Blessings Etched Within My Heart

I am overjoyed at the love and faithfulness of my God! In order to explain to you how good my God is.. I first need to explain a little of the hardships we have endured. In December 2008, we had a 4 month old baby and a 2 year old girl. God spoke to me that December and told me (not audibly, but within my heart) that the upcoming year of 2009 would be a year of change. I didn't quite know what that meant, but I felt like He would take care of us. I shared this revelation with Andy. We both had a peace that God would care for us. Andy worked for Clayton Homes in their manufacturing plant. He hated working in such a place as this with vulgar words and sinful actions, but he will admit they paid well. They had paid well enough for me to be a strictly stay at home mom. Although we didn't have luxuries according to some standards we were able to comfortably pay our bills and enjoy the occasional date nights out! A huge blessing was the benefits and paid vacations of this employer. So, after his Christmas vacation he returned to work on January 2nd. It was about 2pm when Andy called me from work (not normal) and told me he was coming home. It didn't hit me until a few minutes later. He had been laid off. It didn't hit me til he returned home that we lost all benefits too with no severance package for health benefits. Our benefits ended THAT day! With a four month old baby & new 2 year old.. that was a little scary to me! Praise the Lord Andy found part-time work at Lifeway Christian Bookstore. It was 45 minutes away and only paid minimum wage, but it was a job. Gratefully, he was now in a job that he enjoyed, but money was more than 50% less what he was making. I started looking for work. I had a very difficult delivery with Eli Eben and was still in some pain. I knew that standing would be hard on my body. So, I called my aunt who hooked me up with a petsitter. She was gracious to work around my schedule for my kids and Andy's work. This provided for us for almost 2 years and along with some babysitting I did I was able to still be home with my kids the majority of the time. I look back on those days and honestly don't know how I did it! I will admit, it was exhausting! I will admit, I often woke up and prayed, "God, you say we can rest in you. Be my rest today. Take away my exhaustion and help me rest in you!" He was always so faithful in that!! About 2 years ago Andy decided to leave Lifeway because of the drive coupled with minimum wage the money just wasn't providing for us. Gas prices were soaring and our bank account dwindling. We were frugal. I had learned the art of couponing and I must admit this art has saved us MANY times!!  Then, Andy applied to Target and got on right away to work 3rd shift unloading trucks. He was told then that to give them a couple of months, he could cross train, and work full-time hours. His pay increase was significant (Target truly does take care of their employees) and it was less than a mile down the road from us! Now, here we are almost 2 years later. With the exception of extra Christmas hours Andy's hours were never increased. It has been difficult, but God has always provided for us. This week, Andy applied for a management position that promised 40 hours a week, guaranteed. We found out today that God granted this for us and I cannot tell you the joy we feel! The last 3 years haven't been easy. They have been full of turmoil, heartache, marital tension, hopelessness, and sometimes despair. However, through this we have learned of God's faithfulness, His sovereignty, His provision, and His love!  We have bills that were supposed to come out of our checking account (and there be no funds for them) be [surprisingly] delayed and not come out til the next payday! Andy's grandmother sadly passed away this year. We were absolutely blessed by her last gift to us which paid off our home. (I often do not share this information. It used to be embarrassing to me. I felt like we would be judged with, "Well! That must be nice!") But the truth is, it was nice. It was her last gift to us. It rendered us to be in a permanent home. We so easily could have lost our home and not had a place to live. So, I feel free to share this now, because it wasn't anything she did. It wasn't anything we did or in Andy's case-- being born in to. It was a total God thing! It was because of this that God has sustained us most of this year.)  I have shared about my major injury to my back/pelvis which has needed medical care, and God sent us to a wonderful Christian chiropractor. He and his wife have been so gracious with providing care to us for a low cost. I have friends who have given us hand me downs for our children to have clothing. I have coupon friends who we share tips/tricks and great deals with eachother. God has been SO faithful and we have truly grown spiritually and are so thankful that He loves us enough to provide for us over these last years! I am so proud of my husband for being such a hard worker when he works. It has been his dedication at work that landed him this position and I am so thankful that our finances are in a better place now. Hopefully, we can be a blessing to others now as much as they have been a blessing to us!  Someone said to me last night in small group, "Could you honestly say, you're glad that your husband was laid off?" Oh that caught me off guard. That's a hard thing to admit. But as I've pondered and considered this statement I think I can say, "Yes! I am glad!" Our marriage is strengthened, my faith is enormous because my God has NEVER failed me, and my knowledge of what truly matters is etched deep within my heart.   Matthew 6:25,30  “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you."