If you haven't read my blog in a couple of days, you will want to read these two posts first:
Friday's Post, "A Sigh of Relief ..."
Saturday's Post, "Let God Take the Lead"
Today's post is in response to the previous posts.
Another new Commenter asked some good questions ...
I'm all for listening to the call and whatnot but... is it better to blow through all your family's savings than for YOU to get a job and your husband to homeschool your children for a few months? If his short-term refinery job is no longer available, and he is unable to find work, are you still planning on staying home?
Being a SAHM is a fabulous, blessed and amazing job -- possibly the very very best job in the world -- but is it potentially worth losing your family's financial security / safety net over? Does your family have a Plan B?
1. Is it better to blow through all your family's savings than for YOU to get a job and your husband to homeschool your children for a few months?
Good question. If I could have found a job that was "for a few months", I would have taken it. However, none of the positions that have come my way have been "for a few months". The Real Estate position wanted a 3-5 year commitment. The Adoption Case Worker had such a HUGE learning curve, that I would not have committed for less than a year. The Executive Assistant position wanted someone for a "long term commitment".
2. If his short-term refinery job is no longer available, and he is unable to find work, are you still planning on staying home?
Since we do not believe that Jim is called to stay at home full-time, he must continue to look for full-time, career positions. While looking for these full-time, career positions, he is also seeking any type of temporary work to pay the bills.
If a temporary position were to fall in my lap, I would certainly consider it. However, I cannot look for full-time work (and be willing to commit to long-term employment) when we know that it is Jim that needs to find a full-time job. I will not "commit" to a job, knowing that I would need to quit next week or next month if Jim gets a job.
3. Being a SAHM is a fabulous, blessed and amazing job -- possibly the very very best job in the world -- but is it potentially worth losing your family's financial security / safety net over?
GREAT question. And, the answer has to be "yes", if that is what the Lord is calling me to. We must put our FAITH ... our TRUST ... our SECURITY in the LORD, and the LORD, alone. He must be our "safety net".
4. Does your family have a Plan B?
No. We do not have a Plan B. Our bank account will hit ZERO in about 2 weeks, and we have no idea how we will pay our bills next month. (Although, we do have a tax refund coming our way, and are praying that it will come quickly.)
We do not use credit cards.
We do not have friends or family
to borrow money from.
We have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA
how we are going to pay our bills.
However ... it has been 14 months since Jim quit his pastoral position on the island, and moved home to be with his family. (Which was, without any doubt, what the Lord was requiring him to do.) And ... you know what?!?! ... 14 months ago we had NO IDEA how we were going to pay our bills the following month, or the month after that, or the month after that. But ... we have paid all of our bills, on time, each and every month for the past 14 months.
Am I concerned? You bet.
Do I sometimes worry? Absolutely.
Do I still trust the Lord to provide? Certainly.
When we KNOW that we KNOW that we KNOW that the LORD is calling/directing/requiring me to stay at HOME with our children,
than it would be completely FOOLISH to do otherwise.
* NOTE * I am aware that this post will upset some of you. Because I am being honest about our financial situation, some of you think I am "begging for money" ... which is not the case, at all. The purpose of this post is not to point to the fact that our bank account is running low. No. The purpose of this post is to ...
explain why we have made
the decisions that we have made.
encourage others to have
FAITH in the Lord's Provision.
encourage others to TRUST in the Lord's
Direction, even if/when it looks "foolish".
encourage others to take a serious look at where
their "security" lies (in the bank, or with the Lord).
Keep asking questions.
I enjoy a good discussion.
Can I just say I UNDERSTAND your position. Our family has been right where you are. YES, the Lord will provide and it may or may not look ANYTHING like what you are expecting. 2 years ago, we walked the HARDEST path of our lives but God lead the way. HE IS FAITHFUL! KEEP holding on to HIS unchanging hand.
ReplyDeleteMany people will not understand (unless they have been where you are). People will judge and give their advice/opinion but really the ONLY thing that matters is that you keep your eyes on Jesus.
Laurel, I get this...I TOTALLY get this. Thanks for the reminder to be faithful, even when God tests us in it. I'll send you a private e-mail about some of my favorite God-provides-in-huge-ways stories about our three FREE vans. Right now, though, I have to take my wonderful kidlets to the park since i have them all day. Hooray for celebrating Presidents!
ReplyDeleteLaurel,
ReplyDeleteMost of us that do have employment should live the same way as you because noone is promised tomorrow! No job will always be there either, it can change in a moments notice!
I work for a healthcare org for 11 years, and was downsized out of a job. Only through the grace of God have made it!
Hang in there and keep following him!
God Bless,
Rose Anne
This is a lesson I learned so clearly a few years ago when Russ lost his job. We had NO idea where or how we were going to pay our bills, but somehow we were provided for at just the moment we needed it.
ReplyDeleteContinue to have faith, my friend.
I have been reading your blog for a while and continue to be encouraged by your faith and commitment to follow God's leading, even if you don't know where He is leading or how. Thank you for being honest and for being real.
ReplyDeleteWe work in the middle of a war zone and have had many friends and loved ones tell us how stupid we are for putting our lives (and more importantly the lives of our children) at risk. But we LOVE our life and are SO at peace because we know that this is how God has called us and where He wants us. It is not easy...but following Him isn't supposed to be! In those days of doubt, examples like you remind me that following His lead is worth it.
Keep pressing on and being faithful to HIS voice. May you be deeply blessed in these days as you do!
Tyler
Praying for you and knowing our God is HUGE and will provide!
ReplyDeleteWe have lived through 25 years of financial insecurity. Rarely, rarely, did we ever have security the way the world sees it. In this past year through some money in an inheritance and a lawsuit, we are in a season of blessing! The story is way more than that, but the bottom line is we never thought we'd see the day we are experiencing today. I believe it is because of us following God's call on our lives to adopt, homeschool, me stay home and being obedient to God's call. For those who haven't been there it's impossible to describe but it CAN be a time of tremendous growth. You are amazing!
ReplyDelete