2-22-22 and Clear Direction

 From the start of our moving process,

we have prayed for clear direction - clear open doors and clear closed doors.

I have mentioned that this move was a bit more daunting.

America is a big country and we could move ANYWHERE!

We needed a good church to grow in.

We needed to have a job.

We wanted to be closer to family.

Neither of us wanted to be in a place with long winters,

but we wanted to be flexible on that as well.

When we began, we asked around for church suggestions.

We got some in IN, one in OH, and a couple in TN.

Originally we looked toward OH.

We were also systems go!

There was a John Deer dealer right near the church.

The pastor was preaching the Word.

The music was beautiful, well prepared, and conservative.

And we prayed.

We prayed for clear direction.

And God closed the door.

The church is a good church,

maybe even a great church.

But in 2 weeks' time,

He showed us what would be 3 red flags for us.

Back to the drawing board.

So we pursued TN.

Again, we loved the church.

The info on their site aligned with our own beliefs.

There were 3 different John Deere companies in the area around the church.

We felt no hesitation on the church, so we moved toward jobs.

Hubby had the jobs listed in order of his preference (or so he thought.)

I wanted one south of the church (closest to the church).

He leaned toward the big company east of the church.

But God led us to the one north of the church in KY that was mostly off our radar.

God directed the company to offer the "perfect" job

that hubby had not even applied for.

Then we began the home church.

I wanted a small town that would split the difference between work and church.

But again, God directed.

There were limited houses in that town,

and there were no apartments while we would wait.

So we returned to the town where hubby would work.

God led a future coworker to mention a new plan of homes just a mile from work.

And then we chose our home.

We thought we had.

We chose a small, but not the smallest home offered.

It offered more square footage, 

but I kept wrestling with the lack of cabinet and counter space.

So God helped again.

Right before we met with the builder,

they raised their prices so that the house was out of our price range.

The smaller house would have to suffice.

It is all we need (actually more than we need)

and offers a better kitchen (kind of important in my line of work).

Then we pursued housing while we wait for the new home.

I started with the idea of an efficiency, extended stay with a partial kitchen.

The rates were great.

But after I looked at reviews, I knew we couldn't stay there

(can you say roaches and bed bugs)

So I looked again,

and God directed the right google search.

And we found a beautiful 1 bedroom apartment within walking distance of EVERYTHING

that offered 3,4,5, and 6-month leases.

There were a few deposits, but not the normal mess.

And we can have our own bed, 

a full kitchen,

use our own masher and dryer,

and all-in-all better keep a routine.

All this to say,

God hears.

God answers,

And His ways are better than my ways and plans.