In our previous episode…
We shared about the ongoing efforts we’ve been making to pay off debt from 2023’s caregiving journey and our medical issues. It’s been tiring and faith-stretching all the time but God’s faithfulness has been a sure thing.
Are you ready for this?!
In what was a whiplash period of two weeks, we visited the ER 3 times, had 2 sets of X-rays and one MRI completed, and ended up with 1 dislocated knee (all of that is related to our kids). We struggled with the fact that God didn’t shield us from these issues. And as we felt the waters rising and lifting our feet off of our last tiny sliver of dry ground, we cried out to God, “Do you really know what you’re doing?”
Our kids have been on state-funded insurance for all of our US-based lives and this wasn’t a financial threat to us, but it meant three missed days of work on Bethany’s part and man, it was towards the end of the month of August when we were most thin, financially.
Tears of pain and doubt mixed with tears of pain and trust were cried on our parts. One or two well-intended platitudes might have been shared with us and didn’t land. We clung to our Father’s back as He called us to choose to let the water lift us off of our little patch of dry ground. But, think of it like this, when a coast guard rescue swimmer takes hold of a boater who’s boat has just capsized, that imperiled boater has to cling to the rescue swimmer and all the way back to the coast guard vessel, even though safe in the arms of the swimmer, still has to feel the rage of the storm and waters. We knew we were safe in the Father’s arms, but still felt all the effects of the storm.
Well, you can’t have whiplash without a wild swing in the other direction and that happened too.
In the middle of all of that we received a small but helpful payout from a life insurance policy that Lynn had and breathed a sigh of relief that we had a little bit of margin in our finances. We could continue to pay our debt, and our living expenses and not wonder how to do the latter. It wasn’t a complete deliverance but it was welcome.
But on Wednesday of that week, we received word that good friends we’ve known for decades wanted to bless us financially after selling a house. They gave us a gift that could help to reduce our debt significantly.
We were speechless. What we feel at this moment is some kind of mix between awe and confusion as we consider the unthought-of ways God works His will out in our lives. His kingdom that we awkwardly fumble our way through is truly a backwards one where He delights to turn our earthly values on their heads!
Coming up…
We look to our Father for wisdom about the timing of the things that are dependent upon paying off the debt. We’re not going to be finished with this work of debt repayment yet. Bethany will continue to work several days a week, BUT this “chunk” we’re able to pay off is such a huge blessing! It puts us closer to the goal of paying it all off.
Kate has some weeks of recovery to go. The MRI results don’t show anything needing surgical repair, so it’s just going to be a slow recovery on the go. Pray for her healing and her heart in this season.
Jack needs our prayers! His own health hasn’t been the most stable lately and it’s had a great deal of impact on all of our lives. Please pray for us as parents to know how to best support him and when to jump in if necessary.
We still need an increase in our monthly support: Paying off debt is a huge answer to prayer. And an equally huge ongoing need and prayer request is for new supporters to join our team or for some of our current team to increase what they invest in our ministry. Plain and simple; the level of support we’re currently receiving is below the minimum we need to meet our monthly and yearly budget.
I heard someone in a song recently sing the line (and it brings me close to tears) “if you want to follow Jesus you make peace with foolishness”. Perhaps that peace that we have to make means that these struggles we face are more than just a season. They’re the address we live at. And He lives there with us.