During difficult circumstances, it helps to remember that you are not alone in your struggle. Everyone is dealing with their own pain and problems. I am thankful for the prayers and encouragement of my readers as I go through uncertain health troubles. If you would like an update on my situation, friend me on Facebook-Christina Kramer.
Tina and Terri 1990
This week, instead of focusing on my own problems, I want to share with you a story from my former roommate, Terri Fisher.
Terri and I were roommates at Lancaster Bible College for four years. She and her family serve in full-time ministry.
May you be encouraged by her story.
The Season of Joblessness
Written by Terri Fisher
The Amplified Bible states Ecclesiastes 3:1 in this manner: “There is a season (a time appointed) for everything and a time for every delight and event or purpose under heaven—.” My family and I have been through many “seasons” in life the past 30+ years. Many were happy; some were sad. Some were easy; many were hard. But looking back, I can see God’s fingerprints all over each one of those seasons, those appointed times, especially the challenging ones. One such season in my life was a season that lasted 1 ½ years…the time appointed by God that I refer to as “The Season of Joblessness.”
Leading up to this time in my life, God had called us to some other exciting, yet challenging, seasons: adoption…twice, changing homes and churches, infertility and subsequent pregnancies, leaving a job I loved to stay home with my children and homeschool…the list could go on. Through all those times, my husband worked hard to provide for our family in his high-pressure management position in the distribution industry. His job morphed and changed over the years, but he kept climbing that corporate ladder while being daddy to our growing family and serving in our local church. It was stressful, to say the least, especially when our older sons acted out on their adoption trauma in their teen years. But God gave us the grace to carry on and wisdom when we needed it.
As my husband moved up in his company, they kept moving him around as they saw fit. This included a move to another state which took him away from home for weeks at a time. We started the process of looking for a home in the new state, even going as far as me visiting him and looking at houses and putting our own home on the market. But my husband was struggling in his new position. It was not a good fit for him, and his colleagues were not making it easy for him to do his job. One night he called and told me that he didn’t know if he could keep on there. I told him that it was his decision to make, between him and the Lord, but to please make it prayerfully. The very next day, he was unceremoniously fired after over a decade of fine work with his company.
While thankful that God had made the choice to stay or go very clear, losing a job like that was devastating to my husband. A man’s identity is intertwined with his job, and my husband took very seriously his role of provider. While I was glad to have him home, I wondered what was next. A decade or more prior to this, we had gone through a short period of joblessness while waiting for a situation to right itself at a previous job, but I was working then; now I was at home, homeschooling our children. To add insult to injury, it was autumn, the holidays were coming, and I had no idea how I was going to be able to afford all the food, trimmings, and gifts involved. It was all quite overwhelming.
The first thing we did was enlist the prayer support of our church family and the encouragement of our dear pastor. The family of God was so important to us in our season of joblessness. Not only were people looking for jobs for my husband, but monetary gifts would show up anonymously at just the moment we needed them. The second thing I did was look for aid for families in our situation. This led me to a local food bank in our little town and the Salvation Army. For many months, these two places provided food for our family over and above what I could have ever imagined…enough to share meals with others using our gift of hospitality (as we loved to do!) and enough to host two holiday dinners! I had originally wondered where I was going to get the money for one turkey…I ended up with four turkeys that year! God was so good to us!
As Christmas approached, we wondered about gifts for our kids. Again, God took care of us in a BIG way! Because we qualified for the services of the food bank and Salvation Army, we qualified for a program in our county that essentially allowed me to go to a big warehouse and “shop” for gifts for each of our kids from donated items amassed during the year by various non-profits. I was able to pick toys and clothing for each of our children based on their age and interests. My car was packed full when I left there! It was an amazing demonstration of God’s lavish care! The biggest surprise during that time, however, was when, on Christmas Eve, as we drove home from our church’s candlelight service, we found a pile of gifts at our front door! Apparently, we were chosen by a local charity and an anonymous donor had purchased gifts for our children! It was an awesome Christmas morning that year, and a beautiful display of God’s love and grace…one that we made sure our children understood to the best of their abilities at that time in their lives.
Reflecting on our season of joblessness, it was a very humbling time. We were used to being the givers, not the receivers. Additionally, because of that season of joblessness, we ended up having to declare bankruptcy and subsequently lost our home. But God used even that to lessen our grip on physical things, and really turn to Him for guidance and direction. It was during this season that God called us to missionary service overseas. Looking back, the lessons God taught me during that time were preparing me for the calling we now have as missionaries to the foreign field. He graciously taught us to rely on Him and His timing and purpose in all things. He then tested us on what we had learned with an exceptionally long pre-field experience waiting on God to raise our financial support and send us on our way to the field.
Looking back, I am incredibly thankful for the season of joblessness that God purposed in our life as a family, and for the lessons He personally taught me during that time. I was able to experience the reality of Romans 8:28 in a very real way: in ALL things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. To God be the glory; great things He has done!
The Season of Joblessness was written by Terri Fisher
Prayer: written by Tina Kramer
Good Morning Father God,
Thank you for Terri and her family. Continue to refresh and renew their strength as they serve you. Bind them together as a family. Protect and guide them. Give them wisdom in decisions. Help them to lean on you during difficult seasons.
I pray for the people reading this blog. Maybe they are going through a difficult season. Give them courage to ask for help. Release them from fear. I ask that they would be amazed at your faithfulness during this trial.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Cherry Tree Mosaic “Pink” by Ava Blitz
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