not credit card debt from irresponsibility, but we’re determined to pay it off by the end of summer because we never want to carry debt longer than necessary.
I pray that you, too, follow a path to freedom and experience the peace that comes with it. Fight the good fight. Don’t give up. Don’t settle for complacency.
Start today. Start right now.
Here are two trustworthy links to start your journey to financial freedom and peace.
www.daveramsey.com
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