Now Swim!

Today was my last day with my employer. It’s the second time I’ve been laid off in just over two years.

The other day I was talking with my wife about everything that has been occurring in our family and how in one sense, you could view it as complete chaos and be devastated by it. But on the other, as I am preferring to do, I’m seeing the very hand of God at work in it all.

I wanted to provide, as I did the other day, more praise reports:

• Our prayers have been answered by God providing a way for my wife to home-school my stepson. This really was the only viable option for us as our experience with the local public high schools have been less than positive. My wife will be going in and signing the contracts with them next week.
• I applied with a local credit union yesterday and received a call today for a telephone interview next week. Please keep this (and my entire employment situation) in prayer. This job would be a really positive step for my family and me.
• As far as I can tell, I’m also still in the running for a writing job. I’ve been following up with the company and so far they are telling me that I could still receive a call for an interview.
• I received my paycheck for my hours worked plus my accrued vacation check today: we can pay our mortgage for July and have a little leftover.
• The company is still going to send me a two weeks’ severance check pending some paperwork. It should carry us for a few weeks.

God is taking care of us. I think after three decades I’m finally learning to not panic when something happens and it’s liberating! I’m almost exhilarated as seeing God at work. I’m doing as much as I can to simply get out of His way and let Him lead me . . . as it should be.

Back to my conversation with my wife this week . . . I was explaining how I feel like a child who has been standing the edge of the high dive, too afraid to jump off. I’m feeling like God–as a loving Father who is trying to teach their child to swim–has finally pushed me off the diving board and in doing so is telling me: “I have taught you all you need to know . . . now go swim!”

That first push off is terrifying. Then as you fall towards the water, your heart is lifted up into your chest and you also want to laugh from the sensation (or scream in terror). Then you plunge into the water, rise to the top, and float. You take in that first releasing breath, look up at the high dive and see your heavenly Father looking down and smiling and say: “See! I told you I wouldn’t let you drown. I love you!”

Thank you, Father.

May He Increase!