When God Opens Every Door: A Little Life Update

We weren’t looking to move. Truly—we weren’t even casually scrolling Zillow or daydreaming about a new space. But the Lord has a way of surprising us, doesn’t He? What began as a passing conversation became a series of open doors we never could have orchestrated ourselves. And so, here we are, settling into a new home that we never planned to find, but that God so clearly had in store for our family.

The entire process was marked by His provision in the most tangible and tender ways. The night before our photographer was scheduled to take listing photos of our old home, a family came to tour it. They walked through, asked a few questions, and by the next morning, they’d made a full-price offer. No showings. No endless tidying. No stressful days of keeping a house “show ready” with little ones underfoot. Just peace and a clear answer.

On the buying side, it was equally surprising. In a real estate market where houses fly off the shelves in a matter of days (sometimes hours!), we had time—weeks, actually—to pray, to ponder, and to discern what the Lord was inviting us into. The house we purchased was priced above what we were willing to spend, but the sellers accepted our lower-than-market offer (a number we really prayed over). Over and over again, the Lord confirmed: this is it. And He did it in the sweetest ways. I’ll never forget walking into the kitchen on our very first tour and spotting a book on the shelf—my favorite childhood book (Blueberries For Sal). It felt like a wink from heaven. A detail that didn’t matter to anyone else but me—and yet God saw and delighted in letting me see it, too.

For now, I’m not sharing pictures of our home online. Not because I don’t love it (I do!) and not because I don’t want to invite others into our space. But there’s something deeply sweet about the quiet joy of settling in without broadcasting it. Local friends know. Neighbors wave from their driveways. We’re getting to know the community around us slowly and sweetly—and I’m treasuring that privacy more than I expected.

That said, I am pouring myself into designing and reimagining every room. As lovely as this home is—and truly, it is LOVELY—we’re making it our own. Little by little, space by space, I’m dreaming up ways to reflect our family’s style and story in each room.

One of my favorite new tools for this season has been a Canva trick I stumbled into. First, I create a Pinterest board full of inspiration—rooms, color palettes, furniture ideas, lighting, all the things.

Dining Room Mood Board

Living Room Mood Board

Then I move over to Canva where I upload the actual pieces we already have (our furniture, our rugs, etc.). From there, I can “mock up” the room by adding in pieces I’m considering, testing paint colors, and rearranging layouts until it feels just right. And yes, the whole mock-up is currently covered in a horrible bright orange—it’s my “default color” that marks all the spots I still need to finalize. Terrible to look at, but so helpful for visualizing what’s next!

Whole House Canva Mockup

This helps me see the whole house color pallet in a way I otherwise wouldn’t be able to!

Living Room Mockup

Dining Room Mockup

I’ll share more when the time is right, but for now, I’m so grateful. Grateful for the Lord’s kindness in leading us here, for the joy of making a house into a home, and for the quiet gift of seeing His fingerprints on every step of this unexpected journey.

Here’s to fresh paint, deep peace, and the sweet surprises of God’s providence.