Still Growing

The Lord has had me on a journey for some time in learning to trust in Him as my provider in the area of finances. As a middle school/high school student I used to worry about finances a lot.

In college, after 3 semesters, the Lord really pressed it on my heart that if He wanted me to go to DBU, He would also provide the finances. Though I had a scholarship, and tuition reimbursement from UPS, it still didn't cover all of my schooling/living expenses. I trusted the Lord in this an quit taking out loans to cover tuition.

The Lord then saw fit to send my car into the shop every month for the next 13 months. Talk about trust in His provision. He was definitely stretching and growing me during this time. It was amazing how He provided.

I will never forget His first "big" directing of money in my direction. The tuition for my Fall semester was due. I needed $2000. Someone randomly gave me $1,000 anonymously through the church I attended in high school. I have no idea who the person was. But it was completely the Lord working on this person's heart to give to me and to give through my church. You see, DBU had a church-match scholarship. So if a church gives you money, DBU would match. Upon receiving the check, I contacted my old pastor and asked if I could get a check written out to DBU instead of me. He said that was not a problem. That is how the Lord provided the $2,000 that I needed.

This was the first time I have ever had someone give me $1,000. I was humbled and honored that someone would do this. This was like something you read about in books or hear that happens to other people, but not something I ever thought would happen to me.

Then a few months later, I was once again in the position of needing about $1,000. Despite the Lord's provision just months before, and as crazy as it may seem, I was worried and not sure how it was going to happen. I mean, after all, the Lord had just shifted $2,000 my direction a few months before. Obviously, I was still thinking in terms of human terms because to me $2,000 was an amazing sum to money, but to God $2,000 is pocket change. Anyhow, I wasn't really thinking He would just shift that much money my direction yet again so close to His last provision.

Anyhow, I got a really big tax return right about that time ($800 to $900). Then He provided the other few hundred in some other way that I cannot remember right now. Through this the Lord continued to show me that He has me covered. He is my provider. I need not worry.

Then He moves me to South Korea in 3 suitcases. By the end of my time in Korea, I had a huge furnished apartment with more than just the bare essentials. Yes, we furnished our apartment with "roadkill" (furniture left on the side of the road) or stuff people had given us--but it was all His provision. Through my time in Korea He gave me good perspective of possessions and what is really "mine", which is nothing.

Sometimes He provides by shifting money my direction, other times He just provides the need. I will never forget, one year in Korea I was really wanting a toaster. I know it seems like a small thing, but I enjoy toasted bagels and wanted one. So I presented my want to the Lord. I could have bought a toaster at E-mart, but I didn't have the money at the time. The the Lord did not provide a toaster, but He provided a roommate who knew how to toast using a skillet. How awesome of the Lord to provide in this manner. I sometimes forget that there use to not be all these modern contraptions like toasters! If you ever have a chance, toast your bagel on a skillet--do it! It has really good flavor and doesn't take that long.

Then last year, the Lord grew me further in trusting Him as my provider by having me live off of support last year. Before, He provided primarily from the paycheck earned at my job. Last year, He provided from the generous gifts of others to me. It taught me to me more okay just accepting things from other (the Lord started working on this in Korea, but definitely grew me a lot in this area last year).

And then the Lord sent me to Georgia and left me randomly/minimally employed for 4 months. For most of this time, I have not worried about finances and have just trusted Him to provide and He has. It hasn't been too hard because of my history with Lord of His faithful provision.

Then Christmas happened. I didn't tutor for several weeks, meaning the little income I did have coming in stopped. Also, there haven't been any random babysitting jobs since Christmas. So not really any money coming in, but bills still being there. I even tried to sell a camera online that I had and was not using. Yeah, I got scammed. I don't have the camera, but neither do I have the money for the camera. I actually lost money since I paid to ship the camera to the people. Then last Wednesday I had to get 4 new tires for my car. Not my best day. I was basically crying in Discount Tire as I was putting the tires on my credit card--not my best moment. I cried later that evening when a friend asked me how my day was. Obviously, not doing a great job in trusting the Lord's provision at this point.

Yeah, I am still growing in my trust in the Lord in the area of provision.

I spent some time with the Lord on Thursday processing this. The Lord basically was, "Are you going to trust Me, even when you cannot see or? Will you trust Me even if I don't provide employment for another 8 months?" Though it wasn't a fun week last week it was good. I am trusting the Lord and at peace.

At this time I didn't have a job or know that I would have a job. And honestly getting a job doesn't "fix" everything immediately, it just seems more hopeful. But weather the job makes is seem more hopeful or not, it doesn't change the reality that God will provide. Weather that be through employment, through someone's generosity, through an odd job. The Lord has it covered.

