A Home Prepared by God: Twenty-Four Years of Waiting on His Perfect Timing.
There are moments in life when we wonder why God asks us to wait. We pray, we trust, and we continue serving Him, yet the answers seem delayed. Looking back over our lives, we now understand that God was never delaying His promise—He was preparing the perfect time to fulfill it.
In 1988, Johan purchased a home in Nylstroom. After relocating to Nelspruit in 1997, he rented out the property. When we married in 1999, the house was standing empty, and we decided to sell it, believing we would soon purchase another home together. It seemed like the logical next step, but the Lord had another plan.
Early in 2000, while seeking God’s direction, we believed He clearly instructed us not to buy a house but to rent one instead. It was not the answer we expected, yet we chose obedience over certainty. That decision shaped the next twenty-four years of our lives.
After Johan left his railway career to enter full-time missionary ministry in 2000, Esther resigned as a town planner in 2003 to join him after completing missionary training. From then on, our lives were devoted to serving wherever God called us. We ministered throughout South Africa and internationally, preaching the Gospel, training believers, planting ministries, and sharing Christ’s love with people from many different backgrounds.
Throughout those years we lived in rented homes in several cities. At times we questioned whether we would ever own a home again. Yet every move reminded us that our security was never found in a building but in God’s faithful care. He provided every place we needed, every open door for ministry, and every provision for our family.
Then, quietly and unexpectedly, God began arranging what only He could accomplish.
Following the passing of Esther’s mother in 2021, part of her estate was placed in a trust. The following year, the trustees agreed to release the funds on one condition—that Esther purchase a home. The trust contained R400,000, an amount that would become the foundation of God’s remarkable provision.
At the same time, we sensed that our season in Somerset West had come to an end. As we prayed, the Lord directed us to the Free State. We searched many towns and viewed numerous properties, but nothing seemed right. Several opportunities fell through, and disappointment often tempted us to lose hope.
Then we discovered a house in Winburg.
Although it was advertised for R550,000—well beyond our budget—we felt prompted to make an offer of R360,000. Humanly speaking, it seemed unlikely that the seller would accept such an offer. To our amazement, it was accepted without negotiation. In December 2023 the property was registered in Esther’s name, and we knew we were witnessing God’s hand at work.
Even our move tested our faith. Days before relocating, we lost R5,000 to a fraudulent moving company. It was painful, but God again provided another mover, and on 17 March 2024 we finally arrived safely at our new home in Winburg.
Less than two weeks later, on 29 March, two large trees collapsed onto the house we had been renting in Somerset West. The room that suffered the greatest damage was the very bedroom where our sons had always slept. Had we remained there, the consequences could have been tragic. In that moment we realized that God had not only provided a home—He had also protected our lives by leading us to move exactly when He did.
Today, our home is much more than a place to live. It stands as a memorial to God’s faithfulness. For twenty-four years we waited, often without understanding His purposes. Yet every delay, every move, every challenge, and every unanswered question formed part of a greater plan that only the Lord could see.
Our testimony is not simply about receiving a house. It is about learning that God’s timing is always perfect, His provision is always sufficient, and His guidance is always trustworthy. He sees the beginning from the end, and His plans are far better than anything we could ever design for ourselves.
If you are waiting for God to answer a prayer, do not lose heart. His silence is not His absence, and His delays are never without purpose. Continue to trust Him, for the God who has guided us so faithfully is the same God who remains faithful today.
As Scripture declares:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah:11
“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.” — Psalms:5
Our home is living proof that God’s promises are worth waiting for.
Pastor Johan LourensSouth Africa