brittany nicole

Wow! It’s been so long since I’ve taken the time to write and share my heart on the blog. I write to inspire others and I hope that this one inspires you to trust the process.

So I’ve been in Birmingham now for almost 2 years. I’ve also been driving to work in Tuscaloosa for the same amount of time. You’ve probably read the blog post about how when I was offered my first job at UA, it was the middle of October. There was no apartment complex that had a room available at that time. Which would make sense, it was the middle of the school year…

Initially I wanted to live in Tuscaloosa because it made sense to do so. Most people in America live where they work, then there’s the rest of us. So my family will be the first to tell me that maybe I didn’t hear God correctly. They don’t do this in a disrespectful tone but I love how God uses me as an example to strengthen their faith walk and trust in him.

I knew God had opened up a door for me to work at UA. I knew that my first job was temporary. I also knew that God would provide me with everything that I needed.

And all of the above was accurate.

So when God led me to look around in Birmingham for a place to stay, I went with an open mind. Shocked that he believed I was disciplined enough to make such a drive for a job that requires me to be ready to open the doors at 8am. The apartment was in Hoover and it was absolutely perfect for me. When I moved in, I had no furniture yet. Just my air mattress, basic necessities and enough clothes to get me through the week. My family was planning to bring my furniture to me that following weekend. Except the apartment was running a special. A special that I never saw them run again. A special that seemed too good to be true. They had partnered with #RoomsToGo to give $3000 to any resident who completed a look and sign within 48 hours. This special was not how the apartment ended up on my list, it was the location.

Well the only stipulation to receiving the gift card was that you had to sign at least an 18 month lease. Cool! I went a full 2 weeks without any furniture to receiving brand new furniture for my bedroom and living room. I didn’t pray for this part. God just saw fit to provide me with new furniture for my new place. Mind blowing!!!

In April 2019, my lease was up. I had been looking for my apartments but I became more discouraged because I was tired of paying out such an excessive amount of money in just rent. God provided for sure. But I had no interest in living check to check anymore. So I start looking at my options, but I notice that I am running out of time. March 3rd, I contacted a #UA student about subleasing her apartment because I saw her post on the student ticket exchange page. I just needed more time. I knew that I’d have to continue looking for a place to move permanently. This seemed like a good option for me. On March 6th, I went to tour this apartment. It was so nice and it was in my price range and it was in Tuscaloosa. I was sold!

Then some of my co-workers started telling me how much I would hate living in student housing. In my mind, it was only for 3.5 months. I have this motto when I’m not really feeling something… “You can do anything for that short amount of time.” I also had a co-worker share with me that she knew of a married couple who was preparing to move into a house soon. On March 6th, I reached out and the lady was responsive for 3 hours ONLY. This option seemed more ideal for me because I would have a 2 bedroom. Except this lady stopped communicating with me. She went from saying, I’ll send pictures to absolutely nothing. God didn’t even give me the opportunity to go see this place. I’m so thankful now that I didn’t keep knocking on that door.

So I’m back in communication with the UA student and I inform her that I’m going to apply for the complex on March 29. 3 days before, I see a Facebook post from a high school classmate. I hadn’t seen her posts before and I haven’t seen them lately either. God wanted me to see this one though. She was looking for someone to sublease her place in Birmingham. Crazy right? I wrote: send me details! But it didn’t look too good because there were so many others requesting the same thing. She actually told me on March 28th that she was already in communication with a few others but that no one had committed yet. I was hopeful though so I went ahead and scheduled a meeting to tour the place, even though she was waiting to hear back from 2 individuals.

The opportunity had me sold on the fact that God placed me in Birmingham and that he had plans for me to stay there. So I shifted my prayer focus from just open a door to open up the door that you desire for me to walk into.

And He did. I’ve been staying in this place since Good Friday (April 19th). But guess what? This week I was supposed to move out on Friday. So I didn’t have any plans and kept telling my family that I trust God. I found out last week that my high school classmate has made plans to stay in New York and that the place where I’ve been staying temporarily is going to become my new place to call home.

I just want to encourage you to “Trust the Process” more and to trust people less. If God says this is the place (job, relationship, career, etc.) for you then know it doesn’t matter who else shows interest, it doesn’t matter who else applies, it doesn’t matter who else claims it to be theirs, it doesn’t even matter who else disagrees… God’s plan is the only plan that matters in the end.

Amazed at the faithfulness of God,

#BNspired2day

B.Nicole