Monday, June 14, 2010

Contingencies.

As you may or may not know ....actually, I hate that phrase, because you either know or you don't. There are only two options in that scenario, so why make it blatantly obvious and waste words using the phrase? ANYWAY....

As some of you may know, The next month will be a very telling time for Jon and I. Currently we are unemployed. I can't be a sub if school's not in session. Jon can't be a student worker at RTS if he's not longer a student. So we're job hunting. We're beating every bush, shrub, weed, and tree we can find trying to find some income, really ANY income. We would LOVE to stay in Rock Hill. We really feel that God is calling us to do more work in this city, and we can't deny how strong the bonds are with many of the people here. Additionally, Jon's been offered the opportunity to do more work with our local church to help bolster his resume. We don't want to leave.

But the truth of the matter is, if we don't have any for source of income in the upcoming week, things have to change. Here are our four options as we know of them, so that when God does tell us which one, we can communicate with you in code : "Option #3 has arrived people, all clear" or "Option one is here. Meet at 07:30."


Option #1
If neither of us has a "for sure" job offer in the next week, we pack things up and move in with my parents down in Columbia. God has been gracious in giving them a home and with ample space for us to mooch off of as long as we would need to (THANKS MA and PA!). We'd move down there, save some rent money, and begin the job hunting process all over again. This take us away from Rock Hill, so it's not ideal, but we go where the Lord puts us.

Option #2 If one of us is able to secure a job in the next week then we might be able to stay in the place we are in now. It would mean scrimping by, and ultimately we wouldn't be able to stay for long because we can't live here on a minimum wage paycheck. We have some very generous friends at the our church who have offered us the use of their winter home while they're humidity free up north. Again, God has been gracious in providing us this option if we need it. Because it would mean storing our furniture, and it wouldn't be permanent, it's not ideal. But we WILL go where the Lord puts us.

Option #3 If we both get jobs relatively soon, we should be able to afford to continue living in our current place; "The Awkward Stair" as we've affectionately called it for the last 10 months. This would be great and Jon could keep his church opportunity. We could continue building the friendships we have started and contribute to a community we love. This would be nearly ideal, but WE WILL GO where the Lord puts us.

Option #4 If one or both of us gets a job soon, we've hatched a crazy idea with another married couple to move in together (that's right, 2 married couples under 1 roof). The benefits would be saving on rent/utilities/other bills, building a friendship to a higher level, and being able to help each other grow in all sorts of ways. This option has too many "what if's" and "only if's" to count, but it is a fun idea to think about while you're doing dishes. this would also be nearly ideal, but none the less, WE WILL GO WHERE THE LORD PUTS US.

Friday, June 18th is pretty much our deadline for the first option. If neither of us have something by then, it's "Hello Mom and Dad!"

Please pray for us. We need so much of God's direction in our lives. Pray that he will provide jobs, where ever he sends us. Pray that he will be glorified through all the muddled-ness of this time. And pray wherever we are sent next, that there is a dishwasher.