Finding Jesus in apartment hunting

In Josh's hunt for the perfect apartment, he found one that meets about 97% of our Dream Apartment Criteria. When you factor in the reality that a perfect apartment just doesn't exist, that 97% was looking pretty good.

The only downside to this great apartment (because there has to be one, right?) is that the landlord kept putting us off and wouldn't give a direct answer. In America, it would be easy to assume that things just kept coming up and that's it. But here, speaking indirectly is also a very clear way to speak directly. If he's putting us off, it's likely that the answer is no.

Anyway, so we're still waiting on a final word if he'll rent this apartment to us. In the meantime, we've been taking on the the role of the man who had friends arrive at his house after a long journey. Our kids are probably tired of hearing us pray that God will keep this apartment open for us!

Last night as we were finishing up family devos and getting ready for prayer time, I asked the girls, "What's something important that we really need to keep praying for?"

And Samantha answers, "For us to love Jesus and follow Him well."

In that innocent answer, all the importance I had placed on this apartment vanished. All the ways I had dreamed about using the rooms and improvements I'd make seemed so silly...because Samantha's answer was so true.

To follow Christ and love him above all should be my most important goal, my most frequent prayer, and my most worthy endeavor.

I can get so easily distracted by the promises of comfort the world offers. I can get caught up in thinking how I can replenish my pantry to our pre-America days. I can try to plan and arrange our lives and schedules to have as little difficulty as possible. But thanks to the Holy Spirit working in my kids, I'm reminded that at the end of the day, only Christ matters.

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UPDATE: Due to slow and unreliable internet, this post was not published on the day it was written. I'm SO happy to report that the landlord contacted us and we can rent this apartment! We'll have to wait until around July15 to move in, which means still more trusting in the Lord to maintain our sanity for the next two weeks! Thank you to everyone who's been praying for us! I hope to post some pictures soon...if the internet cooperates. =)