A Few Large Steps of Faith . . . for us.

This is Michelle posting.  Nic and I are resting today in an effort to take seriously the Sabbath.  We cleaned up last night and made sure there was enough food cooked to hold us over through today.  I have a list on the table - anything that we notice needs to get done we write on the list to tackle tomorrow.  As recently as Friday, my work schedule and Nic's would overlap to where our only full day together was Sunday, so we would try to tackle projects around the house on that day.  God did not intend for us to work 7 days a week, so the overwhelming, stressed-out, burnt-out, exhaustive feeling we both had was due to not taking a real day to rest.  That has to change.  And it will, starting today.

My last day working as a temp at the Dollar General Corporate Offices was on Friday.  I had been there for 6 months, and the contract finally came to an end.  Part of me will miss the work, and the people, but the other part is relieved.  I originally thought the job was only for a few weeks.  It was a 'filler' when we first moved to Nashville until we could figure out what I could do that would be the best fit for our family and our goals.  The job I did does not lend much to my future career goals, and our family plans, though it is so easy to get comfortable where you are and not want to move out of it.

Thankfully we are able to meet our financial obligations on Nic's income, though it does not leave much wiggle room.  We have quite a few financial goals, so we'll need to figure something out to move us forward.

Some of those goals:

• Pay off Nic's student loans (right around $34,000 right now)
• Start the international adoption process to add to our family (Ethiopia has our hearts)
• Be able to pay some of Channah's and Jesse's college costs to keep them from debt (not much time)
• Plan for retirement
• Save a sizable chunk of money for a down payment on a small homestead (chickens anyone?)

I will (hopefully) continue school in the Spring towards an Accounting degree at Belmont (if I am accepted), utilizing the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation program.  I expect it to take another 3 - 4 years before obtaining my degree, only attending 3/4 time.

Nic posted an ad on Craigslist to do some odd motorcycle jobs on the side - but not the motorcycle brands he works on at Bloodworth.  Hopefully some people will be interested.  It will be nice for him to get his hands dirty on other models, and rake in a little extra income to pay down the student loans so we can get started on the adoption . . .  debt free.

We offered to lead a Financial Peace University class at church, so we'll see what happens with that.  Today Nic volunteered in the media center during our church service, and that seems like it will be an ongoing thing. Jesse is also interested, which is encouraging.  I may start helping as well.

We started a new class at church this morning, and are praying we make friends with some other couples.  God knows we need more of a support network in the area, instead of just relying heavily on our friend, Daniel.  And God knows I need some girlfriends to do womanly stuff with, especially if they are wives/mothers and want to learn/grow in the same areas as me.

I will call the staffing agency later this week to see if there are other employment opportunities available, or I may look for childcare positions.  I'm not sure yet.  We are a one-vehicle household, so we tend to coordinate our schedules to make commuting easier.  I'm praying for something part-time so I still have time to focus on taking care of the household and take some stress off of Nic.


Nic and I have grown so much together since we moved to Nashville and started attending our church.  We are now members (as of last weekend).  We pray together daily, read the Bible together daily (we finished Acts last week and are now in Romans), and pay attention to what we spend our time on.  We no longer watch or listen to things that are not God-honoring.  Thankfully, we have wonderful Christian radio stations, and our Bluray DVD player streams Youtube, so we are able to watch lifechurch.tv sermons, or Way of the Master episodes, or On the Box with Ray Comfort, or Paul Washer without needing the computer.  We have no lack of things to watch or listen to that will feed our souls, and not steal from it.  And the peace that comes with that . . . we have no desire to turn back.

We may be weird to the world, but we don't worry about what the world thinks.  We worry about what God thinks.

(Mark 8:36: What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?)