Taste and See
"That was a long list of praises."
That's what The Husband said last night after we had prayed together before calling it a night.
It was an incredibly long list.
It made us feel incredible to be so thankful for how God has moved recently in our lives and in the lives of those we love.
He's moved a lot, and I want to share one specific example of how He's made Himself known over and over again in the last three months. Hold onto your hats, Ladies and Gents.
..............................................................................................................................................
Nearly three months ago, I received a Letter of Intent from my headmaster. It's given to all members of the faculty and staff each year. In simple terms, it lets the administration know what our plans are for next year: to return and teach another year or to not return. They were distributed on the last Friday of February, and it was due the first Monday in March. I would have the letter in my possession to think and pray over for a little over a week.
Since finding out we were expecting, my heart has longed to be a stay at home mom (SAHM). I didn't know how we'd be able to do it since my income was our main income. The Husband and I talked it over often, and we never could seem to make a decision. We both wanted me to be able to stay home with our child (children in the future), but we just didn't see how it was financially possible. The Monday after I received it, I made a decision to lean in and listen for God's leading. I knew what my heart and mind were wanting me to do, but I just didn't have the confidence to choose. I chose to fast from something that took up a lot of my time each day, and instead fill that space with praying, reading God's word, and seeking His will. All week, often in tears, I knelt before God's throne and besought His peace and guidance. By Friday, I still didn't know what to do.
Sunday morning arrived, and The Husband and I headed to church as usual. We sat in our semi-usual spot, and we began to worship. Worship was wonderful, but I will NEVER forget the sermon that Pastor Ty preached that morning. I know that God's word doesn't ever go out and return void. I also know that two people can hear the same message and take away totally different points from it. That's happened to The Husband and I countless times. Not the case this Sunday. I won't type up the whole message here (mostly because I can't remember if I've already written about it on here before, haha! Oh pregnancy brain, how I love what you've done to me), but I will say that the piece that stood out to me the most was when Ty talked about Jesus going into the wilderness before beginning His ministry (Matthew 4). He said that Jesus' ministry began by emptying Himself completely. He fasted and prayed during those forty days knowing that Someone outside Himself would have to provide. He entered into a "God, if you don't, I can't" scenario. He didn't play it safe. He didn't pack a suitcase full of food and water, just in case. He handed over the reigns, and trusted. He knew that God would sustain and provide. The Husband leaned over at that moment in the service, and whispered, "I will support you in whatever you decide." Now, y'all, we hadn't talked about the Letter of Intent for a few days. But, it was obviously on his heart, and he knew it was on mine. After lunch that afternoon, we went for a walk in our complex. It was a beautiful (slightly cool) day, and the walk was nice. I was nervous to say what I felt God telling me, but I finally found the courage to blurt out, "After hearing the sermon this morning, I feel like God is leading me to tell the school that I won't be coming back in the fall." He said, "Yeah, I felt like God punched me in the face. He said the same thing to me." I laughed at the visual that popped into my head, but I also smiled and gripped The Husband's hand tighter. We had made a decision based on what we knew God was saying to us: "Lean in, trust, follow." So, knowing that we had no other source of income to fall back on, knowing that the job industry basically stinks right now, and knowing that we were taking a giant leap of faith, Monday morning, I told my headmaster our decision. He is a godly, caring, gentle man, who loves the Lord, who loves our school, and who cares about each one of the people who work alongside him. He prayed for us and cried with me, and most importantly, he shared his support for our decision. He saw our leap of faith, and he knew God would provide.
That afternoon, I called up a friend (who shall remain nameless unless she gives me the all-clear), and I asked her to be my prayer partner. The intent was simple: each week, we would send our prayer requests to one another. As prayer partners, we would lift those items up together in prayer every day, all the while trusting and believing that God would answer those prayers. I had seen Him work, and I know that He answers the prayers of the faithful. As a bonus, I find it much easier to pray for the requests of others than I do for my own "stuff," so I was excited to begin praying for the things she sent along. Number one on my list was for God to provide a job for The Husband. We began believing in faith and asking in prayer for God to answer that request.
Weeks went by, and I felt such peace that I can't even begin to explain. I knew God would sustain us; I just didn't know how or when. But, the initial peace I felt in making that decision, never left. A load was lifted off my shoulders. I will say that the enemy definitely tried to weigh me down with feelings of guilt and fear, but ALWAYS God lifted me out of those moments. I wrote the sentence "God, if you don't, I can't" on my mirror so that I was constantly reminded of the truth. God would provide. But, I knew I'd have to wait. God generally doesn't follow my timetable.
