I watch. I wait. I wonder.
Some call it courage. Some call it foolish.
I call it faith.
It’s been a LONG year. No, honestly, it’s been a long 17 months.
The unknown is difficult.
On December 29, 2008, I invited you to join our family as we entered another “God watch” period in our lives. An expectant time where we would watch and wait to see all the Lord was going to do. We knew unemployment was on the horizon, due to a company buy out and move, so we began living as if we were unemployed six months before my husband’s job ended. We were privileged to have had that advanced knowledge since many do not. Honestly, I remember the emotions when I wrote that December post. They were assured, unwavering and matter of fact. Little did I know the journey we were about to take. Here’s a paragraph that stands out. Note the last line which causes me to chuckle.
“Our desire is to make it through this waiting period debt free.
The key to a financial plan for one’s family is exactly that...there is a plan – no matter what the income or job title – whether you make $24,000 a year or $240,000. Unexpected job loss is built into that plan with an emergency fund for situations just like what we are anticipating.
But that’s a whole different blog post which I feel passionately about..can you tell?
Remind me of that in six months if we’re still unemployed, deal?”
If there’s one thing I’ve been reminded of is that God’s timing is never our own. As I wrote that last line, I honestly thought we’d have only 4-6 months of unemployment, yet it ended up being almost one year to the day. That was no coincidence. It was all part of our story.
Well, my next true blue financial update wasn’t until September 2009, and I poured my little heart out in that post. I am so passionate about living below ones means, and it came out as I wrote this one late Friday night.
One year ago, I would have been hard pressed to find any more areas in our budget to cut. We were already living well below our means,or so I thought. Yet as time went on, I felt like our daily manna was being provided as we streamlined life, and honed our entrepreneurial skills.
I’ll have to check with my husband about whether we should detail specific financial areas, but for our family of seven, it still amazes me to find out how one can whittle a family budget if they are driven. The beauty of streamlining this year? I never felt like I was lacking for anything. I shared a little about Needs vs Wants on our one year God Watch Anniversary, and honestly, with my thrifting and Frugal Fashionista finds mixed in to cure any selfish “wants”, I knew I was still living life larger than most of the people in the world.
This year has been a time of perspective for me.
A time of growth. A time of hard lessons. A time of unearthing selfishness. A time of wisdom.
It’s a time I want to share with you by processing the lessons I have learned as a mom, wife, entrepreneur, blogger, and frugal living expert.
Because whether you’re in the midst of financial uncertainty or not, dealing with the long term unknown is one of the hardest lessons I’ve wrestled with in a long time.
I wanted to bring closure to this specific “God Watch” in our lives. So why did I choose to do it this morning?
You’re going to laugh at this. It was for no deep philosophical reason.
Honestly, I wanted to spend time mulling over a really profound post, but yard sale season is in full bloom and I found some amazing treasures last week. I wanted to share them today, but realized that from a fiscally responsible point of view, I can’t advocate doing any kind of shopping for “wants” if the money isn’t there. If we had still been unemployed for another year, I wouldn’t be shopping at a yard sale buying things I don’t need….even if they were a great deal. Because great deals still equal cash. 🙂
My emotions are still rampant as the reality sets in. The story of this contract job that turned permanent is unbelievable. It’s more than we could have ever asked for or imagined, and speaks to my husband’s character and work ethic.
He called to share the news (on my birthday…again, no coincidence) and I started screaming. Our oldest son came running. I jumped up and down hugging him. As I hung up the phone, I was screaming (joy screams, of course) and then all of a sudden I just started sobbing. Even though I am a passionate person, I am not really a crier – at all – so to start sobbing uncontrollably mirrored this huge weight being lifted. I didn’t even realize how heavy that burden had become because it was something I had lived with for so long. My 16 year old son by now was wondering where his mother had gone and who was this loony woman who had replaced her, so in typical teen wit asked, Does that mean I can get my driver’s license?” It was just humor I needed as I punched his arm and loved on his neck. 🙂
So we did it!! We survived a year of unemployment and have lived to not just tell about it but to rejoice through it.
The teaching was hard, the tests grueling, but the lessons learned were life changing.
