Five months ago today, our friend, Lisa Faulkner, who had come to stay in our home, celebrated her 58^th birthday. Four months ago today, she changed addresses from our place in Grand Blanc to a heavenly mansion. Clearly, she got an upgrade. Even writing those words, while sitting at my kitchen table, and drinking out of a mug that had been Lisa’s, seems surreal. (Shameless plug: You can read about our journey here). Has four months already passed since Lisa went to heaven?

Karla and I had never invited someone to live with us (and might never do it again). But we’ve always viewed out house as “God’s house.” Our name might be on the deed but we want our house to be used by the Lord (well, technically, the mortgage company owns more of this ol’ house than we do, but you know what I mean). To that end, we have various church parties at our house. Our former home group (that was disbanded when Lisa got really bad) is having a cookout/potluck tonight in our backyard (30-something people); last week it was the last Panama team (12 people); and next week it will be the church board, pastors and their spouses having dinner here (50 people). Our house isn’t our house, it’s the Lord’s. 

Too often, we think of stewardship as money. Jesus gets 10% and we get 90%. But good stewardship involves more than my bank account. Jesus owns everything. My money. My things. My time. My gifts. Everything.

The prophet Micah talks of the windows of heaven being opened when we tithe. He is talking about being blessed when we are faithful. Name-it-claim-it preachers have taken that to mean that bundles of money will be thrown your way if you pass the tithing test. I haven’t seen that happen, but what I have seen is better than money, at least in Lisa’s case.

Here’s the rest of Lisa’s story: Lisa moved in with us in November of 2021, she died four months ago as stated above. Prior to that, Lisa’s brother, Tim, had been to church a handful of times, but not the rest of her family. I had never met them. If you knew Lisa, her prayer was that her family would come to know Jesus. That was it. That was her greatest desire. 

In Lisa’s closing days, we got to know Tim and his wife, Sally. They came to our house (God’s house). We ate meals together. We sang around Lisa’s bed together. We became friends. Lisa and the Lord brought us together and today (praise the Lord!!!) they are in church nearly every Sunday. Lisa’s nephew and other others family members are too. It’s no small drive to come to church (they live in Vassar). But nearly every week, our friend Lisa’s answered prayers comes walking through the church doors. The windows of heaven have been opened. The blessings aren’t bundles of money, it’s Lisa’s family. 

Our house is God’s house. Karla is praying that God sends hail storm to “His” house. it needs a new roof. I don’t think that’s the way it works, but God does bless in exciting ways when He is the owner, and we are the stewards of all that we have. Lisa’s family is the living proof!