Trying Times

About 3 weeks after we bought the house, Andy was laid off from his job. Just two weeks before that, we learned that our renters in our Goodyear home would be bailing on the lease and had trashed the house. No job. Two mortgages to pay. This was a very trying, confusing, and stressful time for us. We couldn't understand why we felt SO good about buying the house if we were just going to have to move. There would be thousands of dollars lost.

 I have to back up for a minute here. A bit before he lost his job, he felt like he should put in an application for a job at Old Dominion University here in Virginia Beach and at South University.  We were very excited at the prospect of ODU because he wasn't particularly enjoying his job at UOP anymore. Also, it would get him out of private education and into non profit education. The South job sounded interesting. He had an interview and they wanted to hire him. Then we found out the salary was literally HALF of what he was making at UOP. We decided to rule out this position because we were sure we couldn't make it on that salary unless I went to work as well. Then he lost his job. We were sure the Lord would provide and he'd get this job at ODU. Word came. He didn't get the job. To say I was devastated would be an understatement. There were too many weird things that happened that pointed us to this job. We felt like the Lord would make it all fall into place. When he didn't, I couldn't understand it. We had fasted and prayed SO HARD. Our families joined us in our prayers and fasting. Soon another job opportunity presented itself. The job was very exciting to Andy and he really wanted to do it. It would be in Alexandria, (D.C.) area. He made it through all the interviews. We had inside info that said they LOVED him. We thought he would get the job. It came down to him and one other person. They ended up hiring the other person. What a serious blow this was to us. In the midst of all of this, our renters were being very nasty and refusing pay or fix things that they had broken in the house. Being so far away, there wasn't a whole lot we could do. November and most of December pass by. No job.  Andy and I soon found ourselves in full fledge panic mode. We had no health insurance. We couldn't afford the cost of Cobra. We applied for state benefits. It was denied because down the road we would receive severance pay. But UOP was saying they wouldn't be paying that until about 45 days down the road. Perfect. We have two mortgages plus utilities for both to pay and Christmas is speedily approaching. Andy and I quickly realized that we were falling into a really depressed place and decided to look for blessings and stop focusing on what the Lord had denied us. Some of those blessings were that we remained healthy for the entire 3 months we were without health insurance. No colds. No flu. No strep (which was spreading like wildfire everywhere around us). We were able to get the school kids on free lunch. We also received several door bell ditches where gift cards with high amounts were left on our doorstep by ward members. We were digging deep into gospel study and found our testimonies growing. Our knowledge increased, but the sense of abandonment from the Lord remained. We struggled to find Him in our every day. I was determined to find Him. I decided at the end of each day I would lay  in bed and look for His hand. In one way or another it was always there. Little tender mercies became mountainous tender mercies. They became my lifeline to finding daily joy.

By the end of December, we had received several "no's" to jobs. The director for South University kept after Andy. He wanted to hire him. We prayed and prayed, and prayed some more. After a lot of flip flopping we finally felt like we had received our answer that he should take the job even though it paid so much less than UOP. The director promised Andy that he could work as much overtime as he wanted to help us make ends meet. Another mountainous tender mercy arrived when they told Andy if he accepted they could put his start date as December 31 and we could have health insurance benefits starting February 1. Andy began working Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday thru Thursday, till 6 on Fridays and every Saturday. It was quite the adjustment for me and him. I was a single parent. He was never home. It isn't his ideal job. But... the Lord wants to teach us something, so we're letting Him. We have learned to budget so much better. One of the largest tender mercies we have received is that we haven't had to pull out of savings to make ends meet yet. It's been five months. On paper it doesn't make sense. At all. Period. It is a miracle from the Lord. He is showing us His hand. He is there. When we are obedient, He is there. I still don't think we've learned all he wants us to by allowing this trial. We ended up selling our Goodyear home to have some savings to fall back on, just in case. And thank goodness we did! Hello ceiling leak and cracked pipes (see new home post) ! But I have learned to see His hands. I honestly feel like there is purpose to this trial. I am still trying to be obedient so I can figure out what it is. Until then, we are plugging along here in Virginia Beach!