Several years ago, my husband faced unemployment for the first time. We had not expected this (who does?) and it completely threw us for a loop when it happened 2 days before we were to go on our summer vacation. All three of our kids had left home. It was the time in our lives when we were looking forward to doing a few things that we hadn’t been able to do while raising a family.
Now, with my small part time nursing job and my husband on EI, things were going to be tight. Then we had a major repair on our car and the dishwasher needed a new motor. My husband began applying for jobs and/or temp work. Nothing except an EI deposit (for which we were grateful) happened for months. We suddenly had no medical coverage either and both of us needed dental work.
Questions and doubts came – How are we going to get through this? How long would this last? Why now? Why wasn’t God answering our prayers about another job for my husband?
God was making us rely on Him. I remember we had to go pick up our daughter at UNB at the end of the University year. That meant gas to get there and back, a place to stay and meals. I prayed—”God please help us figure out how to get the money to do this.” I figured that meant a plan. God answered in surprising ways.
We had not told anyone of this need. One day a lady from our church showed up at the door and said she felt an impression that she needed to buy gas gift cards and give them to us. Then a relative provided us with a place to stay for a couple of nights. It was very humbling to have someone else meet our needs and we had to learn to graciously accept the help. Then a 10 hours per week extra job was offered to me—in a medical related field that was clearly God given.
One of the Scriptures that we went back to time and time again is from Habakkuk. In chapter 3:17-18, it says
Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
– Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NIV)
God took us right to nearly the very end of my husband’s EI (in fact it was the week before it was supposed to run out) before He provided another job. Yet every bill ended up being paid, needs were met and we saw that God can be fully trusted in this area. In fact, we started to have a joy and expectation that if there was a need, to watch how he was going to meet that need.
I know first hand that God is faithful and He can be trusted in every area of my life. It is when I trust Him that I am truly well.
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