Job Update

I am officially employed with enough work to pay my monthly bills!

I have accepted a job caring for a families 3 boys from 2:30-5:30, Monday - Friday. This along with the 3 hours of tutoring that I am currently doing will be enough to pay my bills.

I also interviews yesterday, with Tutor Doctors of Atlanta and am hoping to pick up a few more tutoring clients from them. They are going to contact my references and then get back with me sometime next week.

I just interviewed with Northstar Academy (online school) to teach MS math for them. It was a first interview. This is the first step in the process. If they are interested in hiring me, they will then set up a second interview in the next few weeks. I would not have thought to pursue an online teaching position, but happened upon this opening. I know the experience would be a lot different than in a traditional classroom, but I can see myself enjoying it. I have no idea if anything will come of this...but it is something I am considering.

Regardless, I would love to teach in the upcoming school year.

Thanks for all of your love, support, and interest that you bestow on me. It means a lot and I appreciate it.

How Am I?

My posts of late have been at a much more surface level of late. I hope you have enjoyed some of my more light-hearted things.

I received a few e-mails from friends asking how I have been doing because I haven't posted in awhile or been in contact via e-mail. I am humbled and honored that I have people who notice when I don't write. I believe that one of the reasons I have put off writing this post is because I find "how" I currently am hard to explain--I shall do my best.

I have been in Georgia for over 4 months now. I never would have guessed that at this point I still would not have full-time work. There are so many ways that this one fact alone affect HOW I am doing.

Last year I had a decent amount of responsibility. Before that in Korea, I had a decent amount of responsibility as well. And before Korea....I had a decent amount of responsibility. As my friend LB said, my personality is sort of in shock. The first month or two of being in Georgia was about adjusting to a life with less responsibility. I was a bit at a loss as to what to do with my time and myself.

After a few months of being here, I asked the Lord, "Surely you aren't asking me to be unemployed, are You?" To me, it just didn't seem like it was right. But that is where He has me right now. He has me in a season of rest. He is making sure I rest to by leaving my life fairly simple and uncomplicated. By leaving me unemployed. By giving me lots of time to just "be".

Before I moved here, the Lord told me to take a break. I had no idea what that meant exactly. But He really has me in a season of rest. Not only physically (with no job), but emotionally, and spiritually as well.

I tend to like challenges. I don't always seek them out intentionally, but I happen into them somehow. Sometimes I take them on intentionally as well. There are several people I know who when they hear I am still unemployed, there response has been, "That's good, you could use the break." Part of me is like, Really? Even after 4 months you would say that? But it is true. I needed a break from intensity.

I like challenges for several reasons. First, the Lord gave me a math brain who loves to figure things out. Second, though I don't always like the process, I LOVE the end result. I love what comes from the hard conversation, the growth that comes from figuring something out, the growth that comes from wrestling with something.

It is so weird, but despite my uncomplicated life right now, and how low-key it is, the Lord is teaching me some important lessons and deepening our relationship. He is teaching me to be okay and content "being" more and "doing" less. He is showing me that He can take me to deeper levels with Him without some big challenge. If I am but faithful to seek Him, He will draw near to me. He will teach me. He will grow me. He will speak to me.

When the Lord provides work, I work. When He doesn't, I enjoy rest and fellowship with the saints. I have a friends who wonders what the Lord is preparing me for in this season. I really liked that statement and it encouraged me. I guess sometimes I feel like people think I need rest to recover from what was previously, but even if it is about that, it is also about the Lord preparing me for what is "next" as well and it is the first time I had thought of season the Lord has me in with that perspective.

I am very blessed to be a part of the community of believers here in Gwinnett. They are good fit for me and I am encouraged, challenged, and content in where the Lord has me. I am confident that this is where the Lord has called me for a time.

I really cannot think of much more to say. I have been putting this off for so long, dreading the struggle it would be to convey with words how I am doing. Sometimes I find this task easier than other times. I actually wrote the first part of this post in December! Hope this made sense.

Love you all.

Thankful

Yes, this post would have been more appropriate about a month ago, but I am falling into old blogging habits and am mass blogging over the next two days.

As you know, I am partially employed. I have three steady hours of work a week. I couldn't afford to travel to Texas so my parents paid for me to come home for Thanksgiving. I decided to drive because it was $100 cheaper and I could visit friends along the way. I had almost no money in my account other than gas money.

I don't know about you, but before a trip I fill my car up with gas, print of directions from google maps, check the fluids in my car, and check the air pressure in my tires.

Friday, November 20, 2009, 8:05 am Journal Entry

Yesterday night around 9 pm I stopped to fill up my car and check the air pressure. My passenger rear tire was basically flat. AIGOO! Not good when you are driving half-way accross teh country the next day. I was sort of bummed considering it cuts into my visiting time with the Conners.

