Financial Strain....

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to ask you all to pray for our financial situation. We are behind in our rent. We still need to come up with at least $500 within 5 days or home office for this apartment complex may forward our account to their attorneys. We have asked our church if there is ANY way they could help, but I ended up leaving a voicemail for the office manager, who will not be in until Monday morning. Please keep us in prayer! I know God will take care of us and I am trying not to stress myself about this, but it is hard. We are already getting state assistance for our food and medical, but we have too much coming in (according to them) for us to get any cash assistance. Please pray that everything eill work out for us! I have never been in this kind of situation before....possibly having it turned over to their attorneys. If that happens, we will have to pay the attorney fees as well. Thank you for your prayers.

Stephanie, I'm sure everyone on here will be praying for you. I don't know your situation, does your husband have a job? Is there any way to find a cheaper place to live?

The Lord sees everything and owns the cattle on a thousand hills. If you put Him first, He will never leave you or forsake you.

Steph: Check my Private Message to you.

Debbie,
My husband is working part time and going to school full time. I am getting diability and our son gets benefits from my disability, and SSi when they decide he qualifies for it. Based on my husband's income and the disability benefits, he should be getting about 200 or more each month..... but that won't start until next month anyway because they base it on PREVIOUS months of income......unreal, but what can ya do? The only work I have experience in is cashiering, but that requires standing for long periods of time, which is something I cannot do. My hip and knee are too weak, still. I have done strengthening exercises, including walking, but nothing has helped. I can't even kneel for very long because it hurts my knee. So, I am at home. But it is worthwhile. If I was not staying home with Davey, then we would end up paying daycare, etc for him.....which kinda defeats the whole purpose of trying to bring in extra income....eh?

As far as finding a cheaper place to live, not really. This place was the only place we could get into without having a co-signer, because of our income and credit. (Long story on that one) Also, this place has heat, water, sewer, trash, and cooking gas included in the rent. First time I ever heard of separating gas heat from cooking gas, but ok.....I'll accept that. Just about everywhere here separates the two. Whatever makes them happy, I guess. Also, the least expensive places I have found are about $850 for a two bedroom apartment, which is what we would need. Houses are out of the question because they go for $1000-1500 per month. Everything here is a lot more expensive than the small town we came from.

The thing is, it is only one month that we are behind. We are covered for next month and the months after that. The problem was that my husband ended up working fewer hours and getting less pay..... because his former employers promised one thing before we moved then changed their minds afterward. So, we went from getting bi-weekly paychecks to weekly paychecks. From $9 per hour back down to $8.50 and from nearly 40 hours per week down to (16 at the former place) 32 on average at the place he is working now.

I know God is in control. Whatever happens is in His hands. Dave talked with the person leading his Sabbath School class and he gave us the number to the IL Conference finance dept. just in case the church is unable to help us out. The pastor doesn't seem to think there will be a problem, but we won't know until all is said and done. Dave will be calling the Conference today, after he gets out of work and I will call the church office tomorrow, unless the office manager calls me first.

Oh, the total amount we need to come up with is $1124..... $972 for one month's rent plus the rest is late payment fee and a small amount (according to the office) previously owed. We were expecting a check in the mail for Dave, but it hasn't arrived yet. Maybe it will get here on Monday.....or maybe not until this is all done. Who knows? Only God does.....maybe He has allowed it to arrive late to make sure we put our trust in Him. I will keep y'all posted on the situation. Thanks for your prayers!

You are in my prayers Stephanie. We have a son that lives in the Chicago area, and know the high price of living around there, unfortunately not matched by the wages; rent is almost double there to what it is here. The Lord seems to be bringing several of us through trials, there must be something around the corner that we will need these experiences for, and I'm trying to stay focused on that. The Lord has it all planned out for us!

Well, I talked with the IL Conference person and she said they generally refer the people to their church for assistance, first. Well, the church's admin. assistant called to set up an appointment with one of the senior pastors , but that isn't until this Sabbath, the 23rd. He wants to meet with us because he has never met me before, tho he has talked with my husband a couple times. We have met and talked with THE senior pastor already, when we were starting the process of transferring our membership. Well, I told the assistant the situation, in more detail....that the apartment complex wants $$ by the 20th (Wed.) or they may terminate our lease. She suggested that I call the other pastor's cell to see if he wants to meet sooner or if he could possibly get things going before we meet on Sabbath. Keep praying, please. We really need it...... I know God is in control.

You and your family are in my prayers as well Stephanie.
Call up the Pastor on his cell, and explain that you can be out on the street before Sabbath which is why this needs his special attention, as your livlihood is at stake here.
God Bless you and your family.
Will

I called the pastor on his cell. He called me back about 1/2 hour b-4 the church office was going to close. I had talked with one of the other pastors on Friday of last week, but this other pastor (Ante) wanted to find out what the other one (John) had said. Anyway, I told him the entire situation and he is going to talk with the office manager first thing tomorrow morning. He said he will tell her that it is an emergency and we need to know ASAP. I talked to the apartment office and they said if it ends up being a couple days later, that will be ok, AS LONG AS WE LET THEM KNOW....... (their stresses, not mine...hehe) ANyway, Ante said if necessary, the church could call the office and let them know the $$ is coming & when it would be there..... Jill @ the office here said to make sure we put something in writing stating that people helping us out have permission to get the info on our account.....That way they can discuss it with the church in necessary. So, we will see what happens. Jill told me to keep her posted as far as what is going on with our money situation, so we can make sure we take care of everything. She even told me to "wait to worry" because everything is NOT done all at once. So, whatever God has in His plan for us will be worked out in the end.

It's funny. Ante's sermon this last Sabbath mentioned difficulties occurring to God's people. I can really see it happening now. I mean, NOTHING has come easy for us since arriving here. Sure, we have gotten help when needed, but it has been an uphill battle so far. God must have a big plan for us, because it seems that Satan is working OVERTIME trying to discourage us! BUT, we are keeping our eyes on "The Prize" (aka, Jesus soon return to take us all home.) That is the important thing.

Ok, I talked with the pastor and he said the church can give us $500 tomorrow, but will have to wait for the remaining $500 until Monday at the earliest, because the other pastor will be back then and he is on the finance committee....and is able to give us the rest of it, if he beileves we should be able to get it. (I hope that makes sense, and didn't come across in a bad way. I sometimes have trouble expressing myself properly...lol) He also called the apt. office and told them the same thing. I went to the office to give them the authorization letter to discuss our account with church reps. Well, I told them exactly what the pastor told me and they said, ok. Not a problem. Also, the finance committee doesn't meet until Aug.4, SO, we may have to wait until then to get the rest. Again, I told the apt. office that and they still said ok.......So, I know God is in control. He is working everything together.