By Sametra Gardner, M.Ed.
“It should be within the hour. I’m sorry. There was nothing else I could do,” my mother’s doctor explained as we gathered to say our final goodbyes. Mom had said her last words hours ago. Now she lay quiet and still.
I had done all my crying the night before. Now I stood in shock. What would life be like without her? Where would my 2-year-old son and I go? We had just moved in with her, a couple of months after the COVID outbreak. She’d wanted us to be together and encouraged me not to return to work for my baby’s protection.
No house, no job, no childcare – and no mom to help me figure this one out. This time it was just me and God.
The next morning, I walked past her room. Everything was exactly how she’d left it. Was this real? Yes, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. As my son played on the floor, I whispered, “Lord, I need Your help. Please don’t let us end up on the street.”
The check
A few days later, I checked the mail and found a check I had been waiting on for months! In the heartbreak of Mom’s passing, I had forgotten all about it. It was enough to cover our moving expenses and daycare for my son. My mom had said, “It will come when you least expect it.” Now here it was! It was a miracle, but I needed more.
The job
The next day, I glanced at a job site on my phone. Without thinking, I typed in “education” and saw a vacancy at a college library in a nearby town. I had never worked in a library, but it sounded interesting. A couple of days later, I received a call to schedule an interview. Everything went well, and I got the job!
The only problem was, I didn’t live there. Technically, I didn’t live anywhere. It was almost time to leave my mom’s place. I talked to God again: “Lord, please help me find somewhere.”
The apartment
The next morning, my plan was to call the same apartments that had been telling me no. It wasn’t that great of a plan. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to live there. It had a tall outer staircase leading to the second floor, and my son was still a toddler.
Holding back tears, I spoke in a monotone: “Hi, I was wondering if you had any vacancies.” The lady was a straight talker. “What do you want? We got washer and dryer connection, or without.” I quickly said I would take the washer and dryer connection. She responded, “We got one downstairs that will be available in two weeks.” That was perfect!
This was a huge blessing, but I needed more. I still had no childcare. Everywhere I could afford was full or closed early because of COVID. I talked to God again: “Lord, please help me find a place.”
The last piece and the life change
That afternoon, my sister asked if I had tried a place her husband mentioned. I called them immediately. The director said there was one spot available. That evening, I toured the facility. It was beautiful! I paid the fees and secured my son’s spot.
In one month, God fixed everything. I started my new job with renewed faith and gratitude. He had shown me His grace, and I healed by showing it to others. This new perspective changed my life. It was more than I could have ever asked for!
Sametra has been writing professionally since 2010. She and her son are proud residents of Ridgeland. Her journey has brought her closer to God and taught her the meaning of faith. She can be reached at sametragardner@aol.com.