feeling encouraged...

We're still in Montana and we're having such a great time. This really is such a beautiful place.
As our vacation comes to an end I've been stressing a little bit. I guess it's just knowing that once we get back to St. Louis I only have 1 more week of work and then it's off to the unknown. Considering that we don't yet have jobs or a place to live in Madison yet I'm sure it can be understood why I'm a little stressed.

We've been pretty busy on vacation and haven't had much time for sleeping and relaxing, but yesterday morning we finally got to sleep in. I woke up around 8:00 and just laid in bed for a good hour or so. I was thinking and praying just about our situation with this move and how scared I was and felt like God was just reminding me of all the times he's taken care of me in the past. It really just challenged me to continue to trust him. After we got up we decided to head to our favorite coffeeshop to check our email. My mom is one of those ancient folks that only has dial-up and I just don't have the patience for it.

Anyway....when I opened up my inbox I noticed an email from a friend in Madison (really she's the only friend we have there and they only person we even know there besides our Realtor). She had recently talked to a friend of hers that had a basement apartment for rent. Apparently they've been renting it out to a YWAM couple that will be on outreach in India until November and while they're gone rather than renew a lease and pay for a few months of rent they wanted to sublet it out. It's a 2 bedroom, 1200 square foot apartment with free wi-fi for only $375 a month! What an answer to prayer! Within just a few hours of emailing Jewel back the lady that owns the apartment called me and we have it all worked out! She's SO nice too and even offered to let Steve & I live with her, her husband and 4 kids after November if we haven't found a place to buy yet. It's also great because the couple that are out of town for a few months left the apartment furnished hoping that someone would come along and sublease (they were willing to just pay rent for the months they'd be gone), so we won't even have to move all of our stuff in for just a few months only to have to move out again.

I've been looking for a place to sublet in Madison and have had an impossible time with finding some place for just a few short months as well as the places I've found that are available have not only been tiny (which really isn't a big deal for us) but have been closer to $1,000.00 a month!

I just feel so encouraged. God has really been so faithful to us through this process and I know He's going to continue to guide us as we look for jobs and a house to buy.

Now I can get back to relaxing for a few more days....