Transition.....

We are surviving our transition period.  I say transition because we are still in the uncertain stage of life.  My husband lost his secular job in November because the IT department had been out-sourced.  He is sooooo close to retirement form his secular job............yet not close enough. 

(I'm sure it is harder for you to understand if your husband is a full time minister......but in Bi-Vo ministry......you have TWO full-time jobs, but ONLY your secular job pays the bills.  Our home is 32 miles from church, so the money they pay him, barely pays the expenses.)

Roger will be 62 in March.  Unless he changes his mind, he will begin drawing Social Security in November, at a reduced amount.  In November, he will also be able to draw from his retirement at his secular job.  (The largest portion of his retirement is with Guidestone and since he does not feel at this time that God is finished with him at our church......he is not going to retire from church right now.)

The stress levels have been down.......as far as his secular job is concerned.  Therefore....as I  blogged before, it has been a BLESSING that he lost his job.  The stress level before had maxed out.

Also....God has opened the doors that would have been impossible had he been working at his secular job.

1. Roger has been able to fellowship and interact with other pastors.....which was next to impossible while holding down two jobs.
2. He has signed up to substitute teach at my middle school.....and has been subbing some.  He has a new appreciation of "my job" and has enjoyed being able to interact and be around middle school age.
3. At another school, a 7th grade boy was struggling and was headed down the wrong path.  God lead his mom to ask Roger to go talk with him.  Without breaching the confidentiality of it..............WOW....WOW.........God used Roger to help the entire family...............son, siblings and even parent's marriage.  Had Roger been working his secular job, he could not have as freely been there for the family.
4. We, the church, have benefited from his secular job being gone........his preaching has stepped up even greater levels.

God is good...................all the time.

God sees the BIG PICTURE.............we only see the little view.

What we thought was a tragedy has turned into such a BLESSING.

AND.....God is ALWAYS faithful and takes care of HIS OWN.  Our family income was suddenly decreased by two thirds..............................but we have barely missed it. 

God is Good................all the time.