It was the perfect apartment. I stepped inside the spacious living room and could picture it filled with Asian college students. It was right near our campus, and just one building away from my apartment in the same complex. I couldn’t have asked for a better home for Duke and Cozy, the other 2 girls on my team!
There was only one problem – the price. The apartment was not furnished, and for the landlord to buy everything we needed, there was no way we could afford it. The landlord wouldn’t budge on her asking price, and I really couldn’t blame her.
I knew it was the apartment I wanted for my girls, so we all prayed for a miracle. In the morning I went back to the real estate agent, and made my ridiculously low offer again. The agent called the landlord, and gave her the list of all the furniture I was requesting, along with my final offer. Miraculously, this time she agreed!!
Turns out, we were prematurely excited. By dinnertime that night, the agent called back to apologize. The landlord had changed her mind and would not rent the apartment after all. I got my deposit back but was frustrated and confused. Wasn’t this the right apartment? It seemed like God had answered our prayers, so why the change of heart?
I didn’t mention this earlier, but we had already experienced a similar let-down two days before. I had a different apartment lined up for my girls, and we were all set to sign the contract when the landlord showed up at the realtor’s office to tell us she couldn’t rent it to us after all because her mother was moving in! There are some things about the apartment-renting process here I just don’t understand, and a fickle landlord is definitely one of them!
The next morning I was waiting at the bus stop across the street from the realtor’s office. He spotted me, and waved me over. Without much explanation, he said the landlord had changed her mind AGAIN, and was willing to rent it, for the same terms we had agreed upon. I was bewildered and grateful, but not sure whether we should get our hopes up this time. My city team took time that day to pray that God would have His way with the apartment and that the landlord’s heart would be kept soft toward us.
He answers prayer!! This morning we walked into the newly-furnished apartment, signed the contract and my girls got the keys to their new home!! Landlords may be fickle, but my Father can handle them! Prov 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” My Father is able to change the hearts of kings…and landlords! =)