The last six months have been an interesting ride. We’ve lost and gained and through it all God has shown up.
Just today a friend posted how her car broke down today, right before she was headed on a trip and how amazing it was that God protected her and took care of her. Her car could have broken down on the road, away from family to help her, but instead it happened right where she could get help.
That’s the kind of God we have. Sometimes it doesn’t look like help and protection and provision. She could have looked at that as a total negative; what if her trip had to be moved or cancelled.
We have to have the right perspective about the things that happen in our life. And when we look for God’s provision, we see it!
From the moment Andrew lost his job another company began pursuing him. They offered him a good salary and he knew the industry. But we knew it wasn’t the right fit. It was so tempting though because he would have been getting double paid and we wouldn’t have had to worry about finding a job. But we just knew.
In September Andrew’s Rolodex of business cards fell. It scattered cards everywhere. In all the mess, one card was face up. Just one.
Andrew picked it up and thought, hmm, maybe I should reach out. So he did. He had a great meeting with the gentleman who was, in fact, going to be needing someone. He just wasn’t sure when.
So Andrew pursued anything and everything, applying to many, many places. He had a few interviews, a lot of “no thanks” emails. It’s hard to see those over and over again. I kept trying to reassure him that he was amazing and the right job was out there and God knew where it was. But it’s hard to face rejection repeatedly.
In November, we heard a speaker talk about God’s timing. He said something like this, “God is the slowest person I know. He likes to create a little drama, ramp things up a bit before he comes through. But He always comes through, usually at the last hour.”
My Spirit reacted to that. The Last Hour. On the way home, I told Andrew, I think God just told me today He’s working and we have to keep waiting and trusting. He’s going to come in at the last hour.
Now for us impatient folks, that’s not what we want to hear. But God. More than desiring to give a job, He desired us to learn to wait on Him, to trust Him more deeply, and to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that He’ll keep His promise to take care of us.
In early December Andrew made it to the third round of interviews at a really great company close to home. We were excited and it seemed like a good fit. Then he got the “sorry but we went with someone else email”. We felt very defeated and sad.
Yet, I heard that quiet whisper again…it’s not the last hour.
There’s nothing quite like going through Christmas unemployed, knowing severance is going to run out soon, with no prospects on the horizon.
Then, Andrew got a text, hey I posted a job, you should apply. It was from the person whose business card had landed face up. So he applied. He told them plainly what he’d need to make and how important our family time is. He laid out all his parameters up front, just feeling like he needed to.
They interviewed him and then it was quiet for quite a while. Andrew kept sending out his resume, grasping at suggestions from friends and anything he found online. It’s truly a testament to Andrew’s diligence and perseverance. To see him up early every morning, scouring the internet, filling out applications, writing cover letters tailored to each job, answering emails. He really put in his all.
But there’s only so much you can do when job hunting. A lot lies in the employers and their willingness to say yes. And, of course, as we know, most of it lies with God and His workings.
Fast forward to the new year and Andrew finally got a call for a second interview. He felt both interviews went well and he really enjoyed getting to know everyone he talked to. Still, they hadn’t said anything about pay which made us a bit nervous.
Another couple weeks went by and Andrew got a text from this same gentleman. He wanted to come down and meet with Andrew. We thought, surely he’s not going to travel all the way down here to say “no thanks”.
But he didn’t offer the job. He asked a lot more questions. Andrew got the feeling he really liked Andrew but had reservations. After the meeting he told Andrew they were going to make a decision in a week.
Four days later, Andrew received an offer letter! And, well, let’s just say, God knew exactly what He was doing all along. I’m still standing in awe of how he has orchestrated every detail.
He gave Andrew all his requests, even ones we hadn’t prayed for!
And He came in at the very last hour. You see his severance runs out three days before he starts his new job! If that isn’t the last hour, I don’t know what is!
Andrew is now the store manager at Heartland Outlet in Shakopee, a place that marries business with ministry. There literally isn’t a better fit for Andrew! He loves sales and he loves Jesus and He gets to combine them everyday now at work!
We are excited and hopeful and praising Jesus for this. We also recognize it’s a long commute, so please pray for safety over him as he drives 2 hours everyday. And please pray for a better all-wheel drive vehicle he can commute in. We know God gave him this job and we know He’ll provide for all the details too, including a car. The one he drives now has almost 300,000 miles on it!
I want to say, truly and from my heart, if you’ve been praying for our family, thank you. We serve a listening Father, who comes through, even if He does wait until the last hour!
Desired Haven Farm 