Faith. . .

February 19, 2008 | Knowing Christ,Nurturing Family

Faith.

It’s such a powerful word, but also one that is a bit murky. What does it mean to have faith?

For me, it’s trusting God in every situation. I’ve faced cancer. I’ve faced death. But I also felt God’s peace in the middle of it all. But what if it were my child, my husband? That would be a greater trust walk for me.

Faith is a daily issue, not just the big stuff like sickness.

We started a faith walk nearly two years ago. Actually I started it four years earlier. One day I sat out on the small dock overlooking the still waters of our pond.

“Move.”

I heard it distinctly inside my heart.

Move where?

The word was in response to a prayer over my husband. He worked at job he didn’t like, though he never complained and worked hard and was respected. It aged him. It was shift work. It was working on concrete 12 hours a day. It was a factory job where people are not seen before productivity, and where the overriding them is, ”If you want to quit, quit. There are 500 waiting to take your place.”

I ran into the house. “We need to make a move,” I said.

Richard pulled me tight. “I need to hear from God, too, Suz.”

That day begin my faith walk. I had heard from God, but made no move. That was the hardest thing to trust.

A very long time later [years] my husband came to me. “It’s time.” That was the beginning of his faith walk. For me, it was an answer. For him, it was new territory.

We sold our home. He left his job. He went back to school, finishing his undergrad in 18 months, taking up to 24 hours a semester. I worked full-time freelance writing.

Within six months I had my old husband back. He laughed. He regained his smile and dance.

Now, nearly two years later, it is the beginning of our faith walk together. He has started his master’s program, and then will finish licensing [to become a family counselor].

But though he graduated two months ago with his undergrad, he is still looking for a job. He has the skills. He has the wisdom. He has the people personality. He has the drive.

“We are running behind. We’ll be able to tell you something in two months.”

“This position just filled.”

“We’ll let you know.”

“We are waiting on funding.”

“It’s a state job. Sorry, it may be months before we know.”

We look at the bank account, and yet we also look back at the past 20 months. Every need has been met. We provided a wedding for a beautiful daughter in the midst of it, and a son will be married next month. Somehow it all came together. The bills are paid on time. There is food in the cabinet. Tuition is paid.

Yes, we budget every single expenditure and there is never any left over, but so goes the rest of the world.  

I want things to hurry up. I want him to find the best job, the one that will compliment his pursuit of counseling, with people who will appreciate my husband’s gentle temperment and his work ethic (far greater than mine). I want the world to see what an amazing man he is, and how much he cares about people.

Until then, we’ll trust. Faith. God with us.

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