Knightdale — High on a hill in the Mingo Creek subdivision is a foundation of a new house and a new life.

“That’s my view of God,” said Tanisha Briscoe, standing at the site where her Habitat for Humanity house will rise.

Her family is one of six that will move into Habitat homes in Mingo Creek.

The home is being built by a partnership of all the Lutheran congregations in Wake County, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Habitat, and of course, Briscoe. But Habitat houses aren’t free, even with the 250 hours of “sweat equity” that is required by new owners. Briscoe also will assume a mortgage, and she is ready.

The mother of two sons, Briscoe will graduate from Wilson Community College with a degree in early childhood education next month. And with the Habitat home, she will graduate into home ownership, just what the Raleigh Housing Authority renters program she is in is designed to facilitate.

In the RHA program, Briscoe’s credit was checked each month, and she was given tips on how to become a homeowner.

She had applied for a Habitat home before, and wasn’t selected. But this time around, she got her dream.

“A lot of things are happening in my life now,” she said. “This means new found independence.”

“You grew into it,” said Susan Haig, a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Raleigh. Haig shuttles water to the Habitat volunteers.

Briscoe, a native of Manchester Parish, Jamaica, moved to the United States after she finished high school at the urging of her father, Godfrey Briscoe, who was already a U.S. citizen. She said in Jamaica her mother could only afford to send one of Briscoe’s three sisters to college which is extremely expensive there. Families must also pay for their children’s high school education.

Homeownership, too, is difficult in an economically depressed country, she said. Her mother’s house, under construction for many years, will be finished up about the time of Briscoe’s home.

On Saturday, the building of the home officially began with a dedication ceremony written by Pastor Tab Cosgrove, associate minister at Hope Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in Wake Forest.

Standing in front of the house’s foundation, Pastor Michael Frye, of Grace Lutheran Church of Raleigh, read from the Bible about the need to build firm foundations in life.

Those gathered sang “This is Holy Ground,” and representatives from the churches, Thrivant, Habitat and Briscoe, and turned shovels full of dirt.

“Way to go Habitat singers,” said David Calloway, a financial consultant of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Raleigh. The financial organization’s fraternal division, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, provides financial services for Lutheran families and their churches.

The four-year partnership between Habitat and Thrivent will bring in $125 million into Habitat’s home-building coffers.

“When you get Lutherans involved, you get twice as many volunteers,” said Mike Wendt, a regional Thrivant specialist who coordinates construction of Thrivent’s Habitat Houses from Atlanta to Delaware.

“I would say this is a delightful neighborhood,” he said. Residents in Mingo Creek have access to a swimming pool, and recreational areas, as will Briscoe.

Habitat residents will be dues-paying members of the Mingo Creek Homeowners Association, said Kerry Celestini, a spokeswoman for Habitat Wake.

“It’s such a good way to get to know your neighbors,” she added. “The people at Mingo Creek have been very nice. We feel very welcome.”

Briscoe is a little overwhelmed by it all.

“I feel like I’m on top of the world, just like this view,” she said. “It just moves me. I don’t think there is any word to say how I feel. It’s bigger than me.”