Enough for today
I recently spent about five months apartment shopping. With the end date of my lease looming, I could feel the pressure growing about where I would call home. I was prepared to settle for somewhere that was probably overpriced, in a location that wasn’t my first choice, and that didn’t feel like home.
In my time searching, I became overwhelmed and fearful about where I may end up. This was yet another task added to my plate which I didn’t feel I had enough time to thoroughly explore. There were many factors to consider. The desire to be in a safe neighborhood close to St. Paul with adequate space while finding a price that fit my budget were just a few.
The stressors of moving added up. There was a lot to think about with the impending move date growing ever closer. This fear of finding the right place at the right time weighed heavily on me. I reached out to my community at St. Paul and my family. I had people around me supporting me in any way they could but, the worry kept building. In times like these, where I find myself worrying about things beyond my control, I turn to my favorite Bible verse, Matthew 6:34, which says “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” This verse is a wonderful reminder that there is only so much within our control. I was so concerned about where I would live in a few months that I didn’t enjoy where I lived at the time. I was so focused on what may come that I didn’t appreciate what I had.
In seminary, we have a required class called Spiritual Practices that encourages us as students to continue to enrich our faith lives beyond the classroom and our studies. Each week, a different student leads a devotional and the other students give updates as to how our lives are going. Nearly every week, all semester, I would update my classmates on my apartment search. When I finally found my duplex, with only a month to spare, my colleagues were overjoyed. They could see how much this impending move had impacted me and my stress levels.
I wound up finding a wonderful duplex, near the church and Vander Veer Park, with lots of space for my cats to play. In the end, the situation solved itself and I ended up exactly where I was meant to be. Trusting the process is hard, especially when it seems that everything is out of our control. It is important to be grateful for what we have and not worry quite so much about tomorrow.
Rachel Evans
One of my favorite verses (and one I need to remind myself of frequently)!
Dawn Nickles
Glad you found a nice place!! That area is beautiful!!! Happy moving.
Eric Engstrom
My mother told me she did not ever worry, but wondered a lot. Happy for you to have found a new home.