Plans
Proverbs 19:20-21
20Listen to advice and accept instruction,
that you may gain wisdom in the future.
21Many are the plans in the mind of a man,
but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
It seems like the plans or goals we have for our life are right and good...but for some reason they just don't work out. Andrew and I are going through a phase we like to call a "holding zone." We're waiting and praying and seeking...but so far we're still in the waiting room. Waiting on buying a house, waiting on getting new jobs, waiting on decisions like "do we go back to school?" We're caught somewhere between really wanting to be frugal and wise...but also really wanting to trust the Lord and take risks in faith. Right now, considering our finances, any of those decisions just seem too risky, but is that attitude just a lack of faith?
So for now we wait. We pray and wait. We send out resumes and wait. We scrimp and save...and wait. Anyone else in the same boat?
9 comments:
OOOOOOOOOH YEAH!!!
we are in your boat! attempting to be frugal, waiting and trying to be patient, yet trusting that all will work out . . .even though like you said, our plans may very well be good and wise.
Waiting STINKS! But...you have to go through it.
Ok, I say that all the super poor cheap couples need to go out on a cheap date night.
Ummm...Taco Bell and Lokomotion?
or maybe...
McDonalds and a movie at someones house?...
or maybe...
Arby's and a game night?...
What do you think? The stegers, the sullivans, the jones, and who ever else we know that is poor.
We're in the same place too!!! We thought we had our next year planned out...but apparently not! I know that God has "plans to prosper to us...plans for a hope and a future", but it sure would be nice if that promise came with a 5 year calendar. ;)
The dreaded "holding" stage. Yuck. Combined with financial issues. Double Yuck. Lee and I have definitely been in the holding stage (actually until quite recently) and are still dealing with financial issues. The whole Needs vs Wants/Emergency Savings/Paying Off Debt/Retirement Fund Contributions/Etc. is just something Lee and I will need to commit to as best we can and be patient with. In regards to the holding stage, with continuous prayer and seeking God's guidance, mine lasted about six months and Lee's lasted about one year before we finally received our "confirmation" that it was time to change jobs. I ended up accepting a position that pays HALF of what I was making before. The experience will be great for me, though, since I feel the Lord is really leading me to go back to school. Of course I'm dragging my heels every time I think about returning to school and how that will affect the next year's already tenuous financial situation. Lee's confirmation came out of the blue one day when he simply stated "That's it. I've had enough." He turned in his two weeks notice right then. This is currently week two of not having a job yet for him. BIG Risks. However, I have never felt more at peace with our situation. We really do feel this is exactly where the Lord wants us to be, the very situation he wants us to be in. My final thoughts: Don't remain in the holding stage forever (you CAN get comfortable there) and take the risks you sincerely feel God wants you to take, no matter what. Even the risks that "fail" teach you a lot, which is maybe why you were led there in the first place. Of course, this is all easier said than done, and of course this is just my own personal ramblings here... :)
Maybe my comment wasn't long enough. What do you think?
You can count the Tuckers in on cheap date night. Jane likes Arbys and McD's.
i'm thinking arby's.
cheap date night sounds like fun! we love Arbys!
Sonya-Thanks for the comment! We've been working through "Smart Couples Finish Rich", along the same lines as what you're talking about. I wouldn't say we're "in a rut" or depressed about our situation, I mean, everyone deals with this frustration at some point or another. This is just where we are right now, and we're figuring out what to do about it.
Something Cindy and I do, which may not be easy for you, is find something we can both agree on and share it. It saves us money and calories! She and I have pretty similar taste, though, but it has really helped me out a lot. I am on night shifts the next six weeks, but we need to get our little dinner party thing started. I will try to set a date next week.
2 Cor. 9:8
"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work"
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