We Live in Cedar Rapids

“Unless the LORD builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.”
Psalm 127:1 NRSV

I said last month that we intended to step out in faith and try to buy a home even though our house in Des Moines has not sold and it would take about 45% of my income to pay for two homes. On June 13, the one-year anniversary of the flood crest, we moved to a home in Cedar Rapids. We moved not knowing whether we would qualify for another mortgage. Originally, it looked like we would be approved. We found out, however, that the debt-to-income ratio for two homes might be too much.

My wife has a friend in Des Moines whose sister lived in Cedar Rapids (right across the street from the schools our kids attend). Her family bought an acreage outside of the city. They were getting ready to move there this summer. We visited them and discovered their home in Cedar Rapids was a great fit for our family. We told them we wanted to buy it, but we did not know if we would qualify for another loan. Furthermore, we needed to move out of our rental home in Ely before we could ever close on the loan if we were approved. Regardless, they offered to move out quickly and invited us to move into their home. Though we offered, they said they would not charge us rent; they did not want to make any money off of us. So with much help, we moved in.

Three days later the bank called and said they could not approve us for the loan. The debt-to-income ratio was too high. The next day, the bank called back and said they reworked the numbers and they would approve us for the loan.

Then our real estate agent in Des Moines called us. She said she thought we would receive an offer on our house in Des Moines in the next couple of days. We are waiting...

Many of us wonder where Salem’s church home will be and when it will be. As a congregation, we too are called to step out in faith. God will provide. It may not be where we think. It may not be when we think. But God will provide. What an adventure!

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