New Job

Okay, well not really a NEW job... but I resigned at the Pregnancy Center where I have worked for eight years this week, and I am now a 100% full time home maker!!! I am elated! Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Thank you, Lord!

I was scared and sad to leave the Center for many reasons...

The first is that my primary God-given burden is for protecting the least of these. I LOVED working for the Center, and helping to protect innocent lives in so many ways... when I started, I presented to Middle School and High School students throughout Oregon, encouraging them to wait to have sex until they are married. I also got to do all kinds of other fun stuff over the years: grant writing, newsletters, evaluation, etc. I never knew I could feel so fulfilled, and love work, so much! So one of the reasons I'm sad to leave is because I'll miss playing such an active role in the cause of life. They're not totally rid of me, though, because I'll still be volunteering!

Another reason I was sad to leave is that I was surrounded by an incredible group of women who are about my Mom's age, and are very spiritually mature, Godly women. I call them my "other Moms". Their kids are grown, so they have all "been there, done that" and have guided me through all kinds of bumps in the road with their sage advice. But like I said, they haven't totally rid themselves of me, because I'll still be volunteering. :0)

And I was scared to leave due to finances. But I'm confident it was a long overdue leap of faith God has been calling me to. I struggled with whether to just tender my resignation, or tender it tentatively, and kind of say, "But if we can't swing it financially... can I come running back in a few months?" ;0) In the end, I felt that part of the leap of faith was to not leave my foot wedged in the back door, since that would just be one more way of me relying on myself instead of God. (It's not at all that I think making back-up plans is bad--quite the contrary. It was just a necessary part of me learning the bigger overall lesson I need to learn about trusting in God's provision in this specific situation.) And in typical fashion, God lavishly blessed my little teeny act of faith, and the Executive Director (my boss) told me many times over that I would be welcome back at any time, without me having to ask about it! As I drove away, I said to God, "That's sooo like you! You know me so well, and look after every little detail. You know I fail again and again to trust You like I should in the area of finances, and even though this little choice I wrestled with about whether I should try to keep my foot in the door is so silly in the scope of all the world's problems You've got on Your plate, You were gentle enough, and patient enough, and merciful enough, to show me one more time that You will take care of things, even down to keeping the door open for me at the Center, but without me having to take charge of it. Thank you so much!!!"

It seemed especially weird to resign on Sanctity of Life month, but that's just how it worked out... Since January is Sanctity of Life month, let me leave all of you with a challenge to consider what you're doing/can do to help protect the least of these. (Now, I know many of you reading are Adoptive Mamas, so I know what you're doing!! ;0) ) There are Christian Pregnancy Centers in nearly every city in America. You can volunteer to answer phones, knit baby blankets... all kinds of things! You can drop off donations, contribute $, participate in fundraisers like Steps for Life... the list goes on! If you're not already involved in your local Christian Pregnancy Center, let me encourage you to make a call and see what you might be able to do!