I wish there were four of me. Then at least one of me could adequately update my blog with all of the things that have been happening!

Those of you who have kept up with my semi-regular (and frequent not-so-regular) postings on this blog know that for the past two years, it has been a pretty challenging season for my family. My husband was laid off from his full-time job six months after he got back from Iraq, and has not been able to find a full-time position since. That’s 24 months, almost 720 days of consistent wondering where the next paycheck was coming from.

But we have definitely seen God’s provision. Cliff has had the blessing and opportunity of working several freelance jobs as well as taking on extra trainings through the Navy. I’ve had at least one book project, as well as freelance articles, etc., to keep me busy. We’ve had loving, giving family members who have helped when needed, and unexpected gifts and blessings show up in the mailbox which were definitely unexpected. It’s been tight, it’s been worrisome, but we have grown so much in our walks with God and in our marriage as a result.

New opportunities

Two months ago, I got a message from a former boss of mine who was looking for a new director of external relations to work for him at the university where he is now a dean. After praying about it and not sensing God saying no in looking at it, I told him I’d be interested in talking with him more about it. But then a few days later Cliff got a call from THE job he has always wanted. He’d applied for this position and the company was calling to have him come in for an interview! We were so excited and I hastily wrote an email, letting my boss know that until we saw this through for my husband, I wouldn’t be able to consider the position, which he totally understood.

For two weeks, I was on my KNEES, praying for my husband. We prayed as a family, we prayed as a couple, we prayed separately, we had our Sunday school class praying, my Facebook friends praying – I was asking anyone I knew to pray for this opportunity for my husband. When the day came for his interview, I blocked out that entire time he was gone, doing nothing but praying for him and that God would give him this opportunity.

For two more weeks, we waited. And when I say wait, I mean wait! We weren’t just waiting on the job – we were waiting on freelance checks to come in, I was waiting to hear about additional writing opportunities – I mean, if there was a desert called Wait we were IN IT! With sand up to our necks! Do you know what I mean?

But we spent that waiting time praying. And talking. And trusting. Trusting that God had a plan. Trusting that God was in control, even with everything else feeling like it wasn’t.

The hardest week

And then, on a Tuesday night, I got a call. It was Cliff and his voice sounded funny. He had been out working one of his part-time jobs, and was in a car accident. A 16-year-old had been speeding but Cliff had misjudged how fast the kid was going and pulled out in front of him. The kid panicked and instead of veering to the right of his lane, he veered left, and ran right into Cliff’s car. Thankfully, everyone was ok – just a little bruised – but the police told Cliff they were pretty sure his car would be a total loss, and because Cliff had pulled out, and there was no way to prove the other car was speeding, Cliff was the one cited for failure to yield. We had no idea what the financial ramnifications were going to be – and we were waiting.

The next day, Cliff got a phone call. It was the company he’d interviewed with. And for the 12th time, he heard the words “We’re going another direction.”

We were still waiting.

I have to tell you, that week was probably the darkest, hardest week of our lives so far. If there was ever a time we felt like we were living Job, that week was it. I didn’t understand. Our prayers hadn’t been answered. The testimony I so wanted to give about God’s miraculous faithfulness wasn’t going to happen.

But I knew God was still in control. And I reminded myself that God knew before we did that this horrible week would occur. And so Cliff and I clung to Him and we clung to each other. And we took a breath and asked God the question  – what next? What do you want us to do now? We felt God was making it pretty clear that our time in Nashville – the city we loved and had said for years we never wanted to leave – was over.

God opens doors

The first sign that the dark clouds were lifting was when we got a call from our insurance company. Cliff’s paid-for car had indeed been totaled and the amount they sent us was actually more than what we paid for the car. Wow! A little rain was starting to fall. :)

With Cliff’s blessing, I emailed my boss back and let him know that I was ready to talk. And I have to say, that if there were ever the perfect job and place for me to come out of working from home back to a 9 to 5 gig, this position would be it!

Last weekend, my family took a quick trip over to Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina, where I visited with my boss and the president of the university, and I am excited to announce that starting June 1, I will be the new director of external relations for the College of Christian Studies at Anderson.

And let me just say that when God closes a door, He sometimes takes off the roof! No sooner had I got done with my interviews for the day when I was at Anderson, then I got an email from my agent letting me know that my latest book proposal had received an offer from a publisher! And this past week we learned that I’ve been invited to go to Colorado Springs to tape an interview with FOCUS ON THE FAMILY!!! And I’m quickly trying to finish up the first two chapters of a Bible study for military wives that another publisher wants to put develop! Talk about feeling like stepping out of a desert into a rain forest!

We are now busily making plans to move to Anderson in just a mere six weeks or so; Cliff will continue to do his freelance work and will get the blessing of spending time with Caleb for the summer while we all get settled into our new surroundings and I get into the swing of things at Anderson. My work with Wives of Faith will continue; thankfully, we have a great group of women who are rising up to help with the ministry and I am confident that this new move will not only be good for my family, but good for WoF as well. I will also continue to do speaking as my schedule allows it – my boss has already said he will be supportive for he knows how important my ministry to military wives is to me, and I am excited for the opportunity to be so close to so many military spouses in South Carolina and North Carolina!

Sometimes God has to take you completely out of your comfort zone for His will to be done. I would never have sought out this position had our family’s situation been different. I was comfortable. I didn’t want to leave my little home office. But I know I’m going to learn, I’m going to be challenged (for starters, we are intentionally moving into a 2-bedroom apartment on the THIRD FLOOR!!! YIKES!), and I’m going to see God do some incredible new things in my life and my husband’s life and my son’s life as a result of this move.

I so covet and appreciate your prayers for me and my family during this time. There is still much more to talk about related to GOD Strong and speaking events, etc., and I will try to do some new posts soon updating you on all of it. But if there is anything I want you to know this week, it is this:

I have seen God’s miraculous faithfulness in the life of our family. As usual, His way is not our way, and it is always so much better than we could ever have planned ourselves. Trust God with your struggle today. It may not be today or tomorrow, but He is in control and will see you through.

“And we know, that in ALL things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

Blessings!
Sara

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  5. Look for the Manna