This raw, ripped apart veil thing can be tough. Yeah, hanging with the Big Guy for a month and a half is good. Yeah, nothing brings us closer to him that the occasional bout of suffering. Last year it was my health, this year's line up: financial insecurity.
God's schedule seems to be getting more precise, too. In this case, two days into Lent, my husband and I found ourselves in a financial crisis. (My husband owns a small machine shop. Needless to say, manufacturing in the US is all but gone and we are just coming to realize that our business is in serious trouble.)
What to do? Do we cancel our tithe? Fret about the grocery bill? Sell all our assets and move to Vietnam?
Or do we trust?
Change is imminent and I am cycling through all of the Kubler-Ross phases of grief. But I am remembering that God has not forsaken us and am sometimes managing to find joy even in the midst of loss.
Oh, and the TV thing has been good. I think when we do finally pull it back out of the basement, we might just ban it from the living room and stick it in our guest room.
9 comments:
Rachel,
You and your husband are in my prayers! My own husband faces a certain layoff next year, and in your 50s it's hard (perhaps impossible) to get another IT job.
Blessings,
Judy
Right back at you with the prayers, Judy. I hope that these changes will bring blessings for you and your husband.
I keep going back to Jesus on this one... and really trying not to let myself wander into fear.
Rachel, you and your family are in my prayers as well. Peace
You are also in my prayers....
My husband I are are just now coming out of a 5 year struggle to stay in business. Ps 37:25 is the verse that pulled us through.
"I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."
I don't know why, but that soothed me to sleep on otherwise fretful nights of fear. Hope it helps
kel
Prayers for you and your family ...
Keeping you and your family in my prayers Rachel.
http://www.rimes.org
local manufacturing extension program that provides free business analysis, opens potential markets, identifies training grants, etc.
http://www.risbdc.org
small business development center
tried sourcing from southeast asia to sell through to your client contacts in the US? Tapped into captive US markets, medical equipment, high service rapid prototyping, or DOD?
Don't give up your pledge.
My sales montra:
One for Jesus, One for me;
One for Jesus, Two for Me;
...
One for Jesus, Nine for Me!
[Look! That's tithing! 1/10th for Jesus!]
Start by giving 100% to Jesus. First fruits...
Hey Anonymous (squared)
Great comments, both. Thanks for the local help. I'll pass these along to Nguyen and see what comes of them.
We have, indeed, been tapping into the captive US markets.
About tithing: I couldn't agree more. In some ways, I think this hiccup in our financial situation is an opportunity to really walk our talk. Handing over 10% is easy when things are going well. It is a much bigger act of faith when things are challenging. And yet, the Widow (of the widow's mite fame) handed her few coins even when she was destitute. I pray that I have the courage to do the same.
Luke 21:1-4 1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men that were casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, This poor widow cast in more than they all: 4 for all these did of their superfluity cast in unto the gifts; but she of her want did cast in all the living that she had.
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