Provision

* Raffle Update: Thank you to everyone that donated to our best friends adoption. The raffle and match was a total of $800. May God bless your generosity. Winner: Katie Reeves
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I wish I could take you into my life for even a week. I seriously think one day Tim and I will write a best selling book.
2012 has tried to kick our ass and its only been 7 days.

Just being honest.

You wouldn't even believe the details of the below scenarios if I told them to you. But I will give a summary.

Tims job slowed down. I mean SLOWED down. To the point where he is waiting for another door to open in this industry he loves and God clearly has ordained him here. We have peace in that. But, when work comes to a hault and you are a 1 income family. What do you do?
Panic? doesnt work.
Cry? doesnt change things.
Get mad? doesnt change the original problem.

As rational as you can be, I am thankful to know the Lord. Because, HE, only HE can calm the waters and PROVIDE.

Industrious. Hard working. Resourceful. Those are words that describe my man.
At Tims slowest part of the season, he started making chainsaw bears as a joke, well it turned into a Christmas Bonanza. I kid you not.... the man sold $2,000 in chainsaw bears. Seriously? Seriously.

Over Christmas, a lady pulled into our driveway, rolled down her window, and gave Tim a Christmas card with $100 in it. We don't know her. Tim opened it as she left and walked in, white-faced. I asked Tim why and what else she said, and all she said was that Jesus told her to give that to us. Here is the card, which sits on our shelf as a promise of God's commitment to us on this path he has put us on!!

On top of work being slow for him and having to maybe change course with another company, his transmission died in his truck. A great time for that to happen. We considered being a 1 car family, but with him working, in his LAST semester of school, me taking David to preschool, and also me not ripping the walls down being house-bound.... we decided that may not be the greatest idea.

We are Dave Ramsey people. We dont believe in debt. Period. So, we sold his truck for what it was worth. 1000.00. How sad is that? We used some Emergency Fund dollars and bought this car:




Can you believe it? $1900. I'm dead serious. God totally provided this. It's not a Beemer, but I think its kinda cute. I didnt even know you could buy a car for $1900. Well you can. And we did.

On top of that, we have some doors in front of us. Praise the Lord for doors to open, right?
We are in deep prayer for direction. Provision. Wisdom. Asking God to clearly help us make the right steps into whatever change has to be made. Would you pray for us?

The great thing about living in a house you are going to flip is that when stress comes, you can channel ALL your frustration to a project. And my friends, that is what we did. We built a deck. Please visit Nellie Mae and check it out. The deck makes us happy. We are now only 1 step away from this house being ready to sell. No gun is to our head with that..... and we will stay until we are darn well finished here. And we aren't there yet.

So, we are again, fighting back. Fighting to follow God, trusting Him for His best, and not being afraid of what the next step is. Bring it on, 2012. We have the full armor of God on right now and know that...
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 john 4:4

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Rom. 8:32