Testimonies

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Leaving London
© Steph Cottam, 2010

In the ‘tail-end’ of recession, when many are choosing to stay safely where they are, instead of taking a risk; what happens when God challenges His to move against the flood of worldly-wisdom and follow the course His has set for our lives?

After living in London for ten years, travelling the underground regularly, and coming to a stand-still hour-upon-hour in the rush hour traffic, I reached the literal end-of-the-line. I left the bright lights of the City for the calmer country-life with my new husband on the 1st October!

As you know, our current financial climate is not really on the side of first-time buyers... most people need a small mortgage in order to satisfy the stringent mortgage lenders regulations of having a substantial deposit, before a mortgage is released; as a wedding gift, we received a generous amount of money which provided us with a great deposit - this also made US hot property, even as first time buyers! So our hunt could begin; in London, we’d only have been able to buy a one-bed flat so, as neither of us felt tied to London, the world was our oyster.

Through the wonder of the internet, we found a few properties to look at and arranged viewing appointments. Although we were excited at starting the process, neither of us thought for one moment we’d find our home straight-away.

The third house we saw, we fell in love with, feeling as though we were home; both Mark and I knew this is where we wanted to move to. Ten minutes down the road is my brother, and half-an-hour up the M1 we’d be at Mark’s son or family’s houses! Twenty minutes in any direction, we have access to three major Cities – so many shopping opportunities!!

One concern we had as newly-wed’s from a one-bed flat: How on earth could we possible furnish the three-bedroom house we’d fallen in love with?
As we spent time with the seller Heather, she told us she was moving in with her fiancé, so would be leaving ALL the furniture in the three-bed house, including the conservatory and garden patio seating. What really sealed it for us is the fact the furniture is not old stuff no one would want, but were items we’d longingly looked at when day-dreaming about our home.

Six weeks later... YES... JUST 6 WEEKS… we were ready to book a date for moving... choosing the first day of the following month… In the current climate - we knew God had His hand on this step we were taking.

I've heard it said how God is “God of the suddenly”... how He can quicken a process which, by the world's reckoning should take months or years. We definitely experienced this from our loving Father. He desires, so much, to give the best to His children!

Throughout the two month process, I was also reminded time-and-time again of when God told His people, just as they were about to be led out of Egypt, to ask their neighbours to give them their gold and silver... items which rightfully belonged to the Israelites. We both recognise we’d never have been able to furnish a three-bedroom home for a very-long- time without this aspect of the Lord's intervention and provision!!

So be encouraged - when the world says, "It's not possible" God says, "Trust Me and watch what I can do - ask Me for anything - go on, ask Me for the moon!”

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