Matthew's business and home!

I'm sure some of you are wondering what happened in between my last post about Matthew and I and our engagement.

Matthew started a shaved ice business here in Aiken.  He is now the proud owner of South Carolina Snowie!

He bought the business from an older gentleman who was getting out of it and reconstructed the whole trailer booth.  He did an excellent job and started selling at the Columbia, SC Soda City market in July, as well as the Evans Towne Farmer's Market in Evans, GA.  He has since built up his business to add Camp Gravatt events (a local Christian camp), and has signed a contract with the University of South Carolina, Aiken to sell Snowies inside their convocation center and on the grounds during games and events!!  He is adding a kiosk to his business, which he is currently working on building this week.

The Lord has been blessing and building his business right here in Aiken, SC and the surrounding area, so until the Lord opens doors elsewhere and moves us on, we will be working out of Aiken.

As for a house, he found a mobile home for rent on 17 acres right on the other side of Aiken, and since we'd been searching for a while, and it was exactly what we had been looking for, we jumped on the opportunity!  It's a two bedroom, two full bath house, with a garage and an office.  We feel extremely blessed with the Lord opening the doors for us to get that place since they listed it as available the exact afternoon that Matthew went in to the real estate agent looking for a place.  

The amazing thing was that he and I had been praying since the middle of July that if it was the Lord's will for us to marry this fall instead of waiting all the way till next spring, that He would open doors for a house and more business for the Snowie through the winter.  We were specifically praying that the Lord would bring the business before the first of August or Matthew was going to consider getting a job on the side for the winter.  

By the last week of July, Matthew had signed the one- year contract with the college (yeah!!) and found a house that would fit our needs (and wants) perfectly!!!!  It's amazing when you leave things in the Lord's hands how quickly He can bring things about!  And then on August 1st, Matthew asked me to marry!  How good and great and loving is our God!  Since then He has opened up doors like only He can do and we are standing back in amazement, thanking Him for His goodness!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths."

Proverbs 3:5-6