Exactly one month from that prayer-answering, decision-making Sunday, The Husband got a call from a dear friend at church. (Side note-she is the MOST precious woman you could ever meet. She oozes the love of Jesus, and you simply could get lost in her hugs.) She met a gal that morning who was looking for someone in the IT security field to join her start-up company. This company would specialize in risk (the physical and the IT side) assessment for companies, schools, events, etc. Oh how The Husbands LOVES that stuff. He enjoys making things "secure." He thrives on helping people in dangerous situations. He's the guy that puts on his boots and goes out after storms to see how he can help.
Because it's a start-up company, there's been a massive amount of planning, waiting, talking, waiting, researching, and did I mention, waiting?? The Lord has surely tested our patience. There were times when I just knew it wasn't going to work out, where I was so frustrated at the "wasted amount of time." But, God knew. Cut to six weeks later, and The Husband's been on the job (full time, with benefits) the last two weeks. The two weeks that I've been on bed rest. Yes, he got the call that weekend asking him to begin work two weeks earlier than planned, so he began the Monday after I was released from the hospital. God orchestrated that perfectly. You see, we have one drivable car, which means had I still been going to work, we would have had to figure out how on earth the two of us would be able to get to our respective jobs without someone potentially being late to work often (him) and without someone (me) having to sit around for hours waiting to be picked up at the end of the day. Y'all, the timing was incredible. He's incredible.
That's just one big example of how God has been working in our lives lately. There have been many, many answers to prayer along the way, and one day I may type them all up. I want Him to receive all the glory for this. NONE of these things happened because of us. We're called to share the Good News, and part of that sharing is telling others how God has moved in and around us. How He cares so deeply for us and longs to pour out His blessings upon us. If only we would ask and seek His will.
So, I get to be a SAHM, The Husband gets to get paid for doing something he's incredibly passionate about, and God gets the glory.
My prayer partner and I continue to pray for and alongside one another, and I genuinely can't wait to see what God's got in store.
But, you can bet that I'll proclaim His goodness and glory on here along the way.
My encouragement to you is this...be prepared to be amazed when you submit wholeheartedly to the will of the One Who loves us immeasurably. Pray, Beloveds, all the while stepping out and believing in faith, and then "taste and see that the LORD is good."
That's what The Husband said last night after we had prayed together before calling it a night.
It was an incredibly long list.
It made us feel incredible to be so thankful for how God has moved recently in our lives and in the lives of those we love.
He's moved a lot, and I want to share one specific example of how He's made Himself known over and over again in the last three months. Hold onto your hats, Ladies and Gents.
..............................................................................................................................................
Nearly three months ago, I received a Letter of Intent from my headmaster. It's given to all members of the faculty and staff each year. In simple terms, it lets the administration know what our plans are for next year: to return and teach another year or to not return. They were distributed on the last Friday of February, and it was due the first Monday in March. I would have the letter in my possession to think and pray over for a little over a week.
Since finding out we were expecting, my heart has longed to be a stay at home mom (SAHM). I didn't know how we'd be able to do it since my income was our main income. The Husband and I talked it over often, and we never could seem to make a decision. We both wanted me to be able to stay home with our child (children in the future), but we just didn't see how it was financially possible. The Monday after I received it, I made a decision to lean in and listen for God's leading. I knew what my heart and mind were wanting me to do, but I just didn't have the confidence to choose. I chose to fast from something that took up a lot of my time each day, and instead fill that space with praying, reading God's word, and seeking His will. All week, often in tears, I knelt before God's throne and besought His peace and guidance. By Friday, I still didn't know what to do.
