If you’ve ever wondered whether practicing “inconsequential goals” really makes any difference, Deanna’s story is one you’ll want to read. She followed the process exactly the way we teach it - playfully, imperfectly, and with just enough faith to stay in the game. What started as a simple test run turned into a powerful demonstration of how Rare Faith can show up when it matters most.

Here is her story, in her own words:

The Long-Awaited Inconsequential Goal

So I think you know that for whatever reason, it took me years to finally think of a inconsequential goal that I wanted to achieve. Why? I have no clue. I just wouldn't commit amidst all the crazy of life. Stupid reason. But! I am so excited to tell you about what happened this past June through September!

A Prompting to Move to Missouri

In May, my daughter and I planned a reconnaissance trip to the Kansas City, MO area to scout out the area for rental homes and tour a couple of the high schools there. I had felt (and heard) a strong prompting that the Lord wanted me to move there back in October of 2024. At the time I was living in Austin, MN...another place that I NEVER dreamed I would live. I was perfectly happy living in Queen Creek, AZ (around the corner from you) and never thought I would end up in the Midwest. We all know how unpredictable life can be and in early March I found myself facing the reality that I would be experiencing a second divorce soon. I needed to know where to go next and because I had had multiple experiences where I felt the impression again to go to Missouri, I reached out to the only person that I knew who lived in Missouri. He was a past bishop that I had at BYU after my mission. I reached out to him and he generously offered to host me and my daughter for this reconnaissance trip.

Choosing the Mustang GT Goal

So, the morning that we left for our little investigative trip, I thought "this is a great opportunity for me to think of an inconsequential goal!"  I decided that I wanted to see a particular body style of a Mustang GT - I don't know the year, but I could see the color (deep red) and body style and for extra difficulty, I threw in that I wanted it to have a wide black racing stripe that ran from the front to back down the center.  Was it possible that I could see such a car on a road trip? Yes, although it might be like finding the needle in a haystack!  But I believed I could see one! With being on a major interstate for 5 1/2 hours, surely I would be able to see one.

So we started on  our journey. I shared my goal with my daughter and she spotted several Chevy Camaros and Dodge Chargers that matched the color and racing stripe description. As I was driving, I would try to keep my eyes looking across the interstate as we passed the cars. Looking behind me, off an exit, in parking lots while getting gas. 

Losing Focus, Recommitting, and Letting Go of the “How”

Every now and then I would realize that I hadn't been looking! I would have a moment of slight panic or maybe just disappointment in myself that I had let my goal slip from my focus. I would recommit and start watching the oncoming cars once again, only to let my focus drift back (and rightly/safely so) to my side of the freeway. I remember reminding myself that it wouldn't have to be while I was in the car or on the interstate. I imagined my old bishop, at whose home we were staying, being excited to see me and then saying "Wanna see my new toy?!" and then following him to his garage where he would open the door to reveal the exact car I had imagined seeing!  I reminded myself...it could be anywhere. I don't have to determine how/where I am going to see it! I just have to keep feeling the excitement I imagined I WOULD feel when I finally saw it!  I reminded myself that it might not happen in the timing that I wanted it to happen. My job was just to keep believing that I WOULD see it, RELAX and let it happen when and where God would let it happen.

The Mustang Appears - “All This or Something Better”

Well, the first day came and went and nothing. No car. I had said I wanted to see it that day. But, I kept my faith and said, "It's ok. It's still on it's way!"

The next day we toured two high schools in the area. The second tour was in the afternoon. We had just finished the tour and were headed out to see the football field. But it was the same time that school had ended and the students were coming out to their cars. We were still a ways off from the field, but could see the bleachers and goal posts...enough to know it was a nice facility. I asked my daughter if she had seen it well enough because I didn't want to get caught in the parking lot waiting behind all the student cars. She said yes and so I immediately looked for a way to turn around. I took the next entrance into the parking lot and this is immediately what was in front of me....

IT WAS MY CAR!!!! ONLY INSTEAD ON ONE STRIPE...IT HAD TWO!!!  ("All this or something better!")  I hadn't even expressed that thought consciously when I asked to see a red Mustang GT with a black racing stripe!

I was SO thrilled!!!  It worked! I did it!  I reached my goal!  Part of me couldn't believe it! But more of me definitely could and I felt so grateful!  I thought "I really DO know how to do this!  I really CAN bring about the things that I desire with my rare faith mindset!"  I "did the thing" and it worked!  I was SO grateful and proud of myself for holding to my goal!

The Parallel Challenge: Finding a Home in Missouri

Well, the whole reason I wanted to exercise my rare faith mindset was because I knew that finding the right house in Missouri was going to be interesting. There were so many possibilities and I thought that my financial means would limit some of the areas I would look at. 