On the other hand, I have felt that the tire was off for some time. I have even checked its pressure before. So its a relief to know it is taken care of. I had convinced myself that it was all in my head that my tire was low.

Though there are multiple things I was bummed about, there really are MORE things to be thankful for.

Lord,

Thank you for Your protection.

Thank you that I didn't have to put a spare tire on my car.

Thank you that I found an 8 am appointment I could make online, enabling me to sleep peaceably last night.

Thank you that because of my history using Discount Tire, that this tire was getting fixed for FREE! A totally unexpected blessing.

Thank you that Georgia time is an hour ahead of Arkansas so I really might not lose as much time as I originally thought!

Thank you for giving me this 30 minutes at Discount Tire to spend with you. What a great way to start a trip.

Your goodness to me is unmerited, but that is what makes it so good. You are a loving Father who cares for His children.

Chicken Anyone?

If you are curious and want to know how these roosters became dinner....

then click here to pictorially see how this was accomplished!

I originally was going to post this on this blog, but then realized not everyone would be curious about this process and some might even be grossed out.

I love you Family!

As Christmas day approaches, I miss my family more. There have been several times in the past year where I have asked the Lord why He wants me to live so far from my family and not be more involved in their daily lives and for them to be more a part of my daily life.

Yet, this is not what He has asked of our family. He has asked for us to live far from each other. My little sister is in California, I am in Georgia, and my parents and older sister are in Texas. We are literally spread across the United States. A few years ago, Alicia was in India and I was in Korea--somehow that was easier. However, we do see each other more than we did then.

Family, know that I love you so very much and miss you. I know I don't say it all the time, but it is true. I don't know if the Lord will have us live near each other again. Know that because of the distance, I treasure our times together that much more.

I love that we all love and enjoy each other so much. I love that I look forward to our times together. It is restful and refreshing. The time flies and before I know it, it is time to return home before I am ready. This is not true of all families. Thanks for your love of me.

I really need to continue to work on picking the phone up more. Korea and then LeadTime really got me too used to NOT picking up the phone. While it had to be that way for a time--that season is over!

Thinking of you and missing you.

Daddy and his brother, Tye

Summer 2006

My family all came to pick me up from the airport

when I flew in for my cousins wedding from Korea.

November 2007

Alicia visits me in Korea!

Summer 2007

I visit Alicia in California!

September 2009

Shannon's 28th Birthday

Philippines Mission Trip 2008

Philippines Mission Trip 2008

Parents dropping me off at the airport in the wee hours of the morning so I can return to Korea

November 2007

Me and Mommie at my LeadTime Graduation

August 2009

Shannon and I at someone's wedding--Summer 2006

Probably not our best "Sisters" picture

Summer 2006

Nonnie and Grandad

Summer 2006

Uncle Dale, Grandad, and my Dad at the lake

This sort of captures everyone.

At the lake--I LOVE big family get togethers

Summer 2006

My Daddy being himself--I love it!

You can imagine how fun my childhood was having him to play with each night.

Mostly Unemployed

My temp job only lasted 4 days. However, I am very thankful for it as it allowed me to pay all of my bills for the month of October, including rent.

I still have my 3 hours of tutoring each week.

I had a nanny interview of Friday (only 6 hours a week), had an interview on Tuesday morning for a job working with physically challenged adults in a residential home environment, and tomorrow afternoon interview to nanny for a family with a newborn, 8 year old, and 9 year old.

The first job I did not get because I really need to work more than 6 hours a week and was not willing to commit to it long-term should I get a job that interfered with that one but was more hours.

I think I would really enjoy working with the physically challenged adults. A lot of the responsibilities would be similar to what I did last year, but at a much more low-key and part-time basis.

And the nanny job I am interviewing for tomorrow seems like a really good fit and match for me. We will have to see!

So that is a quick "job" update. I would love to have enough work to pay my bills. However, in the meantime, the Lord continues to faithfully provide through others means (random babysitting jobs/people giving me money).

In the meantime, I am doing my best to take advantage of being unemployed to rest and to further invest in those in my Body I am a part of here.

Shout Out

This is just to say thanks to those of you who commented!

It was fun to come home from work and have greetings from friends.

Employed

I thought I should give people and employment update.

On Tuesday this week I started a full-time temp job. I was hired through United Staffing Services (temp agency), and am currently working at Directory Distributers Associates.

Basically, I answer phones for people who are ordering phone books or giving information to individuals seeking some extra money delivering phone books. I do not know how long this job will last, but am thankful for the Lord's provision of it at this time.

I also now have three tutoring clients (total of 4 hours). I do this in the evenings. I am still hoping to gain more clients and then find a part-time job during the day.

