We’ve been here for a week and a half and I’m finally ready to give you a tour!

Last week I shared our God story behind the house. I hope you’ll have a read because it shows where our hearts are and how we would like to use this blessing.

The definition of a blessing has many layers, most of which I don’t understand yet, but two layers have recently been taught to me that turned what I thought was a blessing on its head. Stay with me here, because this will change the way you use #blessed on those social media posts, haha!

1. A blessing is something that brings you closer to God.

Does this blow your mind like it does mine? For me, it completely changes what I view as a blessing. In these terms for my own life, Hurricane Irma was a blessing. Infertility was a blessing. Waiting years in separate countries before Marcello and I could be married was a blessing. Financial hardships were a blessing. Difficult relationships and even losing loved ones were a blessing. Why? Because they all drew me near to God, dropped me to my knees in prayer, forced me to depend on Him when I wouldn’t have otherwise. These are the places of tremendous spiritual growth and maturity.

2. A blessing is not meant to stop with you; it is meant to pour through you onto others.

This concept adds another layer onto the definition. What have you been blessed with? It could be money, it could be spiritual wisdom, it could be a skill. How are you using that to bless others?

We can’t hoard all our blessings and keep them for ourselves. God has chosen for us to live in community and often tends to work in our lives through each other. When you freely give what has been given to you it will bring infinitely more happiness than keeping it all for yourself!

Marcello and I believe that God blessed us with this house so that we may bless others with it. My prayer (and I’d love it if you could say one for us too!) is that we would not loose sight of His vision and provide a Christ-centered, peaceful respite for weary souls. This house is His, not ours, and we want to remain open to however He wants us to use it.

I’m done chattering, I promise. Here is the tour!

A few friends of mine commented that they were surprised things are coming together so fast, but I told them that we just moved all the extra into the garage! To be fair, I should have showed that mess, but I didn’t think of it when I was videoing.

Feel free to ask me questions or tell me what you want me to blog more about.