Foreclosure Avoided

Thank God, Chris and I are not foreclosing on the gentleman who bought our commercial property in Enon, OH. This is such a relief to me. It was not an easy decision to foreclose on the buyer, but he was eight months behind on his payments. I tried to connect with him on his cell phone (he never would answer my calls), his business number (his associates told me always that he was not available), via email (again no response.)

Chris and I bought this property when Chris was self-employed, and we sold it about a year before we moved to MN when Chris hurt his back and the self-employment dream came crashing down.

Finally, we contacted a real estate attorney in OH. We also contacted our real estate agent to let her know that we would probably list with her again. The agent was wonderful and was able to contact with the buyer.

His story: He had a heart attack in August, and he had an associate at his business making the monthly payments. He claimed that he was not behind. He contacted the bank where he made payments and the associate had made the payments into the wrong account for six months. So, someone was getting our payment for six months – and they never called to find out why, and they SPENT it. Amazing… Our buyer then got an attorney to try to get some of the money back. And on it went.

Finally a deal was supposedly worked out, and our buyer said that he would pay us six payments out of the eight from bank deal. We never got it. After a week, we told the attorney to proceed with foreclosure this Monday (1/26/09.) I called the buyer and told him that we needed some cash by Monday or else.

Yesterday (the last day before foreclosure was to start), we got payment. Thank you, Lord.

I struggled with foreclosing on the buyer. I know that economic times are hard, but for everyone that is in foreclosure, the person or bank that they are not making payments to are now missing promised income. This promised income is hurting them, and so it goes.

The verse of forgiving someone 7 times 70 came to mind. Does this apply to money? Love is patient – was I being patient? Love is kindness – how far backwards does one bend in kindness? And the questions continued.

For some who advised me, the answer to them was simple – business is business. To me, it was not simple -- everything that I do should reveal Jesus Christ. Was I representing Jesus in all my communication to the buyer? I hope I did, but when someone calls up and says “Pay up or Foreclosure” – ugh… I still struggle with that is what Jesus would do.

Perhaps, it is as Chris suggests to me – “I think too much!” I just know that I am very, very thankful that we did not have to actually foreclose.

Thank you, God!