Okay, so for those of you who know J. O. at all you know that he is very laid back. He doesn't stress out about much and generally just goes with the flow on most things. However, if there is one area that he completely handles it's our finances. He pays all the bills (and prefers to), he knows what we need where, and even has multiple accounts at places due to the current interest rate...(It sounds crazy but it really has benefits!) A part of this "master" plan we both had included me working for the next 5 or 6 years until the kids got older and we had saved up more money. I was in agreeance with this and knew I would probably move back to part time at some point during this time but it was all a great idea to me. You see, I am not the typical SAHM type. I actually love working part time. I enjoy the break in my day but still having the time at home. I know some of you may think that makes me selfish but I am just being honest. I have always had the desire to be home more but I just don't think I am very good at it. So...that's the background going into the conversation in the car with J.O.
At this point we were almost to Alma because I had put off the convo as long as I could. I told J.O. that I had received a phonecall from The Call about attending a leadership meeting but I couldn't go because of work. Now here is where I had prayed that J.O. would have had a revelation and would've just said, "Oh that's amazing!! You need to commit to this because this is obviously a sign from God!" However, the convo went more like this...J.O. "Oh, really. That's neat." Then back to sports radio. So, then I had to go a bit deeper. I begin to explain to him what was on my heart and how I felt led to become involved with fostering in some way but didn't really know how. Now, obviously because I had been sharing with J.O. that I wasn't sure what I should be doing, etc throughout the past year this didn't completely throw him in left field. He knew God had been working on me in an area but didn't know where. What he said next though was a true testament of J.O. listening to God. I was very prepared to start arguing about work, money, etc but we didn't. He just said, "Well, lets go to a meeting and find out more. We have so much to offer." Imagine his surprise when I told him he could attend a meeting in a few weeks!! :)
We attended the first meeting and I would love to say we entered this meeting with huge clarity about where to go next but we just didn't. J. O. was still plunging forward with our master work "plan" but thought I could just add a foster child into the mix as well. I was plunging forward with huge plans of starting an orphanage in my home and lets just say neither plan was going to work. We left the meeting and filled out our initial paperwork to get started. We both began diligently praying and seeking direction on where to go. I learned during this time to go to God when I was confused and not J. O. I tend to want to analyze, over analyze, and analyze some more and generally have J. O. just tell me what to do. It was during this time that I learned that although we are a team and we have to be on the same page, he isn't God. I have to say throughout this time we kept having confirmation after confirmation that we were on the right track. We had sermons at church talking about getting out of our comfort zone, friends enter our life who were fostering and so forth.
At this point it was January and we had to start attending training and either go full force or continue to ignore our calling. We sat down and talked one night and knew we couldn't go in any other direction. We had been continually told about the need for people to accept newborns because they can't go to daycare. With the amount of 2 parent working homes there is no one to take a newborn home and give them the care they need. We also knew that God was calling us all the way and had been all along. He was calling me to get out of my comfort zone of my nice, cozy little life and walk in faith for probably the first time my whole life. Not kinda in faith but completely in faith. He was calling J. O. to hand over finances and put Him in control of those. Once again, I would love to say that the next steps were easy and I was walking around radiating "faith" for all to see, but I wasn't. I would learn over the next few months just how much control I like to have.
Again, there is so much more but I feel like if I keep going it will just be rambling! Part III will be soon!!
No comments:
Post a Comment