Finding a needle in a haystack

Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. (Psalm 37:2)

Do you ever feel like your goals, needs, or desires are too great? Does it seem that no matter how hard you struggle, there is always a new mountain to climb, a new challenge to overcome? I live with those thoughts every day as I face one seemingly, insurmountable conundrum after another. 

In February, I began a new job that dramatically shifted overnight – compelling me to start over again and pursue another position. 

Through God’s help, with months of prayer and determination, I finally obtained an alternate role that provided me with the opportunity to move to a different community. To do so, I needed to buy a house and sell the one I’m living in – all in just a few short weeks. 

Securing a new job is one thing. Finding a new home and selling another in the expanse of about a month’s time is a completely different matter entirely – yet that’s precisely what I resolved to do. 

Preposterous, some might say. But then again, nothing is impossible with Christ. I know that full well. I live that reality every single day. 

What began as an improbable goal seemed obtainable when I found a beautiful home in a gorgeous neighborhood. After negotiating the price, I put a contract on the house and felt incredibly blessed. Yes, the home was being sold “as is,” but what could possibly be wrong with a property that boasted a new roof, floors, HVAC system, light fixtures, and kitchen? Surely, this was a phenomenal find. 

Or so I thought – until the pre-purchase inspection occurred. During the course of a 3-hour interval, the inspector uncovered an unsafe electrical panel, 14 cracked windows, rotten wood below the new roof, 6 trees growing in the crawl space, an active water leak, missing foundational pillars, rotting doors, water-damaged structure beams, absent pipe-work, and evidence of an active termite infestation. Needless to say, I withdrew from my contract immediately.

With only four days left to find a home or forego its pursuit, I despaired at the implausibility of my ambition.

God put this dream in my heart. Yes. But, could I give it up? Through tears of submission, I did so. I would look one more time – just one more day – and then pack away my pursuit to an unknown future.

It was then that I found a house I had saved but previously overlooked online. I called my realtor and arranged a showing – later adding one more property in the same neighborhood. If neither of these houses fit my needs, I would surrender my desire to God’s will.  

While waiting until to tour these houses, I continued working in my current yard to prepare my home for its potential sale. Despite the blistering heat, I spent the July 4th holiday pruning trees, digging up plants, and hauling away debris.

It wasn’t until the end of the day that I realized my FitBit had somehow, somewhere fallen off my wrist. The black-banded watch could be anywhere – in the woods, yard, or even under the soil I had cultivated a foot-deep in my garden. Without a GPS tracker, all I could do was retrace my steps, hoping to spot the expensive device. An hour into the pursuit, with darkness falling, I had little choice but to give up my search. 

The next day, a pop-up on my phone advised me of impending rain. I knew I had to find my watch quickly or despair of its destruction in the elements. Crawling around the grass on my hands and knees, I again retraced all my steps, to no avail. 

Returning to my garden, I began slowly raking through the soil once more. It occurred to me that I was looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. The chances of finding a black watch in black soil before the rain began were nearly impossible – and that was only if the timepiece had been buried in the dirt, something I couldn’t know for sure.

Before looking again, I surrendered the situation to God and re-commenced my quest. Inch by inch, I raked the foot-deep soil and sifted my hands through the dirt, clump by precious clump. After moving to the mid-section of the garden, something caught my eye. Reaching down to pull out what looked like a tree root, I rejoiced to discover that the protrusion was not a root at all. It was the tip of my FitBit’s rubber watchband. 

Holding my miraculous discovery to the sky, I could only say, “Hallelujah! To God be the glory!” My heavenly Father had answered my prayers just a few minutes before the first raindrops fell in a massive downpour that my watch would have never survived. 

As I headed to my final house showings that same afternoon, I called my mom and brother to share the extraordinary story of how God had helped me find my missing timepiece – noting that perhaps my house search would end the same way. 

I had a bad feeling about the first house from the moment I arrived. My Realtor advised me that the current homeowner and her son wouldn’t leave their rooms for the showing, so I couldn’t view those spaces. The kitchen floor was muddy from their dog’s treks, and the rooms I saw were messy. It was hard to see much beyond the clutter.

Additionally, while walking the yard, a noisy truck barreled down the highway behind the back tree line, reminding me of the property’s close proximity to a highly traveled road. I was ready to move on. This house was not for me. One more home to tour, and then I would be done. I was at peace with whatever outcome God provided. 

And so we moved to the final house in my weeks-long, highly improbable pursuit. This was the home I had found by “accident” while scouring the community around what was supposed to be the final home in my search. Not only was it in great shape, but the owners had cut the price two weeks before our visit.

Additionally, this house had been saved 2,091 times on Zillow in 49 days – an eternity in the current market where homes were selling in days, if not hours after listing. There was definite interest in the property, and yet it remained available.

In my mind, there could only be one reason why this house hadn’t sold: God had saved it for me. I just needed to fully surrender my dreams to His direction for my Creator to lead me to it.

“I’m making an offer,” I told my realtor. 

God revealed my needle in a haystack – twice in the same day. I could only smile, thank my heavenly Father for His incredible provision, and proclaim the victory. 

To God be the glory! Great things He has done!