Home Ownership Opportunity

Great Wonderful Greetings to All Who Read This Testimony.

First of all, I would like to give thanks to God, my Heavenly Father, who blesses me and my children, Deon and Alexus on a daily basis.

I would also like to thank Cornerstone Assistance Network, especially Mr. Mike Doyle, Mr. Philip Posey, and Miss Taryn Freeze. May God continue to bless each of you abundantly.

Wow! I have had the storms of life rage around me. I have been through a divorce, a foreclosure, and my car has been repossessed. I have been evicted from my apartment, laid off from my job, and without a place of my own, requiring me to live with family and friends. What a humbling experience. Although it was difficult, I have learned to trust and have faith in God constantly, even during the storm!

Four years ago, I was evicted from my apartment and had nowhere to go. Because I did not want my daughter and myself to call a shelter, "home," I started to pray to God for wisdom. I remembered that God's Word says you have not because you ask not (I'm paraphrasing James 4:2-3). So, I started asking. I asked friends, acquaintances, and my home church, E.M.I.C. if they knew of a person or agency that could help me with housing. A pastor at E.M.I.C. gave me a list of agencies to call. I went down the list and received nothing but frustrating news until I called Cornerstone Assistance Network. I knew the person who answered the phone could hear me crying. The lady I was transferred to was very nice and asked me several questions before assuring me that Cornerstone would be able to help. Finally, good news! I just started thanking God and shouting praises to Him!

For two years, Cornerstone Assistance Network was truly a blessing from God in my family's life. Contingent on my full-time employment, Cornerstone provided rental assistance where I paid a percentage of my income each month for an 1100 square foot apartment. During this process, Cornerstone also helped me start a budget.

With new found hope, my daughter and I began to pray in agreement, believing God for a home. We also took steps to make that a reality. We constantly visited model homes, looked through home magazines and even put pictures of homes on our refrigerator to keep the vision before us. It was easy to get discouraged and I often wondered how I would get the money for a down-payment. Surely it would take years! Would there even be a financial institution that would lend to a single mom in the process of eliminating debt? From my human perspective it seemed impossible, so I clung to the promise that with God all things are possible.

In late June 2010, I found a flyer on my door promising mortgage payments about the same as my current rent. I made an appointment with a counselor to discuss purchasing a home. The meeting was overwhelming and I left discouraged, sure I wouldn't be living in one of those homes any time soon. When I got home, I had a little talk with God. I told Him I had decided to cast my cares and concerns about a home for my family at His feet. I thanked God for listening to me and I also thanked Him in advance for the beautiful home I knew He would one day provide for us. After that, I didn't worry about it and focused on living faithfully in the present.

I must testify that God has many ways to give us the desires of our hearts. Ephesians 3:20-21 says, "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask for or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." I just kept believing!

On July 1, 2010 I got an e-mail from Taryn Freeze, Director of Supportive Services for Cornerstone. In the e-mail, she wrote that Cornerstone was looking for a client, current or past, with an interest in home ownership. I immediately expressed my interest and she gave me Mr. Philip Posey's contact information. He set up an appointment for us to view the home about two weeks later. We fell in love with the beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage home sitting on 1/3 of an acre. It was donated to Cornerstone Assistance Network, who is now my lender through Republic Title Company. I closed on the home August 24th with no out of pocket expense and my total monthly payment is under $700 a month. To God be the glory!! With God all things are possible!

Blessings,

Helen Renea Moore