Our House - An Answer to Prayer

[Annette Akerman]

Our House - An Answer to Prayer - This is lengthy, but well worth the read:  If anyone does not believe that God listens to every single thing we say, I dare them to explain this to me, and try to fob it off as coincidence!  God DOES answer prayer.  I put this up here to emphasize the need for prayer for this nation, and the request to all of you, even if you are skeptical at all, to read this and explain to me how you cannot believe what God can do.  Most people only “think” they believe God answers prayer, but they do not often get the true experience of just how thorough He really is.  I firmly believe that if we humble ourselves and pray for this nation "Our House" will be restored to us.  It is NEVER too late.

Our House – An answer to prayer
In October, 1980, we knew would be returning to the United States from our nearly three years in France, and the kids, all six of them, were concerned about where we would live, and finding a house for all 8 of us.  So I suggested to them that we should pray about it and see what God gives us.  They were all very enthusiastic about it, so during lunch when the entire family was together (Lunches in France last for 2 hrs), we would say our blessing for the meal, and then we would pray, each taking a turn to pray for something they were  concerned about with obtaining a new house.
After the prayer, during the meal, the kids talked about what they wanted to receive, and things they had prayed for concerning finding a house.
Here is what they prayed for and/or talked about in general concerning the house we would occupy when we returned to the U.S.
The oldest daughter wanted to have trees that flower lining both sides of the street as we drove up to the house.  She also wanted a basketball hoop in the back yard.
They all said they wanted to live within walking distance of the school.  I had 6 kids who would be attending 3 different schools upon our return (Elementary, Jr. High, and High School).
They wanted to live on a cul-du-sac.  My son wanted to live near water, and he wanted to live next door to the woods!
Daughter #2 wanted a circular driveway.  Somebody else wanted a back patio.  They wanted to have a deck off the kitchen, and daughter #4 wanted to have French double doors opening onto the deck.
They all wanted a dog house as we would be getting our dog back from my grandmother who had kept him while we were away.
They wanted a fenced yard.  The youngest daughter wanted a blackberry bush!  They wanted a built-in kitchen complete with dish washer and a breakfast nook; Wall-to–wall carpeting, and two bathrooms.
They wanted a washing machine so I wouldn’t have to wash clothes in the bath tub as I had to do for 6 mo. when we first arrived in France before our things from the States arrived.   They were concerned there wouldn’t be drapes, so they prayed for that.  The 2 middle girls wanted a living room big enough to do their gymnastics in.  They all wanted a fire place.
They asked for a 5 bedroom house with a family room and storage area.  My husband wanted a shed for workspace, and I wanted a window over the kitchen sink.
My son topped it off by saying he wanted a wood shed beside the house with a hole cut into the living room wall so he could hand wood through it into the living room during winter time.
We arrived in Seattle late in May and were shown one house – the ONLY house on the market as the market was booming and there was next to nothing available that would accommodate all of us.
As we turned down the street to the house, in every yard was a gorgeous lavender-flowering tree in full bloom for the distance of 2 full blocks.  We pulled up in a cul-du-sac to a house with a circular drive that bordered a small patch of woods.  
The house had a 32 X 15 ft living room, with a fire place and adjoining dining room, completely built-in kitchen with a breakfast nook, and a window over the sink – French doors that opened onto the deck that had stairs leading onto the patio where the owners had left both the basketball hoop and the dog house!
There was a 32 ft. shop in the corner of the yard, and a blackberry bush (we were told by the realtor as it was not yet in bloom) along the entire  one side of the fence.  Yes, the entire yard was fenced with a gate at the back of the yard.  The gate was there because it opened onto the elementary school yard, which was across the street from the Jr. High, and the High School was two blocks east of those two schools.
The main and upper levels of the house had wall-to-wall carpeting, (including the kitchen and breakfast nook).  The previous owners had left ALL the custom drapes throughout.  There was a 32 X 15 ft storage area under the living room, and there were 3 bedrooms up and two bedrooms down, along with the family room downstairs.
There was a bathroom upstairs, and downstairs there was a shower and toilet in the laundry area, and the washing machine had also been left.
From our house, we could walk down to Puget Sound, 7 blocks away.
The real kicker was:  There was a woodshed along the side of the house WITH A HOLE IN THE WALL so we could hand wood into the living room in the winter from the shed!
Every single thing the kids mentioned, even in conversation, was included In that house.  And here is the clincher to that: It went on the market in October 1980 and remained empty until May 1981 when we returned and were shown the place.  
There are many more areas where God has answered prayer in my life, but few stand out as distinctly as this one does.  Without a doubt he is a great and awesome God, able to give beyond what you can think or even imagine!!  If people only understood!

[Annette Akerman]

Please remember that He does answer prayer when praying for our nation.  Thanks.

[Kathryn Ball]

What a lovely story.....God blesses us in so many ways......if only we would truely LISTEN and recognise them......

He did for this family.....He does for all of us!

Thank you, Annette, for sharing this.....................................God Bless!!!!!