The Wired Christian

I’ve been out of full-time salaried work since June 1, 2007. It’s been hard to say the least. The money well has all but dried up. The creditors call daily now, I’m juggling cutoff notices from the utilities and it’s pressing just to be able to live. My wife has gone to work waiting tables so that we can survive during this time.

Now I don’t know about you, but we receive a LOT of credit card offers in the mail. At least three a week come in with promises of zero percent interest, balance transfers and all the big life that living in debt has to offer. The other day I actually opened one and read the terms and conditions of the offer. Why? Desperation. As the main earner for our family this has been extremely hard for me to be in a position where I’m not “bringing home the bacon.” Not only that but it is a blow to my integrity when I cannot pay my financial obligations on time. I actually considered sending off this credit card offer to be able to get some relief. Is it really relief though? Or is it just postponing the pain and adding to it in the long run?

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Proverbs 22:7 [NIV]

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love on another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 [NIV]

After coming to my senses I ripped the offer in pieces and discarded it’s remains into the trash. I am already a slave/servant to several debtors. I am actively trying to pay my way out of that bondage. Why in the world would I want to take on more debt and gain yet one more master? I have to remember that God is allowing us to go through this time for a purpose. I truly believe that no matter how angry and depressed I get some days. I also have to remember that He is my provision and certain help in time of need.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 [NIV]

Of course since this trial, God has shown Himself to us in many ways and is taking care of our needs. I will continue to depend on Him no matter how hard it is. I know that He will deliver us into a time of blessing that we could not even imagine. And even if He does not… it should be enough that He sent His only Son to die for me.

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Filed under: Christianity, Faith, Finance | 10 Comments »

Ah, life’s glorious adventures! The twists and turns are sometimes like white water rafting. This is how yesterday started out. A phone call from the Vice President of the sector that I work under for my current contract.

Let’s rewind a bit. Let’s go back in time and relive the events that lead up to this earth shattering moment in my Tuesday. As Dane Cook would say, “Let’s Tarantino it.” Actually I just want to share a few points.

I belong to a home group (bible study, small group, whatever you want to call it). Basically we (a group of families and friends) get together and study the bible, eat, talk and build relationships… it’s fun. Anyway we’ve been studying the book of Colossians for a while now and this past Tuesday (May 15) one particular verse stood out to me. I couldn’t understand why really. It’s not a verse that I would have thought that I needed work on, certainly in light of some of the other surrounding verses. For some reason this one verse just kept coming back to my mind. What? Oh you want the verse? OK.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Colossians 3:15 (New International Version)

Now the focus of my attention was on Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. Well with the verse written on a piece of paper, folded neatly and tucked into my bible we finished up and headed home.

Have any of you ever prayed for patience? DON’T! That is unless you are completely prepared for the testing and training that is about to come… nay flood your way to teach you that patience. Same principle here. Everything the following week just went wrong… fighting, bickering, terrible attitude… and that’s just me in the room by myself. The peace of Christ definitely was not ruling in my heart. It was more like the anger mongering of Satan. Just ask Aubrey; she’ll be more than happy to let the cat out of the bag. If not then I will. I was an absolute turd this past week.

Of course there have been some more stressful things in our lives of late which I attributed this all too. Plus I can always blame it on the medications I take for my migraines. But of course those are just all excuses.

So I get the call and he tells me there is no more funding and they cannot seem to find any more sources of funding to continue my position. Great. June 1st you say? Great. Hey, Stuart Little’s dad always said you have to look for the silver lining. Well, I don’t have to clean out my desk!

After getting off the phone I thought about how crumby it was to leave me with one week to find a replacement for that income source. Of course I know other people that have been left with less time than that. Then I thought… if I had read the writing on that piece of paper a little deeper the preceding Tuesday I might have had two weeks notice. Of course that’s really reaching, but my point is that God always knows what’s coming up in our lives. He knew last Tuesday that I’d get that call and so He knew that I needed a reminder that His peace could sustain me through this time. God is good.

One of the things that’s tough about trusting God is that He doesn’t tell you what’s coming up… that’s the faith part. Also if He did tell you then you could in theory tell the future and start placing bets on races and that’d be a big ole mess now wouldn’t it? Sorry; I digress.

You know the movie Indian Jones and the Last Crusade? At the end of the movie when they’re all inside the cave and Indiana has gone on ahead of everyone to get the grail in order to save his father he comes to a huge bottomless chasm. It is too far to jump to the other side and the only clue he has is Only in a leap from the lion’s head will he prove his worth. That’s a little how I feel right now. Like I’m standing out on the edge of a bottomless chasm trying to trust that God knows what He is doing and that He will provide for my family, but a wee teensey weensey bit scared too.

I’ve already had numerous friends and family pray with me and Aubrey about this. If you are the praying type and would find it in your hearts to pray for us it would be greatly appreciated. If you are the hiring type and need a great software engineer then leave a comment and make sure your email is correct (won’t be in the comment) and I’ll surely give you a quick response. Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

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Filed under: Daily Grind, Faith | 1 Comment »