“Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.” (Psalm 127:1, NKJV) When I began a search to purchase my first home, it was a new but exciting venture for me. I had several items that I desired on a mental check list. As I walked through each possibility, I checked the basic layout, the room sizes, and if the kitchen was up to date. There were other features I thought would be nice but those were not necessarily a deal breaker. IDENTIFYING THE ESSENTIALS Looking back…