Spring is a time of new beginnings. It seems everywhere I look lately I see a new “For Sale” sign. Land and houses that I have passed hundreds of times are now available to the highest bidder. People moving on. People making changes.

We are currently making changes at our house too. We have been remodeling since the middle of January. Boy, I am ready to get back to normal. I have almost forgotten what that is—cooking in a kitchen, sitting on a couch and watching TV, not having workmen in our house all the time.

During these days, I have been reminded of when we first bought our house, nearly 24 years ago. Countless times we had cut through Dacusville down Hunts Bridge Road on our way to my in-laws house in Travelers Rest. One Sunday afternoon on our way back home we decided to turn left onto Hunts Bridge Road rather than right as we had every time before.

We soon passed a house that we loved with a big “For Sale” sign in the front yard. Scott and I had been married for a couple of years at that time, and had been looking for a new home for several months. We quickly turned around to get the phone number off the sign. As we approached the yard, we saw a friendly man standing outside, and he was waving for us to drive on up the driveway.

Mr. Friddle gave us a huge welcome and told us to get out of the car, and he would show us around. He spent about an hour and a half with us giving us a wonderful tour of the house, the yard, the buildings and the creek in the woods at the back of the property. We were in love. We knew it was our home.

We hit it off instantly with Mr. Friddle and his sweet wife. As we got ready to leave, we found out that they had been expecting another couple at that same time to come see the house. The Friddles thought we were that couple. Somehow, the other couple didn’t show up but we had. Some may say it was a coincidence, but we knew it was a God appointment. We put in an offer the next couple of days.

I remember Mr. Friddle told us during that first visit that it would be a wonderful place to raise children. And that is just what we did. Around the same time one year after we bought the house, we brought our first son Taylor home from the hospital. Then 6 years after that we brought Bradley home from Ukraine as a toddler. Both to grow up in this house. The Friddles were downsizing as they were retired, and we were just beginning.  God had a plan. He brought us home.

Since that time, God has called Mr. and Mrs. Friddle to their new home in beautiful Heaven, where it was waiting just around the bend for them. This couple was such a blessing to us and so many others.

God has an incredible plan for each of us. Sometimes He is doing a new thing in our lives. Sometimes something better is waiting just around the next bend if we can just hang on a little bit longer. Maybe He will lead us to it by taking us off our well-beaten path, or maybe it was right in front of us all along. Live your life always expecting something wonderful will happen. God’s plans are always the best.

We have to be open to follow His lead. I am thankful that He led us to 380 Hunts Bridge Road that beautiful Sunday afternoon 24 years ago. The rest is history and our home full of giggles and tears, joy and pain, and memories  is a blessing that could only come from Him.

Dear Lord: Thank You for loving us the way that You do. You are a Good Father, a faithful God. Thank you for saving us and being the God of our every season and guiding us to your best plans for our lives. I am so glad that Your eye is on the sparrow, and I know that You’re watching me. I love You. Amen

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Psalm 3:5-6

All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord… Romans 8:28

Do you have stories of how God has guided you in your life? We would love it if you would share your comments, experiences and thoughts with us.

Thank you for reading and sharing my blogpost. May God bless you and your family as He guides you to His good and perfect will for your lives, waiting just around the bend.