Where Do I Begin?...

Hey friends!  It's me!  You remember me right?  You don't?  Well, I suppose it's been a while since I've posted.  I took a break.  I know, I know...I'm like the queen of inconsistency and am always taking breaks from posting.  I just needed the freedom to have time away to think, pray, and connect with God and sometimes that means just a smattering of posts here and there.  Are we still cool?  I hope so!

Well, the last several weeks, we've been in the throws of watching God move mountains and obstacles, and throwing doors wide-open for us to walk through!  8 1/2 months ago, B was laid off from his job as an architect. It wasn't a complete surprise as architecture firms across the nation were hit hard by the deflating economy, but, nonetheless, it was a punch in the gut (I wrote about our journey and all God has been teaching us Here, Here and Here , sorry friends...there doesn't seem to be a Cliff Notes version of God lessons available).

Well, two weeks ago, B got a job offer, he accepted, and today was his first day at the office!  The staff welcomed him with exuberance (all are former co-workers from his previous firm, how crazy is that?!).  In true God-style, it was a place we never expected, and the timing in which God opened the door was perfect!  We are still reeling and in awe of how it all worked out.  God's hand was in every meeting, e-mail, and phone call during the last couple of weeks and we are completely blown away, yet grounded in peace and confidence in the direction God is taking our family. 

We are staying in our same town, and from the outside our life remains the same (same house, same friends, same church), however God has permanently left his fingerprint on us and from the inside, we will never be the same again.  We were two people who loved God, but definitely made our own plans and only consulted Him when we felt we needed a little direction.  He didn't have the place in our lives He deserved. 

While some may not agree, 8 1/2 months of no job, and seemingly no prospects, was the greatest gift God could have given us.  During this time, God moved in the hearts of others, to bestow a generosity we could never fathom...I wish I knew who each of you are.  You blew us away by your anonymous gifts.  I have spent many nights crying and thanking God for each of you.  I continue to pray God blesses you many times over for what you did for us.  You are manna...unexplainable, but for the grace of God moving in your hearts.  Thank you.  Then there were the friends who made a commitment to us and never gave us the opportunity to turn them down.  Thank you, may God richly bless you in all you do.  God himself multiplied His blessings...we can't explain it...it's God-math.  My friends, are you getting the picture of how He miraculously provided?  A few people asked me why I wasn't upset or scared or angry during this time...how could I be bitter when God moved so graciously?  I was in awe of Him and took every opportunity to give Him the praise...because it was nothing of ourselves, we could not boast.  The greatest lesson we learned as He drew us to Him is that man can not live on bread alone, but by every breath of God (Deuteronomy 8:3)...we knew this, believed it, but did not live it out.   Our needs and our desires drastically changed during this time...being in communion with Him far out weighed the physical.  He promises to care for the physical, and we trusted in His promise, (Matt 6:25-34) knowing God never breaks His promises. 

He made life for us simple.  lovely.  beautiful. 

We will never again look at our lives as our own.  All that we have is not ours to keep.  Our desires are not our own; being obedient in all that God asks of us, no matter what it looks like.  Realizing that every opportunity not seized to proclaim His honor and glory is an opportunity lost.  That every good and perfect gift is from above.  Do I wish for a second that this hadn't happened?  That He would have chosen an easier means to capture our hearts?  No.  Not for one minute do I wish for something different than what He gave.  We are grateful, and thankful for this time.  It was difficult and painful, but the beauty was seeing the blessings that came freely when we clung to Him with all we had in us.

Our greatest prayer is that we do not become like the children of Israel of the Old Testament, who even after God came to their rescue time and again, showing them they had His favor, they quickly forgot and slipped easily into their old ways.

We want to be changed for His glory, or this time meant nothing.

Well, this post is quickly becoming a mini-novel, so I will wrap it up...

We are rejoicing in God's provision and perfect timing!

God is good all the time!