It was a sweet day of celebration on Monday; our one month as a married couple and God provided a job for Tim!
This whole married thing has shown me over and over again how much I can trust God because He does love me and because He is good. Not that I am at the point where I whole-heartedly, 100% believe that all the time, but it is true. Something I have been learning is the fact that God is good regardless of the circumstances. Had Tim not gotten a job, God would still be good and we can still rejoice in that.
The weekend before Tim got the job, we went back to my parents house for the weekend to help with the farmers market and to look for potential housing. On Saturday morning, Tim got a call from Eastside Auto saying that they, would like an interview that afternoon for their manager position. Tim went and it (obviously) went really well! It was completely a God thing, Tim and the current manager hit it off because they were very similar in age, and the manager was leaving because he was getting married to his girlfriend of over 5 years!!! (sound familiar?)
Anyways, after the interview Tim and I went and looked at a couple of apartments in Kent and Auburn, with the apartment in Kent looking very promising. We had all but made up our minds until we got home. I took a shower (after getting all gross and sweaty at the farmers market), and Tim decided to just hang out. When I got done, we were talking and he told me he needed to talk with me about the apartment situation. He said he had been praying, something he feels like neither of us did much of before looking at the apartments, and He felt like God was leading him to believe that neither of those places were right for us and that we should consider waiting to sign a lease.
At first I was a little bit upset. Not at Tim, but just at the situation. The apartment we looked at in Kent was beautiful, cozy, and definitely reasonably priced. It may not have been that big of a deal, but for someone who has moved 4 times in the past year, it's a big deal when you consider the prospect of having a home for longer than 3 months. I was tired; tired of moving, tired of waiting to find a home, tired of feeling homeless. This whole year I never felt like I had a place that was my own, just a temporary living area until the next one came around. It was hard, and it really added to my stress, and I was just worn out from packing up and moving so often.
I cried, I wasn't happy that Tim, or God, felt that we should wait until Tim for-sure had a job. I felt like we had enough money saved in the bank to find a place to live while Tim searched for a job, especially since if we didn't it meant living with our parents because we only have this current house until aug. 5.
However, the next day during our car ride back to Ellensburg, Tim was explaining more of where he was coming from and why he felt that it was best we just wait it out (something that even he wasn't excited about). He said that we had neglected to just be thankful for where we are at right now. As soon as those words left his mouth I felt instantly convicted. It was true, I spent so much of my time looking to the future and forgot to just be thankful for what God has provided right now: a free home, gift cards that have allowed us to pay only a little money for food, and a job, to name a few.
That conversation completely changed my attitude over the whole situation. We then went on to talk about how we can trust God because of all He has done for us, that no matter what His will ultimately will be done.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9
I find that comforting, that no matter what, God is in control and nothing will happen outside of His will. It is comforting to me that I can trust God will ultimately have His plans come through, but mine will ultimately fail me. I am glad that I can trust God.
That morning at church, our pastor was talking about the will of God and it fit so perfectly into what was going on in our lives. That day I chose to be thankful for where I am at, to trust that God does have a plan and to trust that it is better than mine.
The next day Tim got a call and was offered the job. Now, God's will would have happened no matter what, He does not depend on my actions. However, trusting that God's plans are better makes the transition easier. Tim got a job as a manager at an auto shop, it is full time, great pay, and full benefits. Even with that, it was not in my plan that my husband work in Bellevue at an auto shop. It was not my plan to live in an area that is more expensive. It was not my plan that Tim would work tuesdays through saturdays. None of it was my plan. However, because I had chosen to trust God I can have peace about the situation. Had God not drawn me to a place of thankfulness (or rather, had I not chosen to follow Him), I would probably have a harder time accepting our situation. But, God is good and He provides.
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
So, I pray that I remember these things when I don't feel like trusting God, with life gets hard and complicated, and doesn't go the way I had planned. God will always come through.
Then you will know that I am the LORD: Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.
Isaiah 49:23
