A time I had to use my faith to overcome an obstacle. I have a story about my faith being tested in the most deceitful way. Just recently, in September 2024, I moved to Omaha, Nebraska, after accepting a transportation management job with Amazon. Upon moving here, everything was going great! I lived in a beautiful downtown apartment, found a new church family, and started my master’s prerequisite program. My job was exciting, and I was even making new friends or so I thought. I loved everything about my new life until I made the mistake of trusting the wrong person. I made the childish decision to be a follower. One of my neighbors in my apartment complex had a habit of writing on dirty cars similar to how someone might write “wash me” on a dusty vehicle. He did this constantly, which led me to believe he knew the owners and that it was just an innocent joke. Oh, was I wrong. The one time I did it, I ended up receiving a harassment order in my name, getting kicked out of my apartment, and being slapped with a $2,000 fine. The worst part of it all was what happened afterward. The very person I had followed in this action took advantage of the situation. After I left my apartment, he went inside, swapped out my doors for his damaged ones, and took the food from my fridge along with small belongings I had planned to retrieve on my final move-out day. Now, I don’t mean to turn this into a sad story because it isn’t one. Fortunately, I had been disciplined enough to have the funds to move and pay the fees without further debt. The court case did stick, but there were no criminal charges or anything permanently negative in my name (no eviction, protection order, etc.). The reason I don’t see this as a bad story is that I relate it to the Book of Job. In that story, God allowed the devil to test Job to see if he would remain faithful even when everything was taken from him. Similarly, I lost my money, my nice apartment, and more but through all of these trials, I remained the same faithful individual. I never blamed God. I won’t say I didn’t get frustrated, because I did, but I always believed there was a purpose behind it. I think God wanted me to go through this. Now, being not far removed from the situation, I can’t yet say why, but I do know that my faith was tested. It also showed me the humor in how God answers prayers. I prayed for patience. He gave me opportunities to be patient. I prayed for discernment. He led me into situations that tested my ability to judge character. Being in a new area, without loved ones or close friends, forced me to rely solely on my faith. Who else could I turn to? I appreciate this experience. I see it as a series of tests that I needed to go through. Even though I didn’t go into every detail, writing this was a relief. The lessons I’ve learned are ones I had to experience firsthand no one could have just told me. And for that, I am grateful.