God Provides (again)

So I need to update you on God at work over the last few days. It's a lengthy story, but I think the details are necessary to help you understand it.

I've been back in Winston-Salem now for over a week. Mainly last week, I spent my time apartment searching. I'm sort of a novice at this, so I hunted online, called churches, worked my way through grape-vine scrambles, emailed people about ads I had hear of, contacted various campus ministries at Davidson (looking for roommates), and called several apartments that had potential. By Friday, I had two apartments (one looking a whole lot more promising than the other) to look at in Mooresville, just north of Davidson. So I drove down, and after seeing them both, was just about ready to fill out an application for the one, so they could get me in Friday the 20th (I need to be at Davidson the 21st for the Ministry Team retreat).

So I called my campus minister to touch base with him. We wound up spending the rest of Friday driving around Davidson, Cornelius & Huntersville (Davidson College is in Davidson, but these towns are all tiny and running into eachother), stopping at apartments & writing down numbers on signs & in windows, to see if I might have missed something. Everything, it seemed, was way above my price range. Davidson is on Lake Norman (a very expensive area), and apparently Davidson is in the most expensive zip code in NC. Talking with my campus minister & his wife later that evening, I realized that the problem with the Mooresville apartment was that it was on the wrong side of Davidson to really feel like I was a part of the community, and to really get plugged in. But I had no idea what my alternatives were. We talked about finding temporary housing, with the intention of continuing searching for a roommate. That would be very hard for me - I've been basically couch-surfing all summer, and I'm very ready to feel settled, but I knew I needed to do what would be best for me and this position in the long run. So I drove back to Winston Friday evening very discouraged and, unfortunately, in tears.

Late that night, my campus minister left me a message about one more option he had just stumbled across. He had found a number for a couple with a garage apartment somewhere deep down in his email. Having no idea if the apartment was empty or even for rent, he called and left a message for them. They called him right back and said it was empty and for rent, and open for immediate move-in. Saturday morning, I called them and set up an appointment to go see it at 1. It really was the perfect place: one mile from Davidson College, in a beautiful, quite, and very safe neighborhood, and belonging to one of the sweetest couples I have ever met. Unfortunately, it was still over my housing budget.

Per my father's advice, I knew I at least needed to ask them to come down on the price. I had prayed about this, and I knew God was in control. Still, I hated to ask them. So, I was honest, and I told them my situation. They looked at eachother for a few minutes, and then, right then and there, without even confering, they offered me a compromise! And it was do-able! Honestly, I almost started crying again right there, as I saw God coming through yet again for me. Later I was talking with my campus minister, and he said he's known other people who have lived there (including married RUF interns), but they have never before budged on the rent. Obviously, God is at work.

I'm moving in tomorrow, and my sweet Aunt & two cousins & my grandparents are coming to help. I also just officially got the green light from RUF today, which means I am at 85% of support and am ready to move!

I have to cut this short, because my grandparents are taking me to dinner right now! But please praise God with me, and continue to pray for this transition to Davidson, and for the start of school this Monday!