This Post is part of the One Word Challenge for 2013. For this challenge, I chose the word ‘faith’ to be my word to inspire, drive, and define me for this year.
Already, this year is filled with new challenges and obstacles: We have just one car but 2 working adults. We have to find a daycare provider that is both near our home and affordable, and that will fit our family’s scheduling needs. Oh, yeah, and 2 baby girls taking up all our free time, bringing another set of challenges with them (and joys, too, of course!)
Doesn’t it always seem that our lives are almost defined by our work? I’m a teacher, and that really defines me. I use my summers to grow as a professional and work on projects on the weekends because I like to. I like learning, so it’s fortunate that my job revolves around it! I’ve had a very safe job for the last 6 years. The district I work for has treated me well, I have earned tenure, and progressed on the pay scale each year. But I’m not happy there. I can’t go into details, but I have been very unhappy at my job for the past two years and have been yearning for a position closer to home (My school is 40 miles away).
Well, I’m about to throw everything in the toilet and start over. From scratch. From the bottom of the totem pole, as they say. I got an offer to work in my home district, in my son’s school, FIVE BLOCKS from my house. Talk about great opportunities! But… It’s a temporary offer. Meaning that, come June, I am jobless. Oh, there is talk of hiring a few people for next fall, but it would probably still be temporary. In spite of the huge, scary risks, I’m still taking the job because I think I would be happier in a school closer to home.
This is a big, long explanation to get to the point. Throughout the rest of this school year I am going to have to have faith. I just know that God put this job, in the district I’ve been praying for, in front of me because he wants me to take it. Yes, it comes with risks. I have to have faith that God will provide for me and my family as we enter into the unknown. Having faith is easier said than done, which is why I would like this word to be my reminder for the next 347 days.
I’ve always said that I know God will provide for me. Then, just in case he doesn’t, I take matters into my own hands. Because God may not do what I think he should (and I know best, right?). Faith is doing all I can, doing my best, and leaving the rest to Him; it’s knowing that he will take care of your needs. I am going to let my faith lead me through this next bend in our lives. Feel free to join me!