I am with you

I don't always feel confident but I will step out in faith when I sense the Lord’s leading. After fifteen years in the same apartment I decided to buy a house. This was to be a real adventure in faith for me, a single person.


I reflected on and prayed about the steps I needed to take, took a home buying course at the local community college and contacted a real estate agent - a loving Christian woman. As we looked at various areas of the city, I felt led to the area where I eventually bought a house.


The Lord even spoke to me about what my mortgage should be. I certainly was aware of His leading! On the morning of the day I had arranged to speak with a mortgage officer I sensed the Lord saying to me in my quiet time. "Be not afraid, I am with you." I thought nothing more of this and went on my way for my appointment where, being a private person who does not find it easy to talk about finances, I was somewhat disturbed by our conversation. I was being challenged to trust that the Lord knows and cares about every situation in my life. As I walked home the words from my quiet time came back to me and I offered a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord for taking care of me.


On Palm Sunday my agent showed me a lovely, little house, bright and sunny with lots of potential. I really liked it and felt much encouraged in my search but on Easter Sunday I discovered that there was already an offer on it. On my agent’s advice I took the plunge and made an offer. I really did want that house! Later that evening the offer was accepted! It was indeed a time of giving thanks for new life and new opportunities.


It seemed like a long ten weeks between the date of purchase and of possession. The Lord was preparing me for the move and His patience grew in me. I moved in surrounded by the love and prayers of many friends and I’ve had the joy of sharing the house with others and making it my own. Shortly after I moved in the assistant priest from my parish performed a beautiful house blessing and celebrated a Eucharist.


I was truly at home now and I knew the Lord was with me. I was to need this reassurance in ways that I didn’t know about. I was awakened one night when my doorbell rang and I head footsteps downstairs. Burglars had broken in but I scared them off and called the police, who were at my door in a few minutes. Again I was gently taken care of by the Lord. As I reached out to others for their support and prayers over many days and weeks I experienced in a new way what Christian community is all about.


But I was still somewhat frightened and unsettled and feeling alone. Then one evening I was especially challenged when a friend shared with me: "Come to the Lord openly in prayer; tell Him your fears; wait on Him and listen for His response; dwell on the positive and not the negative." I heard the Lord speaking to me clearly through this friend and I began to trust Him in a new way. As others had said to me - let go and let God. As the weeks passed I was reassured again in my faith and in my decision to move. I was encouraged as I learned to trust the Lord in new ways and to reach out to others.


Thank you Lord for taking such good care of me!