It’s no joke to build a house, but it sure started as one. As a full-time student on the XC team, I had no time to begin building in early fall and carry it through by Christmas break of the same semester. But I had a winter wedding as my deadline, so whether I planned well or not, it had to be done by December 26.
If you know me, I’m prone to chasing new ideas and trying things that don’t always make sense on paper. I wanted to get engaged and have something to my name. At that point, all I really had to offer my future wife was a depreciating car, and who knew how long that green Jeep would last.
Not many people in our generation, I feel, are risk-takers. I intended to change that. As I planned to propose to the girl of my dreams, I saw two options, none wrong, but one far more exciting: rent like most people right out of college, or put roughly the same monthly cost toward owning something through a mortgage. But buying a $300K house wasn’t realistic for me. So I chose what felt both financially responsible and far more adventurous: build a house myself, using my own budget, energy and creativity to guide the process. And why not a cabin?
Save up, set budget, find land, place bid, purchase as much out of pocket, secure permits, draw blueprints, prepare site, clear trees, lay foundation, utilities, construct structure, raise walls, put up roof, get insurance and adapt constantly as challenges arise—turning plans into reality through persistence, problem-solving and long hours. Sounds simple written out like that. It wasn’t.
Adaptive management's key—staying flexible when things change instead of giving up. In practice, that meant adjusting when finances ran short, when subcontractors didn’t show up, when motivation ran dry, and when there was no time to build after classes and XC practice—so I could be seen pouring foundation concrete from midnight to 4 a.m., running on little sleep and a lot of stubbornness.
It couldn’t have been harder, yet time and time again, God showed up for Kate and me. We couldn’t have built our home without Him or the people who stepped in to help. Along with volunteers, I worked with over 50 subcontractors. Though easier with fewer people, legal requirements mean doing things the right way—permits, approvals, utilities—every extra step, forcing patience I didn’t naturally have.
I learned so much about God’s provision through this. God can and will provide when you ask from a humble heart. My wife and I were continually humbled in this, both forced and reminded to rely on Him. Praying with my fiancée about finishing the house on time strengthened our relationship and my relationship with God.
Although I may not suggest building a house—it’s wild and complicated, and entirely your choice—I will say this: be a risk-taker. Do something bold for His glory.
