From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people.

Psalm 3:8

Part 1 of the story is here.

January 8th came, and we were ready to move despite all obstacles over the previous few weeks. I woke up earlier than normal to make sure I had time to read my Bible; there was no way I would get through the day without it. I woke Afa and the kids up much earlier than they are accustomed to getting up, packed the kids in the van, and stopped at Burger King to grab breakfast. The plan was for the kids and I to spend the day at the new house while Afa was at the apartment with the movers. 

I stopped drinking caffeine early in 2020, but almost out of habit, I ordered a coffee with breakfast and proceeded to drink it despite the fact that I still couldn’t taste anything due to lingering Covid symptoms. When we got to the new house, the heater wasn’t working, so it was quite cold. We had a small space heater that we put in the kids’ bedroom along with the books and toys so that we could play and be warm until Afa arrived that afternoon.

The kids and I had a blast. We ate breakfast, explored our new home, and played games. Our realtor left us three brand new games and new toys for all the kids, which was perfect for the few hours we needed to play before Afa arrived. We were singing, eating, dancing. We explored all the areas of our new house and talked about who would live in each of the bedrooms. Grandma and Grandpa would have their own room, and all the kids would share a room – it was excitement and jubilation.

Stop being angry! Turn from your rage! Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm.

Psalm 37:8

Then came the turning point in the day: Ana Lia yelled, “Mama, Eliam locked the door!” Eliam managed to lock us all out of the only room that had heat and that also had all of our entertainment for the day. I tried several methods to get the door unlocked, but nothing worked. The previous owners of the house didn’t give us keys to the bedrooms. I was so angry. This is actually why I stopped drinking caffeine – it increases my anger and anxiety exponentially. My little four year old told me he locked the door to keep strangers out of his room, but his reasoning didn’t matter to my wrath. I allowed my caffeine-fueled emotions to ruin our jubilant day. 

The day was overcast, so the house wasn’t getting any warmer. We did the best we could, despite the cold. We all put on some extra layers. The kids’ clothes were in their room, so I put mine and Afa’s t-shirts on them. I ordered some pizza, and Afa arrived in the afternoon with the movers. Side note, these movers were AMAZING. They were fast, friendly, and honestly made the move possible. I am eternally grateful for them. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Caffeine fuels both my anger and my anxiety, and at this point, my anxiety was out of control. Afa had gotten us into the kids’ bedroom by destroying the door handle, and I was in there with the kids. Mentally, I had gotten to a place where I had trouble responding to anyone. The movers were incredible, but when my anxiety is that high, having lots of people around me is overwhelming. The kids were asking me all sorts of questions about our things, and the noise, which seems amplified when I’m struggling that much, rang through my head. It felt like the walls are closing in, and everything overloaded my senses. At that point, I remembered why caffeine is off limits for me.

My immensely kind and gentle husband could see that I was not okay and took over directing the movers and the kids so that I could pray and calm down. The movers left, and we had officially moved into our new house!! But the day was not yet over. 

I had scheduled a Bible study at 5:30, and Afa again took the kids so that I could lead that. OUr internet wasn’t up and running yet, so we made the Bible study work through a combination of my phone, my work phone, and hotspots. I continue to be amazed at the way God allows us to use technology to connect across time and distances. I could feel the fatigue setting in from a long day of emotional breakdowns, continuing Covid recovery, and moving. Only through the strength of the Lord was able to be coherent and present for an entire study at that point.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

Philippians 4:1

As soon as I was done with the Bible study, Afa and I had a short presentation about children’s ministry for our church’s winter workshop. One glance in the mirror told me that I LOOKED like I had been moving all day. I had less than five minutes before our pre-service meeting started, so I did a quick turn around – a little water to make a high and tight bun and a little mascara, eye liner, and lipstick since those are visible on Zoom. I put on a shirt that looked appropriate for the occasion and was ready to present five minutes later. The kids had also had a very long day, so a few minutes before our presentation, Fin climbed into my lap and fell asleep. There was no time to properly put him to bed, so I did the presentation while holding him, which seemed a fitting coda to everything.

One by one, step by step, we finished each task. When we went to bed that night, I looked over the previous week, the previous few months, and the previous year. By all measures, we shouldn’t have been there, freshly moved into a new house with so many victories. Through the kindness of God and the kindness of the Kingdom, we made it. We had enough space for the kids, for Afa’s parents, and for others to stay with us. It seemed impossible, and we were still overcoming the remnants of Covid, but that didn’t stop the victory. One step at a time when it seems too much. One bowl in one box, and watch God work miracles.