Sunday morning arrived, and The Husband and I headed to church as usual. We sat in our semi-usual spot, and we began to worship. Worship was wonderful, but I will NEVER forget the sermon that Pastor Ty preached that morning. I know that God's word doesn't ever go out and return void. I also know that two people can hear the same message and take away totally different points from it. That's happened to The Husband and I countless times. Not the case this Sunday. I won't type up the whole message here (mostly because I can't remember if I've already written about it on here before, haha! Oh pregnancy brain, how I love what you've done to me), but I will say that the piece that stood out to me the most was when Ty talked about Jesus going into the wilderness before beginning His ministry (Matthew 4). He said that Jesus' ministry began by emptying Himself completely. He fasted and prayed during those forty days knowing that Someone outside Himself would have to provide. He entered into a "God, if you don't, I can't" scenario. He didn't play it safe. He didn't pack a suitcase full of food and water, just in case. He handed over the reigns, and trusted. He knew that God would sustain and provide. The Husband leaned over at that moment in the service, and whispered, "I will support you in whatever you decide." Now, y'all, we hadn't talked about the Letter of Intent for a few days. But, it was obviously on his heart, and he knew it was on mine. After lunch that afternoon, we went for a walk in our complex. It was a beautiful (slightly cool) day, and the walk was nice. I was nervous to say what I felt God telling me, but I finally found the courage to blurt out, "After hearing the sermon this morning, I feel like God is leading me to tell the school that I won't be coming back in the fall." He said, "Yeah, I felt like God punched me in the face. He said the same thing to me." I laughed at the visual that popped into my head, but I also smiled and gripped The Husband's hand tighter. We had made a decision based on what we knew God was saying to us: "Lean in, trust, follow." So, knowing that we had no other source of income to fall back on, knowing that the job industry basically stinks right now, and knowing that we were taking a giant leap of faith, Monday morning, I told my headmaster our decision. He is a godly, caring, gentle man, who loves the Lord, who loves our school, and who cares about each one of the people who work alongside him. He prayed for us and cried with me, and most importantly, he shared his support for our decision. He saw our leap of faith, and he knew God would provide.
That afternoon, I called up a friend (who shall remain nameless unless she gives me the all-clear), and I asked her to be my prayer partner. The intent was simple: each week, we would send our prayer requests to one another. As prayer partners, we would lift those items up together in prayer every day, all the while trusting and believing that God would answer those prayers. I had seen Him work, and I know that He answers the prayers of the faithful. As a bonus, I find it much easier to pray for the requests of others than I do for my own "stuff," so I was excited to begin praying for the things she sent along. Number one on my list was for God to provide a job for The Husband. We began believing in faith and asking in prayer for God to answer that request.
Weeks went by, and I felt such peace that I can't even begin to explain. I knew God would sustain us; I just didn't know how or when. But, the initial peace I felt in making that decision, never left. A load was lifted off my shoulders. I will say that the enemy definitely tried to weigh me down with feelings of guilt and fear, but ALWAYS God lifted me out of those moments. I wrote the sentence "God, if you don't, I can't" on my mirror so that I was constantly reminded of the truth. God would provide. But, I knew I'd have to wait. God generally doesn't follow my timetable.
Exactly one month from that prayer-answering, decision-making Sunday, The Husband got a call from a dear friend at church. (Side note-she is the MOST precious woman you could ever meet. She oozes the love of Jesus, and you simply could get lost in her hugs.) She met a gal that morning who was looking for someone in the IT security field to join her start-up company. This company would specialize in risk (the physical and the IT side) assessment for companies, schools, events, etc. Oh how The Husbands LOVES that stuff. He enjoys making things "secure." He thrives on helping people in dangerous situations. He's the guy that puts on his boots and goes out after storms to see how he can help.
Because it's a start-up company, there's been a massive amount of planning, waiting, talking, waiting, researching, and did I mention, waiting?? The Lord has surely tested our patience. There were times when I just knew it wasn't going to work out, where I was so frustrated at the "wasted amount of time." But, God knew. Cut to six weeks later, and The Husband's been on the job (full time, with benefits) the last two weeks. The two weeks that I've been on bed rest. Yes, he got the call that weekend asking him to begin work two weeks earlier than planned, so he began the Monday after I was released from the hospital. God orchestrated that perfectly. You see, we have one drivable car, which means had I still been going to work, we would have had to figure out how on earth the two of us would be able to get to our respective jobs without someone potentially being late to work often (him) and without someone (me) having to sit around for hours waiting to be picked up at the end of the day. Y'all, the timing was incredible. He's incredible.
That's just one big example of how God has been working in our lives lately. There have been many, many answers to prayer along the way, and one day I may type them all up. I want Him to receive all the glory for this. NONE of these things happened because of us. We're called to share the Good News, and part of that sharing is telling others how God has moved in and around us. How He cares so deeply for us and longs to pour out His blessings upon us. If only we would ask and seek His will.
So, I get to be a SAHM, The Husband gets to get paid for doing something he's incredibly passionate about, and God gets the glory.
My prayer partner and I continue to pray for and alongside one another, and I genuinely can't wait to see what God's got in store.
But, you can bet that I'll proclaim His goodness and glory on here along the way.
My encouragement to you is this...be prepared to be amazed when you submit wholeheartedly to the will of the One Who loves us immeasurably. Pray, Beloveds, all the while stepping out and believing in faith, and then "taste and see that the LORD is good."
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!!! God certainly does move in mysterious ways, His wonders to behold. May all your dreams come true. Love you.
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