C'mon, God, Why Won't You Fit in This Cute Little Box I've Made For You?

Sorry in advance for the long-winded post, just a lot on my heart lately!

The past few weeks have been faith-stretching.  Big time.  I'm not sure I like faith-stretching times (just being honest, folks).  But I do know its worth it in the end.  Big time.  Most of you know that Dan was laid off about a month ago.  This is the third job in three years he's been laid off from.  Talk about a kick in the gut.  If you don't know my husband, you don't know that he is the smartest, most technologically talented person I know.  And he is great at puzzles.  Like, figuring out solutions to tough problems (although he is good at the piece-together puzzles also :) )  Anyway, if you do know him, you already know all that.  So, its been SUPER frustrating for the last several years to watch him try so hard and never catch a break.

Over the past 6-8 months or so, we've had countless conversations about what he wants to do.  Let's be honest, running a telemarketing room is not a life commitment.  Obviously.  And I think he came to the conclusion that he wants to help organizations succeed.  And he wants to serve Jesus by doing that.  He wants to help organizations that serve Jesus be successful.  Flash forward to last week.  He was offered a job with a collections company working on the phone.  For a whopping $9.50 an hour.  Yikes.  And he was pursuing a great lead with the University of Phoenix, but they've been seriously dragging their feet.  So, it seems his options were, yet again, to settle for a crap job so we can pay the bills.  And look forward to being in this same spot yet again in however many months.

See, God will provide what we need to survive.  He's given us what it takes to pay our bills and to barely keep our heads above water.  But, is that what living life with Jesus is about?  Just keeping our heads above water?  Just living a life that is barely good enough?  We've both been reflecting on this thought and God seems to be using Dan's job situation to prove to us that living life with Jesus is about trusting when it doesn't seem logical, obeying when you can't see the end, and reaping the unbelievable rewards of a sold-out faith in Him.  See, God can give us a job we need to get by.  But, if we wait and trust and wait some more, I believe he will give us "immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine."

Dan was supposed to start that collections job on Monday (like 3 days ago).  Sunday night we went for a walk (yay cooler weather!) and had a long talk.  He was totally convinced that he wasn't supposed to take that job.  And I knew it too, because he had been a total crank all weekend, which only happens when something is really bothering him.  :)  He said, "What if God's been trying to get us to take this leap of faith for three years, and we have been so blinded by what we need RIGHT NOW that we haven't given Him the chance to give us something better?  What if I was supposed to do this three years ago?"  So, I relented, and this week has been awesome.

Every day since Sunday, Dan has received a paycheck of some kind for video work he's been doing.  He's also been landing new jobs and has been working his butt off.  Which, equals more checks in the mail.  It also equals more jobs coming in.  So, for now, we are treading lightly and believing that God has a plan that is bigger than our own.  If you think of it, please pray for us.  Please pray that we will keep being faithful and obedient.  That we will be wise with the money we are given, and that whatever God has planned for us will be revealed in His timing.

Now, Greyson is screaming, so I need to go be obedient to the plan God has for me TODAY.  :)  Thanks for listening!