It has been a while since I blogged. Life happens, right? It has been a crazy few weeks, but they have been good. I am definitely in a transition chapter in my life. I’m ‘retired’ from homeschooling. My daughter is married and living with her husband, and my son works full-time. Then, in September, I got a job. It was totally unexpected. I applied in January for a job at the place I’m working at now on a whim, honestly. I didn’t know if I really wanted a regular job outside of the home, but at the same time expenses were piling up and the reality was that a little bit of extra income would definitely be a blessing. It isn’t that I haven’t had jobs over the years, but I haven’t had one that required regularly leaving the home more than a couple of days a week since February 2003, nearly twenty years ago.
So, in January, someone told me of a place that was hiring that they felt I would be a good fit. I applied, and the interview went well. Yet, they went with someone else, but they did tell me that they may have another job in a few months opening up that they would consider me for. Months went by, and I didn’t hear back, so I basically forgot all about it. Every once in a while I would remember, but I never got the courage to call them up to see what the status was. To be honest, I just left it up to if it was meant to be, it would be. I continued with my life of subbing part-time, working on the farm, helping others with various projects, and working a few hours a month as a remote office assistant for my dad.
Well, in August one evening, I was lamenting to my husband, Josh, that I didn’t understand why it was so hard for me to find a regular job. I had applied at many places over the months and had interviews, but no prospects. The funny thing is, I remember telling him, “I have never had a job just fall into my lap. In fact, I am going to quit looking. If God wants me to have a job, He will provide one. Maybe He just wants me to stop thinking about finances and trust Him.”
Side note: One thing I know for sure from what I said that is true, God does want me to quit worrying about finances and trust Him which is Biblical despite whether I have a job or not.
Well, the very next day, during my workout, I got a phone call, and lo and behold, God put me to the test. The place I applied to in January wanted to hire me. Now, backstory, I wanted a part-time job, like three days a week which currently my job is, but in January it transitions to full-time.
I felt God saying, “Look I can do all things, but it just may not be exactly what you were praying for. Here is a job for you that will allow you to work part-time for a few months, but it will eventually go full-time. Are you willing to follow a path that I have just laid out before you and see where it goes?”
Needless to say, I took the job. I like the job, and I am letting go and letting God direct my path. Where my path may lead, I do not know, but I am excited to see what happens. I do hope and pray that it is His will for me to keep writing despite having a job outside of the home. It will require me to prioritize my time at home and still get house chores and farm chores done. The ironic thing about my personality, I am usually more efficient when I have a lot on my plate.
On top of starting a new chapter with a new job, another thing that kept me busy from writing was God’s Fall Holy Days. I won’t go into explaining them. You can read about them in various places in the Old Testament, one place is Leviticus 23. I love God’s set-apart times. It helps rejuvenate me.
This year, we spent the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day in the beautiful Ozarks at Shepherd of the Ozarks in Harriet, AR with North Texas Fellowship. The fellowship was great. The messages were edifying, and the facilities were absolutely breathtaking.
What I really loved was that it felt like all the messages were speaking to me and to my new transition in life. It was about our identity in Christ and letting go and trusting our Father and the Messiah to direct our paths, which was what I just did with taking on the new job. It was amazing to get more affirmations that I am heading in a good direction. It won’t always be easy and fun, but trusting God is the best thing for me to do with my life.
I have to say that one major point I got out of this year’s Feast, was it is time for me to fully let go, and that thought brought so much peace and freedom, to let go of control is actually pretty liberating. The truth is, we have no control other than our attitudes and actions. In fact, I realized today that my intentions for my day were to update my blog, however, I have no control if I accomplish the goal or not. That may sound weird, but hear me out. I have the control to try to attempt to update my blog, yet, I have no control over whether or not my computer decides to work or not; or if the internet will work; or if WIX will be working; or if I get writer’s block, or…. Do you see what I mean? I have control to try to do this or that, but I have no control over any outside influences that may try to derail my plans. God is the one in control over our day-to-day lives. Our control lies in our attitudes and responses to what happens. So, let go, give God your dreams, trust His will for your life, and enjoy the freedom He grants us when we put our full trust in Him.