(I know many of you are still in the midst of trying times, and I would love to pray for you if you desire to leave any comments or requests.)
*edited to add: Don’t worry – this blog doesn’t change. My thrifting, yard saleing, couponing etc has been my way of life long before this journey started. The only difference? I can start being more specific in some financial goals (which I’ll share.)
My husband found out in October that he would be losing his job. We didn’t know exactly when, but that it would be in the spring. (Now we know it’s in 2 weeks.) Suddenly, we understood why the Lord had led us to live a more frugal lifestyle 2 years earlier. We were able to cut more, though. Since we got the news, we’ve worked to put ourselves in a much better financial situation. My husband hopes to return to school in the fall. If so, we’ll have a long 18 months ahead. If he doesn’t, then he’ll be out hitting the pavement. 🙂
We know that God has a plan, and is in complete control. We’ve seen Him do amazing, AMAZING things since we got the news.
I found your blog right after we got the news, and you’ve been an inspiration to me. Thank you for that.
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This is just what I needed to read today. Thanks so much for the encouragement! We are getting ready to have our first child in June. We are feeling like we’re to take a leap of faith and have me quit my job to stay at home with the baby, although it seems crazy. Right now we have just a little bit (like maybe $200) extra every month living off of both mine and my husbands income and the thought of cutting our income in less than half (I make more than him) is so scary! Realistically, there is NO WAY that it’s going to work, but we really feel like this is the way that God is leading us, so all we can do is trust Him. Trusting that it will all be okay is a daily choice, especially in the midst of all of my fears and uncertantity, but I know that somehow it will all work out. Thanks for sharing your story! Your life is a testimony of God’s goodness and I’m so challenged and encouraged by reading your blog!
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Jens Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:35 am
@Jenny, Jenny – thanks for sharing….it’s scary, but so worth it!! I will be cheering you along the way.
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Starving Student Survivor Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:55 am
@Jenny, It does work out! We have two kids now, and every year our income is smaller on paper but somehow we’re living better as time goes by. You can make it!
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I am so, so happy for your family. Thanks for sharing this difficult period of your lives with us–you’ve been a real example of grace under pressure!
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Oh, such a great post. We’ve survived 6 months here. Amazing how it builds your faith!
Happy Friday Jen!
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It was 15 months for my husband out of a job now almost a year at his blessing job. I so understand your feelings.
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Praise the Lord! Thanks for the update–our God is SO good!
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Oh, how wonderful! I am so glad that things have turned “permanent” (well, as permanent as they can be) for yall. I have prayed for yall.
Glad to know the news. But please keep up the frugal fashionista posts, mkay? 😉
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Jens Reply:
April 30th, 2010 at 10:34 am
@Rhonda, oh Rhonda – no worries there. This has been my lifestyle long before we were without a job. 🙂 Nothing changes now that there’s money in the bank….lol
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Great post. I’m glad that things have turned out well in the end and that you were able to keep your head up high and thriving so well in such a hard time.
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Happy news, Jen! Thanks for sharing it!
Please pray for two of my friends. One is a homeschooling mom and her husband was out of work for a long time. He has done a few temporary jobs, but nothing stable. She’s also dealing with a teen, a mother with Alzheimer’s and a married daughter who has a toddler. It’s been a rough road.
The other friend is a single mom who has been out of work for right at a year. Though she’s had some interviews, nothing has panned out yet. God has been good and supplied her needs through various sources, but with no money left and no job prospect on the horizon it’s taking all the faith she has just to get up everyday.
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Wow, such good news, a real burden lifted. What a gift you have been given, though, to be shown how strong and resourceful you can be. You should be proud of yourselves. Well done, and again, congratulations.
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I really needed to read this today. Thank you. We aren’t experiencing a job loss, but we are in the middle of digging ourselves out of a mountain of debt and making up for past bad choices. Sometimes it feels like this is our punishment and we’re doing this alone … thanks for the reminder that God is with us.
Rejoicing with you for your wonderful news! And inspired by you – thanks for sharing your journey.