I'll try to make a long story short here. I determined the boundaries we needed to live within so that my daughter could attend the high school she wanted. For specific reasons, we became very limited by the property management companies we could rent from which reduced the pool greatly. I had rented an Airbnb ($$$$) only until October 2nd and knew I had to find a place to live by then. We arrived July 14th. There were very few homes that were the size I needed and in the price range and boundaries I needed as well. I started feeling panicky that I wasn't going to find something in time. But I would remind myself about seeing my red Mustang GT. I knew the right home was out there and I knew Heavenly Father knew where it was!

Settling for Less… and Forgetting the Lesson

Eventually, out of desperation and because I couldn't handle the constant stress of looking for a rental, on July 24th we placed a hold agreement ($500) on a rental that "looked" to be on the more updated/clean side but we wouldn't be able to tour it in person until Sept. 15th!  It was smaller than I wanted and a lot more money, but there weren't other viable options. At that point, I decided to just stay calm and be grateful that at least we would have something. (I kind of forgot what I had learned already!)

Time passed. I would check for other homes, but nothing ever seemed to look or feel right. I just kept telling myself that I was grateful we at least knew we had a place to stay. 

Touring the Wrong House - and Feeling the Check

The time came to finally tour the home! It was such a let down. It was SO SMALL!! (I had been living in 4,000 sqft homes so anything would have felt like that) And the laundry closet did not look like it could honestly fit a full sized washer and dryer. I tried to focus on the good things...the updated kitchen, the board and batten upgrades, the upgraded bathrooms, the fenced yard for Ozzie. But my heart would not settle. I felt like I was resigning myself because of the circumstances and timing of things and the property management policies. It was my belief that because the 30 day limit for an application to be considered had passed, that we would have to reapply if we wanted to be considered for a different home. And our financial situation was not the same as it had been when we initially applied. I was afraid that if I let this one go, we would be in a worse off place. (Not doing so well at keeping my head in the right place!)

The Last-Minute Nudge to “Just Ask”

The day before we were to sign the lease, I had emailed the contact questioning if they would reconsider the rent. As a past Realtor, I wasn't afraid to propose a negotiated lease price. Maybe it would work?! I was shut down. So, I gave them the word to go forward with the lease, after all it was the last day we could sign....BUT...there was a hope, a small hope of an idea that came to me to JUST ASK!  Just ask what would happen if I said there was another house that I wanted to tour. I had seen one that was newly on the market and was almost 1000 sqft bigger and they wanted $300 less than the other one! I asked if we would need to reapply. The only thing I heard back was an email with the entrance code attached to tour the home I asked about. I was still a little concerned because my question hadn't been answered. Should I look and take the risk? I decided to go and check it out. AND I'M SO GRATEFUL AND GLAD THAT DID!!!  

The “Two Racing Stripes” House

I went with my oldest son and the minute we both walked in the door we looked at each other and KNEW AND FELT this one was the right one!! It was SOOO much more beautiful and well-kept than AAAALLLL the others we had toured! And it even had a HUGE storage room with pre-built shelves! I wouldn't need to keep our storage unit! AND a laundry ROOM! Not just a closet!  AND the primary bedroom was the size of a garage (because it's over the garage)! It was HUGE!  I could have an office area at one end and plenty of room for all of my big bulky furniture too! And the neighborhood was beautiful with well-kept yards and homes. And a fenced yard for our dog Ozzie. :)  

I emailed the woman and told her we loved this one and would rather sign a lease for this house. No communication back...just the email telling us that the lease was ready to sign!  WAHOO!!!!  I got my "two black racing stripes are better than one" house!  I got something that was so much better than what I had believed I was getting. 

The Lesson: God Upgrades What We Release

There were many comparisons that I made between my Mustang GT goal and my search for this house. The timing of both happened at the very last minute, etc. But the best about both experiences was the feeling that I had when I finally saw THE car and walked into this house and KNEW it was THE house for me!  And I wasn't even perfect in my efforts to practice my Rare Faith! God is so good and generous and delights to bless us! I pictured Him smiling down and feeling happy for me that He could grant me such an upgrade beyond what I thought was going to be mine. I thank Him every day for this beautiful house and love it more every day! 

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Thanks so much for sharing, Deanna!

This is one of the things I love most about Rare Faith: the way the Lord uses simple experiments to teach us profound spiritual principles. Deanna put those laws to the test and what happened is worth celebrating. Her story is a testimony of what can happen when we stay in faith, even imperfectly, and trust God to lead the way.