Well here we are all moved in, and settled in (for the most part) except I have all of the home school stuff to organize, and I need plants, I haven't had plants in two years. My back is killing me. But after my 24th move I can say, "Please, No more moves"!Especially with four kids, and one being an infant. I did alot of the packing and unpacking myself with the kids running around me bored,fighting, and getting into stuff. Moving heavy boxes upstairs and down stairs as fast as I could. Yet I'm sure one day we will move again. I am still recovering.
I wanted to share all of what God has done (of course not to boast). But God be the glory.
For the last eight and a half years we have lived in an apartment that flooded twice. One was a foundation leak where it cause mold to grow up the walls. Both Calvin and Ezekiel developed asthma from the cause of it. Not to mention the leak was close to allot of electrical stuff where Zeek was electrocuted at one years old. We had to threaten to sue to get it taken care of. We had water seeping from the ceiling, Ca roaches that I had to battle with this great stuff called Boric Acid. We had an infestation of pincher bugs, bee's (that we had to fight off every time we left the apartment), bark beetles, and silverfish. Next store lived about eight people throughout eight years. every other year it would be teenagers smoking pot (blasting loud 99.1 music,loud enough to shake your walls and hear it throughout the complex). Someone broke into our garaged and stole stuff, someone stole a tricycle off of our porch, kids were tagging all over the place, people were always selling drugs, (mainly meth), and the tree's were out of control to where the crows and birds were so loud. Tree's were falling on cars, the maintenance men would smoke pot with the tenants. Parties every night till three and four AM, domestic violence, car parking situations, men hanging over my porch looking in, men constantly walking by checking me out through my windows, old senile women walking around aimlessly trying to get into my gate, ink in our laundry, laundry stolen, laundry taken out before done, six loads of laundry twice a week, quarters, broken appliances that they refused to replace, and by law didn't have to unless it was inoperable, and a small two bedroom with four beautiful hyper children that were not allowed to ride bikes in the complex because of a very stupid rule. Homeschooling with little room and no sunshine in the apartment. And the list goes on and on.
Would I choose to live there again. No. But God Yes. Why? Because I had the privilege and opportunity to lead several teenagers to Jesus. Calvin and I shared with several people about our salvation Muslims, Indians, Atheists, and other non-Believers. Everyone that ever lived there no doubt new that we where The Born Again's. We had the opportunity to lead a special little neglected eight year old boy named Arron to Jesus. We had Bible studies with him everyday, because he had no where else to go. There is no doubt that God sends you to the rough places to share with hurting people the hope of Jesus and the message of the Gospel of Christ. Even if people do not listen or pretend not to hear, they see. They can tell the difference between fake and the real deal.
Gabe and I really had some great times there. several birthday parties for Gabe and the kids. BB Q's, swim parties with baby blow up pools, and prayer walks around the complex. I never really had allot of visitors. I could usually count on my fingers how many people came to visit. And It is very understandable. Very depressing yet understandable. But I do remember the office manager tripping out on how people from our church would bless us with dinners after I had my surgery, and after three of my pregnancies.
I realize that If I never suffered in life, I'd be a spoiled brat. Unthankful and unprepared for the possibilities of reality in the future. In my weakness Jesus is strong. And without Him. I would have given up on my kids, my marriage, my church family, mine and Gabes family, and my friends. I want to be the proverbs 31 lady. I want to be a faithfull Christian. One who dose not fear anything but walking away from MY GOD. Who can separate me from the love of God?
Rom 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
5 comments:
finally! I remember the smoke from the windows and the very little sun light. I remember getting warned before I went to use the restroom to be considerable with the toilet paper because of the plumbing yikes thanks for the warning. I remember Jannette religiously cleaning the kitchen floor for fear of any bug that decided to show it's ugly face. Remember the wasp that flew inside the apartment? That was scary and funny watching Jannette duck and say "Woh! Get it! Uhggeehhh!" Lot's of memories and I'm sure one of you favorites, the last drive away from there, good bye apartment # ?. A truly true GOOD bye. Lisa
Jannette, I am praising the lord for you that he has moved you out of that complex. I believe you did what he wanted you to do there, and I pray he blesses you abundantly for it.
You are stronger than you give yourself credit for! Very inspiring.
God bless you!
I am so happy that your are moved out of that place! Your trials in that apartment make my complaints seem so small. Thank God that he moved you to a better and safer environment for your family! Love You
~Sandy
Wow Janette! I am so glad you shared this with me. I am moved to tears because we serve a BIG GOD. We feel our troubles are so big when really, they are not even troubles at all. How awesome that although your living conditions were so awful, God allowed you to be there so you and Gabe could share the Gospel with so many people. Our God is so faithful and now I know you that you totally get what I meant when I said, "blessed are the uncomfortable" because God often allows our circumstances to be a little squirmy or down right awful so we can cling to Him. Ah you are such a blessing and I am so thankful God put our paths across!
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