Best Wishes,
Kara
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I know that prayer is one of the most powerful things on this earth- and I would LOVE for you to join us in praying that my husband can find a job! My husband has been laid off since August of ’08 and after being unemployed or underemployed for a year we made the decision for him to get his Masters degree. He will be graduating this August and although is able to work while he goes to school- STILL has not found anything. Thank you for your amazing post- it made me cry :)! I too feel that although being unemployed is such a difficult trial to endure- I still have seen SO many blessings and miracles happen in our lives and I am grateful for that insight because it has helped carry me and my family through this trying time. Thank you for your prayers!
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Susan Reply:
February 24th, 2012 at 8:51 pm
@Ashley, So timely for me to find this older post on your blog. My husband is beginning year three of unemployment. He was let go from a church that he had served at for 10 years with no explanation and six months severance. He too, returned to school to finish his Masters degree and had a grad assistant job during the duration of his schooling. Now he is finished and still no job. We’ve cashed in two retirement accounts to keep afloat. I am thankful that we have been taken care of in many ways – I finished my Masters degree 6 months before the job loss and had a major pay raise, few if any car repairs, relatively good health and good insurance that has covered most of our medical expenses. The Lord continues to carry us through this difficult time.
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Oh, Jen, I am so happy for you and your family! I was so concerned for you and have prayed for you so many times. I couldn’t imagine how you were going to make it – but knew that you would, with God’s help!
Then… my husband lost his job. Completly unexpected. No time to prepare. Nothing saved in advance. It’s been 10 months, but he actually begins his new job tomorrow!!! We are so thankful. God has been so good to us, and He took care of our every need.
We began this journey different people than we are today. Praising the Lord for His testimony through your lives…
Jennifer
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Jens Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 4:09 pm
@SmellingCoffee, Oh Jennifer – so thrilled for your hubby’s new job. 🙂
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Jen, I am really happy for you and your family. You’re a wonderful writer and I always feel a little jump in my heart when I spy one of your new posts in my Google reader! Thank you for sharing your family’s story. It’s inspirational, funny, informative and just plain joyful.
I look forward to your financial posts. (But I like the food posts the most!)
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That is wonderful news! Thank you so much for sharing your story. Even though my family of seven is not in the same place right now, you’ve kept me inspired just in case we end up there through no fault of our own. As another commenter mentioned, I love seeing your posts come up in my Google Reader because I know it’s worth my time to click over and read and then read other posts on your site.
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Happy news! I am so thankful for all your wonderful posts and it brings me such joy that He has taken care of you! You are such role model, thank you:)
On that note- I bought a “Pampered Chef” apple/peeler/corer /slicer at a garage sale for a $1 and I thought of you! Happy hunting!
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Jens Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 4:12 pm
@Danielle, Ah – we love those $1 treasures 🙂
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Oh my goodness…what an awesome timely post Jennifer. We are going on 8 mos of unemployment, and today was the first time I had to pull some money out of the EF to make ends meet. Your post gives me encouragement to press on and wait for God to bless us like He has you. I know it is right around the corner. We have been through so much, such a wide range of emotions, ups and downs, feeling anxious and very fearful, feeling like failures…but have grown us so much in faith, hope and trust. Our God is good and loves to show Himself strong on our behalf.
Pray for us as we continue to job hunt, and pray for God to open some doors especially for my husband. Pray for God’s BEST!
Thank you for all of your encouragement.
xoxo
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I am overjoyed for you guys! I teared up as you shared how the flood of emotions hit you. My husband has been out of work for most of the last 2+ years… it’s been a season of battling fear, insecurities, worry and doubt… it’s been a time for our faith to be stretched and stretched some more. Through all the moments I just pray and wait for it to be over, I am still trying to grasp and grab onto all that I have learned in this process. I am thankful for God’s provisions daily & I look forward to one day getting to scream when that call comes.
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Jen!! I am so excited for you!! I thank you for being so honest during this difficult time…we are currently in a unemployed hubby situation and it is hard to imagine going through over a year of it! You are tough!
But God is faithful and he does provide and we are excitedly enjoying this new season in life with a new baby on the way(!!) Big things are happening in the Nussey household!! Big Things!
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Jen, What a blessing you have been during your God Watch. Encouragement and inspiration are the sweet breezes that lift from your posts reminding all of the truly important things in our lives.
Blessings,
Siobhan
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Wow, Jen. God is so good! You inspire me and encourage me.
