Trusting!

A week ago this last Monday, my boss informed me that it was necessary for the company to lay off all their seasonal employees--which included me. Until now the economic decline had seemed so far off and had only touched the fringes of my life. I knew a few people who'd been laid off, but I never thought that I would be.

However, after the initial shock wore off I have come to realize that it is really a blessing in disguise. I fully believe that God gave me this job, both summers that I have worked at this company, and so it is His to take away. For the last four years, I've worked every summer like crazy to make money for school and then I worked like crazy at school to get high enough grades to get scholarships in order to make it through my degree debt-free. And due to God's graciousness, that is a reality. I like working and I like being busy and so I would never have taken this month off if I had the choice, but now that I'm unemployed, I understand how much I need to rest before I jump into this great adventure of moving to the desert.

Trusting God for the finances to go to Niger is one of the biggest issues for me. By taking away my job it means I will have less to contribute to my funds, which is definitely a cause of anxiety for me, but I know that God is faithful. He has already brought in half of my funds and I know that He will provide the rest. From my perspective, the amount I have to raise is mind blowing but I know for God it is more than manageable.

I've also been given the opportunity to do some things that I otherwise would not have been able to do. While out for coffee with a pastor yesterday, he asked me if I was going to the Leadership Summit and I said no. I hadn't signed up because I was working full time, and now it was too late. But no! Someone from his church was unable to come and he said I could come in her place, without having to pay a penny. Wow.

Also, Rocky Mountain Bible College is offering a four day course on Community Health Education--one of the things that the Niger team is doing. So it fits perfectly, I wouldn't have been able to attend if I was still employed, and so I am registered and ready to go!

Our plans are not always God's plans, but we can trust in the goodness of His plans because He's got our best interests at heart!