The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. Isaiah 58:11 (NLT)
I moved in to what a friend affectionately named my “treehouse” a number of years ago- an adorable apartment located on the third floor of the complex surrounded by the view of trees out of the numerous windows. As a forty something single woman, the space became a little “home” to me with a fireplace, mantel, and outside patio. After living there for several years, the rent price climbed higher to the point I felt overwhelmed under the pile of financial obligations. I recall praying one morning about “getting out from underneath my rent.”
A dear friend who knew my struggle emailed me the same day to invite me to come live with her. My friends’ house had already been on the market for a while as she waited for it to sell so I knew the transition would be a “stopping over” place. I so appreciated God’s answer to my prayers through her generosity.
With my lease expiring soon and a guy friend initiating with me on a new level, I anticipated God positioning my life for a new season. I placed the majority of my belongings in storage and moved in with my friend and her cat. I enjoyed the company and the relief from financial burdens. Over the course of the next three months, the relationship with the guy dissolved, failing to go in the expected direction. Soon after, my friends’ house sold, leaving me with the task of looking for a new place to live.
My dreams for marriage and a home were dashed once again. I felt like God set me up for disappointment, “Lord, did You not orchestrate all these details and give me the courage to step out?” To say I felt disheartened is an understatement. I remember telling a spiritual mentor, “I don’t think I can live the Christian life anymore.”
At the suggestion of a good friend, I called up the large complex, inquiring if my “treehouse” I moved out of several months earlier remained available. After providing the specific apartment number, the leasing agent informed me it was available; not only was the unit able to be rented, but it had been updated during the elapsed time since I left. You name it- new sinks, floors, countertops, blinds, fixtures, mirrors, even a brand new toilet- the space underwent a complete overhaul, almost ready to be leased again.
As it turned out, I moved back in to the “tree house” with the beautiful updates, paying $100 less in rent than when I moved out! The jaw of the woman who devised the lease dropped when she realized how unusual for me to move back in to the exact unit along with the updates. I affirmed, “It’s a God thing.”
Our God is a God of pursuit. When we encounter disappointment, He pursues our hearts. His compassion is poured out on us as we cry out, truly desiring His plan. I am really grateful for how the Lord’s pursuit of my heart through my updated “treehouse”strengthened me during a dry and difficult time. Press on sister in your pursuit of Him!
~Laura