Thanks for shining through trials. 🙂
xoxo
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That’s wonderful news! We’ve been through times of unemployment, too – when my husband swears that God put money in our account because there was no logical explanation for how all our bills were paid plus some! 🙂
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I’m thrilled to hear your good news, Jen!! That’s so wonderful. Hooray! 🙂
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What a beautiful post Jennifer! I can relate on so many levels! Thank you for sharing. This brought tears to my eyes, gratitude to my heart and continuing awe at the miracles of grace in our lives.
Enjoy,
Lori
ps can’t wait for our launch next week! 😉
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Congratulations. I know what a relief it is. My hubby had been out of work for 13 months when a call came for a job he was uniquely qualified for. He got the offer at the first interview. While he has to work four weeks through a service, the job is supposed to convert to permanent. We stuggled through 13 months on just my salary and unemployment. I firmly believe that there was a plan since his unemployment ran out just as the offer came in. Our shared goal is to pay down as much debt as possible as quicly as possible so we are in a better position the next time something like this happens. We are blessed.
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I love this post. Thank you for inspiring hope. I truly believe that God has a plan for me. He is just waiting until just the right time to present a job opportunity that’s perfect for me. I am a single mom and a grandma and I have been unemployed since December 2008. It’s been trying and honestly, I don’t know how I’ve paid for everything thus far. I have been sending my resume out left and right. I am ready to get a job! 🙂
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And it is great to hear your good news! Woo hoo! And what your 16 year old son said, that sounds like something my 16 year old daughter would say. haha
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Oh I’m so happy to read this! My dad has been looking for a new job (luckily not unemployed but certainly underemployed) and I know what a struggle that’s been for him. Congratulations on finding some peace and security along with the new job =)
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YAY!! Rejoicing with you!!
You have a wrap around porch on your list of wants, right?!?! I want to hear about that!
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Jen, I couldn’t be happier for you. Losing a job is hard. . . I know that from experience!. . . but going without one for so long? That’s in a completely different league. Of course, you’re in a league of your own in a lot of ways, but now this experience has really honed your skills and sharpened your perspective. I thank you for sharing your journey with your readers. You may never know all the people who have benefited from hearing your story. You tell it so honestly, with such passion, thanksgiving, and joy in the journey (no matter how hard the journey!). I really, really appreciate you, and I am thrilled to rejoice with you now. 🙂
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I’m so glad for you! Thank you so much for sharing this journey. Even though I haven’t walked this specific path, it has just been so encouraging for me to see how God has worked in your lives and you have provided such a beautiful example of faith to me. God is good! (all the time)
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Hi Jens-
Great news for you and your family. I bet you slept great the night after you found out that he got a job. My husband has been out for 13 months now. He works hard at trying to find a postion and we are hoping one comes along soon, even if that means moving. Living in limbo can be what you make of it, it seems you made the best out of it with your frugal ideas and positive attitude. Sharing your journey with us also helps to know that we are not alone in this stressful time in our lives. I hope you did lots of celebrating!!
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God is good! Thank you for sharing your story with us. You have been an inspiration to those of us still on a “God watch”. 🙂
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…aaaaannnnddddd now *I* am sobbing–well, okay, not really. but i did shed a tear of joy for you (also not a crier). i just wanted to remind you (as if you don’t know already) that this journey of yours has touched SO MANY lives through your writing & sharing. as i returned to NC last week in order to welcome my husband home from iraq in just a couple of weeks, i browed the aisles of harris teeter thinking “okay…what would jen do…”–and don’t you know it, i saved $47 that shopping trip. a FIRST for me. i’ve started looking around at more thrift stores, shopping yard sales instead of retail stores, & maybe most importantly, i’ve remember that PATIENCE pays off. and you (& your family) have been part of the inspiration.
so this job loss, this journey of your family has not only affected your lives, it has touched the lives of so many who read this blog 🙂 thanks, once again, for sharing…i hope i can speak for all of us that we are tickled to share in your JOY. 🙂
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Thank you for your words of hope and encouragement. We are now 7 months into our unployment. We have five sweet kids, four of which we homeschool. I also have very serious health issues. The burden on my husband is heavy. I really don’t know how , but by God’s grace, he hasn’t cracked. Thanks be to God our daily needs are meet. But my human ways get in the way and I begin to worry and doubt. We are knee deep in our God watch and learning lessons of faith and hope and encouragement along the way.
