A New Direction

Remember this recent prayer request?

Well, things are happening around here and I'd like to tell you some news (if you're a Facebook friend, you may have read the info below on my note)...

My husband is a hard worker and loving provider for our family. In whatever he does, he tries to do his best. In his job, he had worked his way up with great success, but the reward was empty as he knew he was called to do so much more with his life than work as much as 70+...even up to 80...hrs per week at times, including nights and weekends. So he stepped down from working the crazy hours of the jewelry store management position he held in BG to accept a standard sales associate position here in TN. This has allowed him to work no more than 40 hrs per week since we moved back this Summer, but still it's the schedule of nights and weekends along with a $20K pay cut (that's a significant difference since we weren't livin' high on the hog beforehand!), so all along my hubby's been applying for alternative opportunities. At times he started feeling discouraged, but with the encouragement of mentors and God's Word he kept his chin up and pressed on.

In the past couple of weeks Chris was presented with 3 opportunities by 3 different companies, and was able to select the one that best fit his goals and our family's needs. Today he accepted the upcoming opportunity and gave a two-week notice at his current job. So it's official, Chris has a new career!

Only a handful of you knew this specific chance was in the works, as we had to work through this process quietly, but now it's done and it's true and we're excited! From the depths of my heart I thank those of you who've been praying for our family, as well as those of you rejoicing with us now!

What's he going to be doing, you ask? He will be in the banking industry. Are you thinking that's random??? Not at all! When I met Chris he was the Assistant Manager of a jewelry store. Then he worked a short while as a loan officer at a bank before becoming a Property Manager and Realtor (which is what he was doing the first few years we were married). He then returned to the jewelry biz over the past couple years as an Assistant Mngr and then Manager, but it's not been the right fit for our family goals. So...my handsome, geeked out, number-crunching hubby is back in banking! And for the first time since having children he'll have a "normal" schedule! I'm thrilled he'll get to enjoy more of his life--there will be family time, campus outreach/Bible studies, and he'll even get to socialize with our friends again! Ha!

God is HUGE! And this job is a HUGE gift for which we are certainly grateful to a God much bigger than ourselves. He knows our desires, and He knows our needs, and He knows His plan for our lives! He made this possible for my hubby and our family, and we are so humbled by this favorable circumstance and hope to use this freedom in ways that bring Honor to Him (though I'll confess now that there's a great likelihood we'll be lazy on Saturdays, watching OSU football together from now on--a treat we haven't shared together in a long time, and I'm sure God will understand! Besides, Buckeye football IS truth! hehe).

Now that Chris will be working a "normal" day job, we'll actually get to eat some meals together...like a real family, sitting around a table and everything! So I guess my next prayer request will be about my need to improve my cooking skills! ;)