The time of abundant transitions is upon us again. (I think we did something similar 2 years ago…right?) God likes to keep us on our toes. Jobs transitioning out, selling everything, saying goodbye to family in California, moving to Georgia in July, prepping for training in Colorado, spending August in Colorado, and prepping to move to Romania. Taking one step at a time, thankfully.

We are getting ready to sell everything and dividing up books to ship and books to sell. Books are the hardest thing to let go of.

Jeff has about 5 weeks left in this quarter and then he gets to walk at graduation (with one more quarter after). At that point, his job will be done too.

Yesterday, I found out that both of my jobs will be ending at the end of May. I will have some irregular/occasional jobs in June, but we weren’t sure how everything was going to work out. So after I got home with this new timeline in mind, I had a message from a lady looking for some help with her 3 month old. I told her I would love to but we were leaving the state soon. She said it wasn’t a problem and wanted to meet the very next day. Before I left, they said it would work fine and want me to start Friday. *Update*- The job fell through, so please keep praying. God is making me practice what I preach.*

Over the last 2 months, we have had time after time where we were not sure how everything might work out financially and then the Lord always showed up. We have had plenty of moments where we are looking at our account and scratching our heads and asking how it is still that high and are we sure we paid all the bills. God is drawing us to a place where we are having to daily trust in His provision and He is showing us how He is the ultimate provider for EVERYTHING.

Sometimes we have this perception of the “ultimate Christian” who is always hearing from the Lord and never struggles. And yes, I love having those moments, but that is what they are…moments. I am learning to love the times of struggle when I can’t hear his voice and but He is still asking me to take a step on faith. Learning what picking up my cross daily looks like lived out and the pain, sorrow, growth, and joy it can bring. Because this step has proven to show me more of God’s glory and pure awesomeness than the times where I feel closest to Him.

We pray that you are encouraged in your times of struggle and know that even though you may not be hearing from God or feel as intimate with Him as you desire, that He is there for you. God has not forgotten you. He will never forget you. He knows your needs and knows how He is going to provide for them already. And when it seems He is not, He is still providing for you in a different measure, by building your character in likeness to Him. I am a straight up realist, so I know you are rolling your eyes and saying it’s not that easy, and it is hard when Jesus wants to build my character. But please don’t forget to rejoice in Joy in those times too.

God is so good. Oh, how He loves us and cares for us.

-Lauren