Thank you again for sharing.
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Stoked beyond stoked. That’s so exciting, Jen. And I love T’s license comment. Classic.
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Jen, how awesome for y’all!!! Praising along with you. We’re still on our God Watch, and we can see Him moving – through unemployment, foreclosure & all that comes with that. You are such an encouragement to others – we’re so happy for you!
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I can feel your joy in that post, and I am so happy for your family – what a relief!
We aren’t dealing with unemployment right now, but this past year has blindsided us with unexpected and serious medical issues for several members of my family, family crisis situations that have brought me to my knees many times, reduction in work hours which means a reduction in pay, and the very real possibility of losing my jobs for good because of the economy. The key for us is that all of this was totally unexpected and practically unprepared for. For too many years we took our good health and jobs for granted, and we just weren’t ready for any of this. It’s a hard road, and it looks like we have a long way to go, but your story gives me encouragement and hope.
I would be so grateful if you would keep us in your prayers.
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I’ve been wondering about your situation and this is fantastic news. I bet you’ll sleep good this week! My husband is unemployed since leaving his job Dec. 31, 2009 and we also had 6 months to save in anticipation. I work part time and would love to stick with my part time situation…but at the end of June we said I’d reconsider full time. Since we’ve adjusted to a super thrifty budget (and to think one time I was considering granite countertops…?!), I think we can definitley last a year on just my salary. My kids are in private schools (16 and 11) and that’s one thing I won’t give up. Moving comes up as an option…another no deal for me! Anyway, thanks for listening and love your blog, especially your update!
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Wonderful!
Happy birthday, too!!!
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That is great Jen! Keep thrifty, Love your ideas however haven’t done it myself. Could you pray for my sister who’s husband left her and her 4 kids and hasn’t been supporting them. I tell her everyday that things will work out and that Karma will come his way eventually. (There are other things involved.) They can’t pay the bills and may lose their house.
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I would never wish unemployment on anyone but I do think everyone should have to go through it at least once in their life. You will look at your job and your spending (and saving) completely different after it happens. My biggest advice for my children (and everyone else) is to live below your means now while you have a job. I also think paying off a home as quickly as possible is a good plan but many disagree (until they are unemployed :-). On the bright side, I’ve been through it twice in my field and my husband has also been through it twice (statistics show the average person will go through it 3x’s) and I can honestly say (although I did not think it at the time 🙂 – it was a good thing b/c we both found better jobs and are much happier w/ the companies we are now with. I’m happy for you, I know you are on cloud nine and you should be!
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Your post is encouraging. We are also on the Dave Ramsey plan and should have our emergency fund fully funded by August. This post has encouraged me to stick it out and finish the goal. It is so tempting to use the money that should be saved.
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Rejoicing with you! 🙂
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Such good news, congratulations! We have had stages of unemployment in our marriage and thrifty living has saved us and made it possible for us to pay off our mortgage years sooner than most people.
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Such a wonderful summary to all God has done and continues to do in your life. We are still in the midst of a journey that began in February 2008 when God impressed upon our hearts our need to be better stewards of our financial gifts. Seven months later my husband lost his job that he’d been at for 11 years. After only 3 months of unemployment he got a job offer. He didn’t love it, it was almost half of what he was making but it was also clear this was the job he had to take at the time. 8 months later he lost that job. Within 2 weeks he had another offer. The pay was only slightly more than the one he had but we were used to living at that income by then. It did however require us to move to another state. Again, we felt led by God to step out in faith and take this path. We love our new home in Florida but our financial situation has been further strained by the fact that our house in Kentucky still hasn’t sold. It’s been on the market since the end of August 2009. In February 2008 our housing costs were around 1/5 of our income. Today they are between 2/3 and 3/4 because we’re paying for two places. God has been faithful through it all and we have learned so much about needs vs. wants, what is truly important in life and how we can best use our income. We finally truly, completely, wholly understand that we are given excess not that we may have more but so we may give more. Thank you for the encouragement and inspiration you share here.
