Our Journey With God: Part 3 - "Are You Crazy?"

To view Part 1 click here: http://michele-risingabove.blogspot.com/2009/07/jim-micheles-journey-part-1-from.html

To view Part 2 click here:http://michele-risingabove.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-journey-part-3-rest-solitude-peace.html

I sat before my husband of 35 years with tears streaming down my face as I waited patiently for what seemed like hours for a response from Jim regarding the outpouring of my heart concerning God’s calling upon our lives.

Jim took my now shaking hands into his large yet comforting hands, looked straight into my eyes and said, “God has been working in my heart as well. Yes, it does sound crazy to leave two jobs and a roof over our heads for the unknown all the way across the country; especially in today’s economy and we being in our 50’s as well. But I too believe that God may be calling us to Pennsylvania as well. Let’s keep praying for God’s will to become evident and allow Him to confirm His will by providing a job in Pennsylvania for me. “

I must admit that at first I thought Jim might be humoring me. You know how men can be when we start being “emotional” (don’t you hate that word sometimes). I assured Jim that I was serious. I knew beyond a shadow of doubt that we were to move to Pennsylvania. I told him I was willing to live in a cardboard box, either way I know that God would provide our needs.

Jim had checked into what he would need to do to become a certified teacher in PA. It would take some time, yet for some reason Jim continued to be compelled to check out some of the local Christian Schools and churches in the area. A part me believed that Jim felt like I did right away, yet had some trepidation concerning exactly when the Lord wanted us to return to Pennsylvania, so I knew that God still had to reveal in His time exactly when we were to make this most drastic change in our lives. After all, Jim had just signed his contract to teach another year in Arizona, and we were planning on returning to our church family when we returned. So did God want us to return to Pennsylvania now, next year or the following year?

As time became closer to our returning home to Phoenix, we still had not had a definitive answer from the Lord as to when we were to move to PA. I believed with my whole heart it was within months or our return to Phoenix, yet Jim needed a more “solid” revelation from God before he would leave the church he had ministered in for the past 12 years and the school he taught for the past few years.

This revelation came a week before we left for North Carolina to visit my sister. Jim received a call from the administrator of a Christian school about 30 miles from where we were staying at the campgrounds. They met the next day for a couple of hours and both got along quite well. Jim felt a peace when he stepped on the campus, yet he wanted to make sure it was God’s calling and not his own will. They had one more interview before they would decide on the man for the position as bible teacher for the 7th through 12th grades.

We left for my sister’s a few days later, leaving it all to the Lord as to when He wanted us to move to Pennsylvania. A few days after our arrival at my sister’s, Jim received a call from the Administrator offering him the job. A job that will pay 1/3 of what he receives now with his two jobs combined; a job that has NO benefits at ALL! Yet, as Jim and I prayed about this job ever since he first interviewed for the position we knew that if God wanted Jim to take this position, then God would supply ALL our needs! On paper it seems an impossible task, yet God is the God of impossibilities! Nothing is impossible with God! If God is for us, who can stand against us!

So after several months of seeking God’s will for our lives. Our Lord restored our faith, our strength, our peace, and our ministry – our lives! Jim and I had complete peace that God wanted us to move within weeks of our return to Phoenix. How were we going to tell our family, our friends, and our church? How would everyone react to such a drastic life changing decision?

Tune in tomorrow for part 4 of our journey.