I've spent a few days determining whether or not I'm supposed to continue with my time in Charleston or consider moving and job searching somewhere else. Although it is very uncomfortable, I am convinced that Charleston is where I'm supposed to continue job searching right now. I have recently found out that a friend of mine is moving down here, and there is a really good chance that we can rent the apartment I was staying in on a month by month basis, which would allow me to continue being flexible with future plans. At the time of moving in I'll be able to take a job waiting tables or something similar so that I can start saving money to use to pay back students loans after the grace period expires.
I've noticed a couple things over the last couple weeks that show me God still wants me here. I really questioned whether my time in Charleston was done after I had two jobs fall through, then had to leave the apartment very soon after. Shortly after all this happened my friend called and told me that a lot of crazy stuff had happened to him recently, and that he was considering moving down here. I just told him to pray about it. A few days later he told me that God had confirmed that he should move down here. It seemed as if everything was closing down, and that God was pointing me in a different direction, but I found clarity through my friend moving down that I'm supposed to stay.
I also have had a lot of car trouble recently. I guess it wouldn't had been so bad if I had taken it in right away, but I thought I would be able to fix it so kept it out of the shop for a few days to try figuring it out. I remembered yesterday that I had prayed a ton before I left Wisconsin in early June that God would break down my car before I came down if He didn't want me down here. My car didn't break down on the way down from Wisconsin, but it did break down recently when I was considering possibly leaving South Carolina.
I used to call these types of things coincidences, but I've learned that God has power over coincidences. I believe that if a coincidence is going to point me in the wrong direction that God will turn me around and use something else to point me in the right direction. So, because of those two situations and the fact that I am still being told that people "may have opportunities" for me, I'm convinced that God is just asking me to continue being patient, and that a door will open in the near future.
A NIGHT WITH LEROY
It's funny how sometimes our plan is so different than God's plan. I rode my longboard down to the dock again yesterday. I was thinking I would ride down there and spend a couple hours praying and listening to what God had to say. He had different plans.
I sat down and spent a couple minutes praying before a tour sat down right next to me and the guide started telling a ghost story. Within minutes of the end of that distraction a man walked up to the water right next to me and started playing a recording of a Seaside Sparrow. I recognized the call and knew that it was a bird I haven't yet seen in South Carolina, so I approached the guy which led to us hanging out for a little while as we hunted for one of these small marsh birds with No luck.
I returned to my bench and spent another couple minutes in prayer before two kids that I have been forming a relationship with ran up to me and started hanging out with me. Their grandmother, Trudy, sells sweetgrass baskets and palmetto roses near the dock. I've met her niece and nephew during the time I've spent down there and they recently taught me how to make my own roses! They asked me to hang out with them and help them sell roses, so I decided to go spend some time with them.
After a couple hours selling roses to tourists the kids got hungry, so I decided to treat them to some pizza a few blocks away. We ate the pizza and I got to talk to the kids about how much they are blessing their grandma by hanging out and helping her. The kids used some money they made earlier in the day to get a ride back to the dock on a bike taxi, while I decided to walk. I ended up running into Leroy on the way back.
I had met Leroy previously one night when my friend Neil and I were walking around downtown. Neil had taken him out to eat once before and I guess he had left a great impression because Leroy remembered a lot about him. He remembered my face last night too, so I sat down and spent some time talking to me. He asked me how my job search was going and talked to me about his current financial troubles. He is not homeless yet, but if his unemployment checks don't keep coming then he will be soon. He told me that he doesn't want to sit there and beg, so he just prays that someone will recognize his need and that God will use them to provide for him.
I went back to the dock for a minute to say bye to the kids, then returned back to Leroy and told him that we could go out to eat. We ended up going to a bar nearby that surprised me and told us they were still serving food at midnight. We spent a lot of time there because Leroy really really enjoys taking his time eating, so we had some good conversation. I told him about the blog and that I really have a heart to share time with people who are struggling in the ways that he is struggling. He was a man of faith, so encouraged me and reminded me of times in the Bible when Jesus did the same thing. We talked a ton about the plans God has for us, and the things He has done and is currently doing in our lives.
I may not have had the time praying that I wanted to have, but I got to spend some awesome time with some people that just needed a friend. Leroy and I prayed for each other multiple times throughout the night. He prayed that I would be able to find a job and that I would continue to be a warrior for the Lord. It was really encouraging to hang out with him and spend some time talking about God's plan and our place in the world.
PRAYER REQUESTS
I told Leroy, whose given name is Carnes Lee Watsen, that I was going to write about him and that people would pray for him. He asked that you would pray for him and that God would continually provide for his needs. He also has a 36 year old daughter in Atlanta, named Michelle, who he said is lost in the world. She has 3 kids named Q, Destiny and Chico. He has a 40 year-old step-daughter who is also not saved named Angie. He asked me to pray for his family before himself. He was very confident in knowing that he's going to go to Heaven when he dies, and he wants the same for his children and grandchildren who haven't given their lives to the Lord yet. Please keep Leroy, his children, and his grandchildren in your prayers, especially for his family's salvation.
Everything is the same for me as it was previously. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support!
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