That's about it-- as far as the job goes.

Thanks for any prayers and I would appreciate your continued prayers as this is only temporary work. I would love for tutoring to work out. I am not sure what my "other" job should be to supplement tutoring so that I can pay my bills.

Doing my best to "take a break" as the Lord has told me to do. I am doing my best in His strength to live it out day-by-day as He has not exactly revealed to me what this year is suppose to look like.

More Pics from the Compound

FYI--"The Compound" is the name of our house. It was given this name initially because sometimes people think it is crazy or cultish to choose to live with as many people sharing a house as we do. To take this notion to the extreme, it was termed The Compound. Some are more fond of the name than others.

Last week, everyone in The Compound was off on the same day!

We decided to take advantage of the day and made waffles, eggs, and bacon for breakfast.

In the process, we learned there are different opinions how to store the waffles as we make them, how "chewy" or not chewy the bacon should be, and if scrambled eggs are better with or without cheese melted in them.

After this, we loaded into the van (all but Britt) and headed to the park.

Jason sandwiched between the kids in the back

Saji and Jason worked with Micah on his tree climbing skills

Painting Toes

The other night I was painting my toes in the living room. Elisha noticed what I was doing and got permission from her Mommy to paint her toes. She gladly took her socks off and did a good job of holding still while I painted her toes and even did an okay job waiting for them to dry.

This was her first time to have her toes painted.

Our pretty faces

and our pretty toes!

Micah was building robots with Becca.

He wanted to make sure he and his robot made it into our pictures!

And my attempt to get a picture of all three of us.

Hosanna Grace

Hosanna Grace Mooney is the newest member of our home.

She was born Sunday, October 17th.

Below are a few picture from when she came home. We took the pictures of us (The Singles) meeting her for the first time with my camera. Pictures taken of the Mooney's with the kids were not taken on my camera so I cannot share them. Here area few though.

Elisha kissing her baby sister.

Micah and Elisha picked out the pig for their baby sister to play with.

Jason and Hosanna

Me and Hosanna

Saji and Hosanna

Delayed Reaction

So it has taken me much longer than I would have anticipated...

but this week I have started thinking about LeadTimers and those still at Doulos. I am starting to miss people and the relationships there.

I am forming some good friendships here, we are just at the starting point, rather than at that point where we have walked through some tough stuff together and shared community for a year. I am confident I will get to this point in my new community, but am not there yet.

If any of you from Doulos actually read my blog...know that I love, miss you, and am thinking of you.

I talked to Emily Whitely a few days ago and it was so nice! I teared up a bit. It was just soooooo good to talk to her and hear how she is doing, and even to hear about a few other people on property.

Waiting

In three days I hit my one month anniversary in Georgia.

I have a home.

I have a fellowship I am a part of.

I don't have a job.

Actually, I am employed for At Home Tutors--I have been since my second day here. However, it is not until beginning to mid October that people start looking for tutors. Therefore, I have no clients, which makes it feel like I have am unemployed.

I potentially have a client. I tutored for them last night, and they are waiting to hear from the two other tutoring places before they make a decision. In the meantime, I might tutor for them again next week. Our first session went well and I am hoping this turns into a regular tutoring job.

I have had a few interviews (one nanny, one teaching), but I did not get either one of those jobs.

I have applied for several other jobs, but nothing has come of it.

In the next few days to weeks, I should be able to see how much income tutoring will bring in.

It is sort of a waiting game. Waiting for these things to work out or to see what else the Lord brings my way.

In the meantime, I am using my time to get to know some of the peeps in our fellowship and hanging out with the housemates. I have had a few babysitting and tutoring jobs as well.

My New Home

Unfortunately, at this time I only have pictures of the house. I promise to take pictures of roommies soon and do a post about them. But for now, this will at least give you a visual of my new environment.

Residents:

Britt, Becca, Micah (4), Elisha (almost 2), and baby (to be born any day now) Mooney.

Myself.

Saji (27) and Jason (20)

My new home is NOT crooked...

however, I have a tendency to like the way crooked pictures look!

Our living room.

Upstairs:

On the right are the doors to my bedroom and to the kids bedroom.

At the end of the hall is my bathroom.

On the left is the door to the Britt and Becca's bedrom and bath.

Downstiars:

Kitchen, laundry room/playroom,

studio,

Saji and Jason's room, and Saji and Jason's bathroom.

My bedroom.

My bathroom with my lovely reflection in the mirror.

The kitchen.

Laundry Room/playroom

Hallway from kitchen leading to...

Saji and Jason's room

Saji and Jason's bathroom

the studio.

That's about it. More interesting pictures of roommates to come!