Storming the Gates

Yesterday, while Jack was in "room time," I heard some noises that weren't typical. So, my curiosity piqued, I looked under his door.  

He had moved the items from the left side of his room to the right side of his room. Same placement. New spot.  

This morning. I heard the same noises. Again, I peeked under the door and saw he'd done the same thing. All three large items were moved to the same place. 

I guess he wanted a new perspective. I do it, too. I've moved furniture in his room several times, and when we lived in the condo, I was always trying out new room arrangements. 

A new perspective. We all need it occasionally. 

The Husband needs it badly. Truly. If we've ever needed you to storm the gates of heaven for us, this is it. 

He has been at this job as a correctional

officer for almost a year now. The job was a god-send last year. It worked better with his hours at the academy. It allowed us to save up for and buy our house. It has paid the bills and bought the groceries every month. 

But, it's a hard job. Not physically. Mentally. 

He is locked in a room with 30-50 men. Men who are often angry at their circumstances and some who are violent. 

In order to remain in control of an intense situation, my husband has to become someone he's not. Someone he doesn't like. Someone that sometimes follows him home even if he tries to leave him behind. 

It is wearing on his mind and his heart. He so badly wants to be the man God is calling him to be, but this job is strangling that man.  To be verbally abused and threatened 8 to sometimes 16 hours a day 5 days a week is painful. To be on constant alert for a violent outbreak, to have to resort to using foul language because it's the only thing these men understand, to have to witness disturbing acts daily, is damaging. 

He desperately wants to be a police officer. He wants to do good. He wants to help and serve others. He wants to make a difference. He wants his children to see what he does to provide for our family and be proud of him. 

He is doing the best he can in a pretty tough situation, but it's getting harder and harder. Job openings in departments around here are few and far between, and they are often filled in that "small town everyone knows everyone" way. 

Please, please, please storm those gates with us. Please add him to your prayers. Pass him on to those prayer chain warriors in your life. Pray for the hand of God to move in such a mighty way that no one can doubt it was God who did it. 

He needs this new perspective. Please God, WE need this new perspective. Move mountains. Open doors. Shove him toward that perfect position that you have for him. Allow him the opportunity to serve and honor you with his words, his actions, his service to others.