Jacksonville Chapel

I asked Elias to share his full story here. I think it realtes well to what Esther must have felt and experienced.

This is the story about how God has been faithful to my new little family and me; through the desert of tough career and life changes in the last few months.

 I was with my previous employer for almost 5 years when the bad economic conditions surrounding our clients finally affected our company's cash position.  And after pursuing other avenues, the company had to make hard choices, and I was one of the laid off employees.

 In my experience, working for and with friends is a blessing and a pleasure, but it can make reality a little trickier at the end.

Since I was laid off due to the economic condition, I still had great professional references going forward.

 Unfortunately, ALL that doesn't take the sting away from losing the main income that kept my wife of 1 year and I paying our mortgage and bills.

 In the following months I was honestly stunned how "normal" I was.

 Prior to it all, I quietly thought that I was "above-average" mentally prepared for unemployment, and since I had for years proactively cultivated professional connections that for SURE it would give me an immediate way into my next job.  I clearly thought I was "special" and the "exception to the rule"... somehow exempt from everyone's reality.

 I found myself using new terms in my vernacular: unemployed, depressed, discouraged, alone, frustrated, misunderstood, undervalued, over-qualified, under-qualified, confused...

 My "normal" was more normal than I could ever expect. I joined a few professional groups of similarly unemployed people. Thankfully some were Christian based, and others strictly professional.  I repeatedly observed others who were clearly similarly stunned by the whole situation. We were the ones who showed up early, did a good job, satisfied our clients, made the company money, protected its image, were respected amongst our peers... and for years.  We weren't supposed to be let go.

 Even though I am a tech savvy engineer, I quickly realized that it is not the Internet but personal connections that far more frequently result in landing a job.

 After 4 months of job searching, my first offer came through a complicated connection. One old co-worker stumbles upon my unemployed "status" on an social-networking website and by chance remembers me while dining with another old co-worker who randomly mentions an opening at his current company. Was this random alignment of seemingly disconnected events or God's provision?

 This government related job offer required some tough personal decisions affecting my birthplace citizenship. It also required a 1:30 hr commute each way, and the almost certain possibility that the job contract ended in 2 years.

 We sensed doors being opened and so we pursued it. To our astonishment, after 2 months of a signed job offer letter and complicated procedural steps, 4 days before my start date... the job is pulled off the table. We were stunned.

Random alignment of disconnected events or God's provision?

 Lots happened in the following months: an alcoholism related family crisis explodes, unemployment benefits ran out and were extended, debts went deeper, dear ministries went unsupported for a time, more family crises, and... my wife gets pregnant.

 We repeatedly PRAISED God for the gift of a baby, but openly shared our concern for the near future.

Was this God's provision?

 Almost 8 months of unemployment and one month into our pregnancy, while experiencing our new (scary) reality, things turned a definitive corner.

 The new year brought in, not 1 or 2 but 3 simultaneous job offers! All of which came through equality random and odd connections that had God's fingerprints all over it.

 What a difference a week makes. During our bewilderment and excitement we praised God and prayed for direction. And honestly I'm still practicing the discipline of prayer BEFORE as opposed to AFTER a decision needs to be made.  We weighed the pro/cons and prayed over our decision, and finally felt peace about it.

 Becoming a husband definitely woke up my need to put God first in my decisions, but becoming a father has undoubtedly snapped me to attention now. I really need God as my "true north" as I make decisions affecting my family.

 Today I am 3 weeks into my new job, my beautiful wife is sporting a very cute 3 month baby belly, and all test results point to a healthy uncomplicated pregnancy.

 Was this God's provision? To take me through the toughest tests of my faith, maturity, and sanity?

 I think so.

 I recently realized and clearly see how unprepared and wrongly positioned I was for the inevitable challenges that happened outside my job situation.  I grew emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and I matured in ways that only made me stronger through those life events.

 I'm no saint, and hardly an example of faith and discipline. I am still living with the difficulties of my extended family's situation, and we still have 6 more months of pregnancy. But if asked if God allowed deep changes in my life to give me something better, the answer is a resounding yes.

 I realize that "change" doesn't necessarily guarantee a "better" place, but change does give us good reason to quietly perk up our ears and listen for the lesson that is hidden just beneath the noise of current situation. Sometimes spiritual growth IS the gift we get for undergoing change.

 The Casting Crowns' song "I praise you in the storm" was a good reminder throughout and it remains so.

 your brother in Christ,

- Elias