For a while, certain things in my life seemed to come easily. My Pennsylvania health care coverage, for example. I applied for information from Medicaid. Instead of information, they gave me free coverage. Not what I asked for, but I didn't complain. Another example is when I moved out to Idaho expecting to job hunt for a few weeks. Instead, I got a job offer my first day in Idaho. Until recently, things always seemed to fall into place for me.
To make a long story short, 2018 was a very expensive year for me, what with car repairs, buying a new (to me) car, then having to make repairs on that car, followed by my cat getting sick and having to pay vet bills. Fortunately, I had more money saved up than I had ever had. Unfortunately, I used all of it. Up until a week ago, I had $40 in the bank. I now have $9. I started a new job recently that I absolutely love. When pay day came around, I called my boss to see if I was getting a check or if my direct deposit had been approved. This was while I still had $40 in the bank. She informed me that because of the date on which I started, I would be waiting another two weeks for my first paycheck.
Meanwhile, I barely had any food, I'd missed two credit card payments and a car payment, and my debit card was halted due to my late payments. I also needed to pay for rent and my Idaho health coverage.
Then, on Valentine's Day, I got a flat tire.
It seemed as though things just kept getting worse. My amazing younger brother helped me out a lot, but he couldn't cover everything. It was time to talk to the bishop at my church.
One of the many wonderful things the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has set up is a Bishop's Storehouse. When an individual or family is tight on money and in need of food, all they need to do is call their bishop. A food order will be placed to pick up.
I spoke with my bishop and asked for a week's worth of food. When I picked up my order, I learned that he had ordered about a month's worth of food. I was a little upset, to be honest. There were people who needed that food more than I did, I'm sure. But I couldn't say no to the order after it had already been placed. I left with bags and bags of food and a slight shade of embarrassment on my face.
A couple days later, I remembered all the payments I had to make with my upcoming paycheck. I realized that after I made all these payments, I wouldn't have much left over for groceries. I was relieved, no longer embarrassed, that my bishop had ordered me so much food. I saw that, even though my bishop is just a man, he was inspired by Heavenly Father. I will be forever grateful that he ordered more food than I thought I needed. Things had worked out yet again.
I learned a lot during this trial. I learned humility. I learned to better understand God's love for me as an individual. I learned that, even though it didn't come easily like it usually did for me, everything still worked out in the end.
