One thing I was looking forward to in marriage was stability. I looked forward to being married and having someone to come home to and depend on, a house to clean and maintain, a life to build and make our own. I guess I wanted the "hum-drum" of married life, to settle into a routine of work, eat, play, sleep, repeat with my husband, to be predictable. To be secure in my situation and know that life was good.
But...maybe I was relying too much on this idea of stability instead of the One who has the ability to keep me stable in all circumstances; relying too much on the hope for security in unreliable people and situations instead of my Hope when people and circumstances fail me and things seem hopeless.
Since getting married, we have faced one thing after the other and have yet to find the "stability" in our lives that I hoped would come. In our marriage, our house, our jobs, our family - everything has kept changing from the moment we said 'I do'. Looking back over this past year, I feel like every month brought a new trial or change of some sort. But there has been one thing that has never changed through all the craziness...
Joe's last day as a Bosch Sales Rep was January 28th. Until his last day, we didn't know what the next step would be. He had applied for different jobs with no open doors. Close to the breaking point, Joe was offered a full-time position with the Home Depot Merchandising team, but it was hardly ideal. It's the overnight shift, the pay is minimal, and the commute is up to an hour each way. Nevertheless, he agreed to take it, because something was better than nothing and he has a family to provide for now. He started this job this past Monday, February 3rd. To say it has been a rough week in the Mentzer house would be an understatement. But it has made us appreciate each other a lot more and the time that we do have together!
Even though Joe has this job (and we are thankful!), we have been praying for the right opportunity to come Joe's way. On Joe's last day with Bosch, he was approached by a District Manager for Glidden Paint and this man told Joe he wanted him to work as a sales rep for Glidden and encouraged him to apply online for the job. Joe did apply and we continued to pray and wait, trusting God for His timing and provision. Joe had an interview this morning with Glidden Paint and things went really well. The pay is more than what he was making with Bosch and some other perks of this job - a company car (with a gas card and insurance!), cell phone, laptop, and health benefits with a 401K plan. He has to meet with one more executive and win him over to finalize his employment with Glidden and start sometime in February. I'm not trying to brag about how amazing this job is, but just to show that GOD IS FAITHFUL to provide all that we need, sometimes better than we can imagine, even if that provision comes out of a bad circumstance!! We are trusting God for his favor and to open this door for Joe, if it be His will.
I said before that in spite of all the craziness we have faced in our lives, there has been one thing that has never changed...and that is the faithfulness of God. When I didn't know what to do or how to handle a situation, I have continued to learn to turn to God - for the big and the little things - and to trust His plan. When things looked hopeless, He was my Hope. When things got wobbly, He made us stable.
I'm reminded of the story of building on a solid foundation in Matthew 7:24-27:
“Anyone who listens to my [Jesus'] teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
As Christians, our goal should be to be stable, not in and of ourselves, but because we have built our lives upon a solid foundation, Christ Jesus. This year as newlyweds, Joe and I have faced some storms, but we have decided to build our lives on the foundation of Christ. And God has seen us through every single storm that has tried to destroy us. 1 Peter 5:10 says, "In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation." I can look back and say that God has been the stability that I have longed for. He has been the firm foundation that we have fallen hard on these past several months. Sure, it hasn't been easy or fun, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Joe and I have grown closer to each other and in our relationships with God. And I wouldn't exchange that for all the money, stability or security this world can offer.