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YAY I am so happy for your family! I can only imagine the weight that has been lifted off your shoulders.
I have been out of work for two years and my husband has been laid off twice. We have three children. We eventually had to give up our home and are staying with my mom. I know God is up to something. I have never doubted that. He is working behind the scenes and I know He has something special in store for us.
I know there are many other families out there like us. That was the soul purpose for my blog to show people how we save money in these trying times. So I want to encourage others who going though these difficult times, you are not alone and there is always someone out there praying for you!
I am so happy for your family Jen may God bless you and your family!
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Oh Jen, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU ALL!! This is such wonderful news!!! I’m so glad I signed on this afternoon!!! You are a wonderful person and I enjoy your blog so much!
And it’s great how you know that your frugal ways are a part of you! My parents (both of them) grew up with NOTHING. And even though they are more than comfortable financially, it has NEVER changed how they are. My mother shops at 3 or more different markets, loves garage sales and thrift stores. She is the queen of reinventing things. She was a recycler before it was a household name. Your right, it IS a way of life 🙂 And I’m so happy that she influenced me to be this way as well.
I always tell my husband that I want us to live in a way that if we lost our income tomorrow we could still live the way we are. That is comforting beyond words and so happy to read you think that way as well! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!
Kristi
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Such a God thing! I’ve been praying! We’re on a second go-round of unemployment. We were out of a job for a year the first time when we only had two kiddos. Now we have six kids and have been out of work for 4 months. It is so encouraging to see God provide for you – and having faith He will do the same for us! Blessings!
Cheryl
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Fantastic news Jen! God is so good! And you are right- His timing is never ours!! argh! Josh was offered a job this week as well- praise the Lord! It’s been 14 months for us. Maybe I should blog about it…
Thanking Him on your behalf. 😉
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I would LOVE to hear more specifics about your frugal lifestyle, what areas you cut, etc. We are not facing a job loss but my sweet husband is a christian school teachers. Without a doubt, this is exactly where God wants him but the money is barely there-and I am not always so gracious about the lack of it. Your blog has been a blessing! God is good!
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I just wanted to say how happy I am to here your good news, in your writing I can feel your emotions pouring out. You are a testament to your family and faith to be able to learn and dare I say appreciate the lessons that you learn in those trying times. Like gold has to go through fires to become pure.
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I’m just writing to say I’m so happy for you all – that’s wonderful – and a very inspiring story!
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Praise God! I’m so happy to hear about the job. Gods timing is perfect even though we don’t always understand it. Blessings on you as you stive to remain faithful.
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Am laughing and crying for you too. Get that boy his license! So nice to hear some good news!!!!
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I am glad your unemployment has come to an end. 26 months later I am still waiting for ours to end. And unlike you I do feel deprived at times. But I will say that many good things have come from this trying time. We know we can make it through tough times, really tough times – which is a lot more than most marriages/families. We have come together as a team. We have found more family time through our frugality; having to shut off our cable TV, picnics instead of dinners in restaurants, hiking instead of amusement parks have all turned into blessings.
You also learn who your true friends in life are during difficult times. My circle of friends may be fewer now, but I know I can count on them for anything – even a roll of toilet paper.
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Jens Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 6:17 am
Oh AMy – I will be keeping you in my prayers…26 months is a long, long time, and honestly, even though I didn’t feel “deprived” this time around, I can say I’m sure those times would hit with a whole additional year. Eight years ago, our growing business collapsed under the .com catastrophe and we went two years…I did feel deprived them, and I think because of that life lesson we were so ready for this. Never did I think it would happen twice, but you’re right, you come together and it sounds like you have in amazing ways – true friends and all.
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Thank you for being so open and honest. The teaching may have been hard, but the lessons will last a lifetime. 🙂
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Thank you for honest and candid story that you so graciously shared with all your readers. These have been hard times for many people. The thing that struck me most about what you said is the “not Knowing” and the “waiting” were the hardest. I can relate to this as we have been moved from one state to another to begin another ministry, that was 5 months ago and we have been without a home.It has been such a struggle living out of a suit case and wondering when I will ever get to bake or see my things again. I wish like you that I could have been more positive for my kids that they would not have know that I cried or that I was stressed. But we all live and learn. Well now we are the end of this story as we move in to a house in 5 days.I can’t wait to see all the Lord had in mind in moving us here. I can’t wait to be looking back to see His hand at work and to be in Awe of all that He has done.But I do know that He is faithful and His ways are not ours.
