Settled at Last

Aug 18, 2019 | by Nancy Newbrough

In August 2017, our home flooded from Hurricane Harvey. The contractor we contacted told us it would take six to nine months for the remodeling and repairing to be completed, so we secured a rental to live in.

After a few months of taking time to decide what we wanted to do -- move back, rent, sell, etc. -- we decided to move back. Work began on rebuilding in December 2017.

Two months later (February 2018), our contractor mentioned that there were four families he was trying to get back into their homes because their leases for temporary housing were ending that month. Since we had signed a 12-month-lease on our rental, we told him he could stop working on our home in order to get those families into their homes. He stated it should not affect our move-in date of mid-July.

In June I lost my job of almost 25 years. This came as quite a shock, but I realized that God thought it best for me to spend the summer with my kids and to help supervise the rebuild. My son was getting ready to head off to college in August, so this helped with time to get him prepared as well.

In July (the month scheduled for moving back home), we started having communication problems with our contractor, and he threatened to stop working unless a bill we had issues with was paid. In order to avoid delays, we paid the bill!

Other problems starting coming up, but sub-contractors were limited so we were pushing through to get back into our home. The July deadline was not met! It got moved to August, and then September! At that point, we told him move-in by the end of October was absolutely necessary as we had already extended our lease!

Quite frankly, we were more than ready to get back in our house! We had been “camping out” in a rental house. Our meals were eaten on folding chairs which also served as our “sofa” for watching TV. Our children had bedroom furniture, but my husband and I had been making do by sleeping on a mattress. Never in our worst nightmare did we dream that it would be 14 months before returning to live in our home!

When it was just a couple of weeks before our scheduled move-in, there were still a lot that needed to be done! Though frustrated beyond words, I just kept pushing through with the contractor so we could get back into our home!

At that point we requested details on a questionable bill, plus an estimate for the work that was remaining. When our contractor received this, he pulled his guys out of our house and walked off the job! His reason was that he wanted a check for the unresolved bill!

We were able to get another contractor to finish the job, thank goodness! But there were a number of issues with the work that had already been done on the house, so we got lawyers involved. After a number of months, mediation was scheduled. It recently took place on Friday, August 2, 2019.

My anxiety was great, so I turned to the Prayer Team for support and submitted a prayer request for the Lord’s help! Just the thought of mediation was alarming and I truly thought we would not be able to settle and therefore end up going to court!
When the day for mediation came, I was aware of my anxiety, but it was under control -- which quite frankly surprised me! After four hours, we reached a settlement and will not be going to trial! My gratitude to God is overflowing!

My husband and I can now put this trauma behind us and finish the rebuilding of our house as there are still several things that need to be redone!

I truly believe that everything happens for a reason in God’s providence. Although the last two years have been trying, I am thankful to God for the time He gave me to spend with my kids last summer and to help oversee the rebuilding of our home! He has answered my prayers and kept my anxiety under control even as He provided a settlement at our mediation!

S. L.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6