A Lesson In Trust

Friday started out just like any other day.
6am-alarm goes off
7am-Matt's out the door to work
9am-begin getting self and Matilyn dressed
12:07pm-loaded the car to run errands with the neighbor
12:10pm-realized I'd left something in the house
12:11pm-Matt calls and frantically declares he's lost his job.

"WHAT? I don't understand?", I said. "Me either!!!" he replied. "My boss just called me into his office and asked that we take a walk to visit with VP HR". "As we walked he asked, ""Matt how's your day going"", I told him of work I was tending to and asked how his was going. He replied "not to good". As we sat in front of VP HR she proceeded to tell me they were terminating my employment. I probed with WHY, WHY, WHY for 20 minutes and pleaded that I had done everything they asked and more (which they both agreed) and all they could say is "this was handed down to us, we don't know why". Once the meeting was over I decided that "for no reason was not a reason so I went into my bosses office and told him "I left a really good job where they wanted me to stay, relocated my family, I have a newborn, a new house and a wife who is staying home to raise our daughter, I deserve a reason for being let go. He asked me to shut the door, then he broke down crying. He said that he was very happy with me, we had the perfect student-teacher relationship. He said that he had nothing to do with the decision and that he was awake all night with devastation. He said that he could give me no reason, he didn't know why I was being let go."

Matt packed his belongings and was dropped off at home by 3:00pm. We sat in tears, dumbfounded at the days event.

With a sleepless night I woke up at 3am and decided to find comfort in scripture. I opened my bible and was immediately directed to Ecclesiastes 7-9. I prayed that God would be very swift with guidance and asked that he completely remove this burden from our shoulders. At 9am Matt got on the Internet and logged on to the A&M career center website and shot out an e-mail to a prospect, 5 minutes later the phone rang. Matt and the "prospect" talked for around 90 minutes. This was definitely what we needed to lift our spirits.

Out of the blue we decided to visit Matt's parents for the weekend so that we didn't have to be alone. Saturday evening I had a little tug at my heart when Matt's mom and dad invited us to church (since Matilyn has been born we have not been attending regularly).

The title of today's sermon was "Don't Worry". The Scripture reading was taken from Matthew 6:25-34,
25"So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in the barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not."
28 "And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you? You have so little faith!"
31 "So don't worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern."
34 "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

I listened intently. It was if we had opened the Bible and it read "Dear Matt and Katy, I completely understand. Don't worry." The pastor continued in Philippians about trust and the way to do it in times of worry.

If this was not the most blatant act of God speaking directly to me, I don't know what is. It was no coincidence that we were in that service. God had planned on speaking that message to my heart all week long.

My heart is still saddened but I know there is a plan and a purpose for everything that has aspired. Matt and I are hopeful about his interview on Tuesday. We ask for your thoughts and prayers as we begin a job search for the second time. I also ask that you consistently remind me of this very message, if I begin to express worry or doubt. Matt and I have so many things to be thankful for and it is that outlook that we are taking as we approach this difficult time. Most of all, I know that we have been blessed with a wonderful support system made up of our family and friends that we can call on in times of good and bad.