I am so happy for you , that you persevered in such a sweet and incredible way , thank you for sharing.
Blessings!
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Amy Reply:
May 2nd, 2010 at 10:05 pm
@Debbie @ Everyday Blessings,
I agree. It is the “not knowing” and “waiting” that are the absolute hardest parts.
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Rejoicing with you!!
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God os good….there is so much beauty in our suffering because of Christ. Thanks for sharing your story.
jana
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Praise God!
Mary Ellen
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I’m so happy for your family!! I sat and cried as I read the post! I LOVE your blog! You are so inspiring! Our famiy is working on becoming debt free! We have a long way to go, but we are starting to make cuts and rethink things. We are ready to be OUT of this bondage that we are under. We got here thinking that we needed things…to keep up with everyone, to do what they did, have what they have. Ugh! How totally naive and stupid we were! It did not make us happy, it only added more stress and insecurity to our lives! I cannot begin to tell you how your journey has inspired and touched me! Thank you so much for sharing and for being so honest and real about it all. I am celebrating with you and your family and I will continue to look forward to more of your posts! May God continue to bless you and your family!!
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Oh, this made me cry! I am so glad for you and your family. We still live under uncertainty… the house we rent is now up for sale and we are facing a move we didn’t plan on. My husband is working a job he hates, and at 70% less than his former salary. But it was great to see how wonderfully the Lord has provided for us over the past year on so little income! Many lessons there, indeed! I am praying that my husband is becoming more confident and ready to venture out to see what the Lord has for him next in the way of work. God is good!! Blessings!
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Praise God, indeed! Thank you so very much for sharing. I’d love to hear more specifics about your budget cuts, etc., when you have time. I am so very happy for you and your family!
Brightest blessings,
Pat
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Wow, that is great news! So happy for your family. Our unemployment has gone on for 29 months now. (I can commiserate with all those who have written!) It’s been really tough because we went through all our savings, lost our home, and 30 years of equity. The hardest part of this entire experience has been the betrayal on the part of my husband’s family, which precipitated all of this. (We were in a business with them.) At this point, I can only put this in God’s hands. Yes, I have been angry, but I realized that it is wasted energy. God is ultimately in control.
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Jens Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Thank you, Sally, for letting me know how to pray. Believe it or not, I can completely sympathize with what you’re going through…that betrayal is worse than any money loss for SURE!
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I bet your are so relieved! Fantastic! I just do want to add, though, that in an IDEAL world an emergency fund will last through all the hard times, but that is not always the case! I think it is easy to pass judgment on those who can’t weather the hard times, but very often the money simply does not last. After all, how does one really know what is an adequate emergency fund? Is $10,000 enough? Will I need $30,000? There are times where God chooses to step back and bring losses into people’s lives for reasons only He knows. Many Christians lose everything. It does not mean they are bad financial managers or less loved by God. There are going to be trials in the Christian life, and many times it is financial!
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Jens Reply:
May 3rd, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Absolutely – you are so right. You may be newer to my blog, but I have addressed that often. I have shared how this lesson is a SECOND time around for us. We did lose everything almost ten years ago (just barely saving our house), and through that “God watch” (which I would never change) went through lots of additional lessons leading up to this (thereby feeling we needed a larger emergency fund since we went nearly two years that time as we tried to save our company).
But I do totally agree with your comment…and hopefully, you in no way thought this post eluded to that. The other posts that I highlighted would give you clarification to that.
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Great post & so open. Very inspiring as a Christian & a blogger. Thanks for letting us take a glimpse inside your heart.
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I am so glad I found your blog! My hubby has been unemployed for over 2 and a half years now, and it’s great to find a place where others are facing or have faced similar circumstances. I thank God every day that I have a job that is able to support us, albeit just barely. I sometimes get down and complain about living paycheck-to-paycheck with no savings, but this is a great reminder that others have done well with even less. Thanks for sharing!
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