God's Provision is Pretty Rad

So let's back up a few months here....last December I felt the next life step God was leading me to was to attend Bible College. Ok so talk about insanity...right? The country is in an economic slump and that's exactly when I get a "bee in my bonnet" to go to PRIVATE school...but wait! that's not the best part...this private school happens to be in a state that has one of the highest unemployment rates in said economically struggling country. I felt God was leading so I stepped out in faith. I applied and was accepted. I applied for fafsa. I got a money increasing job. I applied for scholarships through the college....and then I prayed A LOT! Yep...in a nutshell....that's about all I did. So the miracles obviously had nothing much to do with me.

Come June I had been laid off and I was still waiting for my financial aid packet to arrive. There was one afternoon in particular when I started adding up in my head all the money I needed just to move and get through the summer. My heart beat frantically inside of my chest and my stomach was moving in to join it as I realized that if I didn't find a job in Oregon....I would be broke by the end of September. This didn't even include any calculations for tuition. My head was in a whirl as I worked my way through the 5 pm traffic I was trying to run errands in. But then it came. That quiet but strong voice that brings peace and security. I was reminded that God had always taken care of me and that was not going to change now...it was just His method of provision that was changing. So really I would still be in the same hands I had always been in...God's.

A few days later, I received my financial aid packet. After I got it all decoded, I just sat there in amazement at God's provision. Not including room and board, this private college should cost me $11,673 to attend this year. However; with the grants, awards, and scholarship that I received; I am paying only a fraction of that! (I wish to keep the exact amount private.) I had struggled with feelings of being "too old" to go to college. However; my age is exactly the factor that caused me to file my fafsa independently from my parents which is why I received those grants. Isn't it funny how God uses the very aspects of us that we would think disqualify us to display His glory?

ok...so my quick little blog post has turned into a novel at this point...but I'm almost done.

I arrived in Oregon a month ago from today. I began my job hunting on July 9. By July 19th (this last Sunday) I had been on the hunt for 11 days and was discovering how desperate job hunting can feel in tough times. I had had one interview (Panda Express) that I was hopeful about and another was scheduled for the following day (Taco Bell). I was honestly hoping that Panda would call me back quick just in case Taco Bell beat them to offering me a job. During the sermon, Pastor Gary preached from 1 Kings 17 where Elijah was fed by ravens and then told to go to the widow of Zarephath. There was one verse that stood out to me: "Then the word of the Lord came to him[Elijah]: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."" (1 Kings 17:8-9, NIV) There it was again....that "voice"...saying "I have already told a manager to hire you." When I walked out of church, I found a voice message from another employer wishing to do an interview with me on Monday. I was overwhelmed. This was the type of job I wanted...a cashier position in retail!

Monday morning, day 12 of my job hunting, began early for me. I found myself at Taco Bell first. The interviewing general manager offered me a job! I had gone in to Taco Bell the week before to do follow-up on my application and resume at which time I met this general manager and her supervisor. After I left, he turned to her and said, "If you don't hire her, I will." So let me reiterate this: God had already arranged it all for me! I walked in to the second interview on the principal that I had made an appointment with her and it is rude to not keep your appointments. It turned out that I had made a typo on my online application. They wanted me to work Sunday mornings and were unwilling to work with me. So that was that. Oh!and get this: I've been hired to work front end with TB. I LOVE working front end!

I apologize for my wordiness. It will be a wonder to me if anyone actually reads through all of this. But at least I will have an online record to remind me that God is AWESOME and His provision is PRETTY RAD!