In early October, I did something I never thought possible – I resigned from my job/career.
For 15 years, I have been in an industry that I find exhilarating… I have never been stuck in an office, but when the weather was bad, I could hit the office and rummage through data and build spreadsheets (Hey! Don’t make fun of me – making GOOD spreadsheets requires a lot of creativity!). Daily I would have the opportunity to interact with the managers of the refinery, and 5 minutes later I would have my hands dirty with maintenance and operators. I love this!
As much as I have enjoyed this work, I’ve known in my heart for quite some time (probably 7 years… since 2008) that the Lord was possibly leading me away from it; I have learned that it is much more exhilarating and peaceful to do as the Lord desires than what makes sense to “mankind”.
This is a change that seems ludicrous for us – most would consider it financial suicide. Please understand that my husband works very hard in a line of work that really matters – counseling, but pay is minimal and insurance benefits are good for him but astonishingly bad for our family. Our finances do not make sense if you look at just the here and now, but…
When Elliot died, the Lord taught me a very important lesson – nothing is a surprise to Him, and He prepares us for things long before He calls us to them. So, in scenarios like this, I like to step back and take a look around at the ways God has prepared us for this.
- In 2008, we began a journey to pay off our mortgage with gazelle intensity… We had a 7 year plan that ended up only taking 2 years. If we still had a mortgage, we could not make this change.
- In the 1970’s an organization began called “Christian Healthcare Ministries (CHM)” – an organization that “cost shares” medical expenses for Christians. Today this ministry meets all the requirements for the “Affordable Care Act” (also known as Obamacare). I know this organization wasn’t started for my family specifically, but the need was known long ago that this would be a need for our family. We cannot afford health insurance as it exists today, but we can afford CHM while also having the opportunity to share with others financially and prayerfully who have medical needs.
- I consider the many barriers God helped me face using the Celebrate Recovery (CR) ministry. It was through CR that I realized I was finding my identity in my work rather than in Christ Jesus… if things were good at work – then I was good. If someone was not satisfied (or I perceived they were not satisfied) with something I did at work – then I felt worthless. Over 10 years ago, the Lord changed my heart to know that my value is from being His child.
- My dad… My parents lost so much due to my mom’s illness over her last 10 years of life. For years, Ron and I were blessed to help financially. Once my mom passed, my dad was left with a failed construction business due to his inability to attend to it, and he had aged enough that he could no longer work in the industry he had been accustomed to. My dad recently sold his place in TX and moved near us. This gives him less financial and physical burdens, and it allows us to love and invest in him without having to do it financially and without having to travel to TX.
During my prayer time on 9/1/15, I heard words spoken to my heart through scripture that gave me peace and confirmation to turn in my resignation, step into a new season of life, and watch as God gives us new opportunities to receive His love and to share it with others. This gives us great anticipation of the days ahead.
So what’s next for our “ever-changing” family?…
That’s the hard part – I don’t know! But I’m ready for the ride.
As we are on this ride, I’m enjoying investing more into my marriage, and I have dinner on the table when Ron gets home. I get to see my 8 year old’s face every day as he exits school, and I am the one teaching my 3 year old his ABC’s. What could be better?
Praise God for his faithfulness, and I’m so glad to have a family that is willing to face all these changes with joy and anticipation!
