Yesterday I spent the day looking for an apartment with no real progress. Well, I did find a few places I definitely did not want to live. As I was headed home I stopped off at a storage place to see if there were any units available for me to stash my stuff in for a month. I figured I would take Joanne up on her kind offer and move out to Manvel while she was gone next month. That would give me more time to find a place I could afford and feel safe. I had peace with that scenario and was planning how many trips it would take to get everything to the storage spot.
A friend called me and said she had a friend of a friend who was a professional leasing agent who would meet with me on Friday and help me find a place. I called work and asked if I could leave work early and they worked it out for me.
I met the kind man and we went to several different locations. At two places I did not think I would feel safe getting out of my car and heading to the apartment at night. At one choice, I wasn't sure about being out in the daytime. We ended up at a place I know by reputation and from several friends living there. They had an efficiency which would be available in late May. It was the right size and only a little bit above my budget. It seemed I had found the place that would be the best for me. I kept feeling uneasy about the apartment. Everything my head knew told me it was the best choice, my gut was another story. Since it wasn't available right now, I told the agent I wanted to ponder the decision overnight. After he had returned me to my car I started home. I was asking God to give me discernment about the choice I needed to make. The last apartment seemed to be an answer to my prayers but I just didn't feel peace about living there.
As I was driving I got a call and found myself talking to one of the ladies in the office of my current apartment. They have been very helpful to suggest places. I had told them early on of my budget constraints when they offered to find me a place here. There is only one efficiency apartment on this property. Most of the one bedrooms are at least $100 out of my budget. It seems they had a small unit become available. It's just a little bit bigger that the efficiency and just $9 over my limit. She wanted to know if I was interested. I told her I was interested and asked her what the best deal would be. She said she would call me right back. As soon as we hung up, I called my mother. She is my prayer warrior extraordinaire. I gave her the facts quickly and asked her to pray. I explained the leasing agent couldn't offer any deals without the manager's approval and that the manager was usually out of the office after four on Fridays. I prayed asking God to give me clear sign if this was where I was supposed to be. Lupita called me back within 10 minutes and told me of the offer, I could place a deposit and not have to file a new application, and I would get two weeks free of of my first full months rent. She wanted to know if I wanted the apartment. I gave her a resounding yes! When God drops a gift right into your lap, you would be an idiot to ignore it. I took the apartment sight unseen. Didn't even know where it was on the property.
When I got home I tried to find it but was unable to locate it. I parked my car and went to walk up the stairs when I discovered my new apartment is right across the street from this one. I can look out of my window and see it. Even better, it is on the first floor. Anyone who knows me knows that is a definite gift. I hadn't been ruling places out, but no stairs is a blessing. My knee gave out in March and I fell down the stairs. Didn't break anything but did get a little bruised.
It will probably take most of the weekend for my heart to settle and my brain to believe it. God has been so good to me during the entire ordeal and has gifted me in so many different ways. I have found out which of my friends are willing to put themselves out for me, which keep me in their prayers, and which will give anything they can to help me. My family has been so fantastic in their support. I have always known that I am blessed by my family and this has been confirmed yet again.
I just keep going over again and again what my father taught me long ago. God calls us to obedience, not results. The results are His, our gift to Him is our obedience. Never has that been so clear to me as it is today. I don't know what else to say except, Thank you Jesus.
Thanks to all of you for your support as well. The encouraging calls and uplifting emails were the best things you could give me.
Praising Jesus,
jené
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