Post by TaQuilla on Mar 17, 2007 7:02:08 GMT -5
My Testimony on coming home...
For the first four years of my son's life we did the whole two income thing with my portion being the majority of the $. I was working two jobs and a full time college student at the time, and I was absolutely miserable. I would drop ds off at day care at 5:30 am, go to school, then go to my first job, then second job, and then pick him up at my mom's at 11pm (she picked him up from daycare because dh had to work). This went on for longer than I care to remember, I was sickened at the fact that I couldn't get anything done at home, had no time for my duties as a wife or mother. As we began to get closer to the Lord, we both began to really desire for me to stay at home. I was resigned to the fact that it couldn't be done because we really needed my half of the income. I quit one of the jobs, and cut back a few classes at school, but then I ended up working even more hours at my one job that was left, it didn't help much. We began to pray very deeply about this concern, because I truly felt like the Lord was putting it on my heart to stay at home. I always felt worthless as a wife and a mother, because I couldn't be there for them when they needed me, and the house never looked presentable. One day after I'd been promising my son for weeks that I'd take him to see a movie that he'd wanted to see, and then bailing out on him because my boss would always ask me to stay late, it hit me. I was dropping him off at day care and I said, "I'll be picking you up today and we'll go see that movie, I promise" he said "Whatever, you ALWAYS promise, I'll see you tonight at Mamaw's..." My heart fell through the floor (mind you he was only 4 at this time and this is the impact my working was having on him). I cried the whole way to work, and I knew then what the Lord wanted me to do. I walked in to work that day (after calling my husband, who supported me eagerly and wholeheartedly) put in my 2 weeks, said NO when my boss asked me to stay late again, and took my boy to the movies. I have never broken a promise to him since.
Now, I must say that I was absolutely terrified at how we would make it on one income, but because I'd prayed on this matter for a while and I knew what He wanted me to do, I just took a giant leap of faith knowing that He would provide for me being obedient to Him. And let me tell you He did provide! Within weeks dh got a promotion at his job that increased his pay to more than that of mine and his combined before. I knew then that I had made the right choice. I have never regretted it.
Now I am not saying quit your job, and the Lord will give you give you double. But I am saying that you should pray that if it His will that He settle your heart (and dh's) on the matter and give you the courage and strength to do whatever it is that He will ask of you, whether it be staying home or continuing to work. And know that if He wants you home, He will provide for you. This is not to say as well that you may not need to make sacrifices. Because after dh got his promotion, he soon realized that money was not the issue at all, we were just a much happier and contented bunch with me being home, and now (5 years later), he has quit that job for one that pays only a third of what he was making before (which actually puts us back to his original income without mine. Funny how He works, He gave us what we thought we needed just to prove to us that we would have been fine without it anyway). We have made many sacrifices, those things that we had when he had alot of money didn't give us much pleasure anyway, and we began to desire a simpler way of life, whatever the cost. There are times that we get low on things or have had to go without (like a car 3 years ago, but the Lord once again, provided us with TWO cars, free of charge, the very next year), but the Lord equips those that He has called. And I have learned so many ways of being frugal (which dh loves, and actually brags on) now, and I'm learning so much more each day.
I know that this was really long, and I don't even know if it made much sense. I am not telling you to run out and quit your job. I'm just saying that if its something that you really want and feel called to do in your heart, and dh feels the same, then the two of you take it to the Lord in prayer, and if it is in His will, He'll make a way out of no way. I've seen it personally, I NEVER thought I'd be a SAHM, NEVER even crossed my mind until 5 1/2 years ago when the Lord really began to impress it upon my heart. My mom worked, her mom worked, I just though it had to be like that, little did I know of his plan for me....
(Not to mention, my mom now has little ones not much older than mine, and she's a SAHM now, say's Prov. 31 has inspired her and she loves it, and smacks herself for not doing it sooner, we now love discussing new frugalties with one another).
All of you ladies who wish to be home, yet cannot, I will continue praying for you. I know how much of a challenge it can be being a working mom. And please understand that I am in no way trying to knock those of you that must work, this is just my own experience.
God Bless, and sorry so long...
In Christ,
KiKi
For the first four years of my son's life we did the whole two income thing with my portion being the majority of the $. I was working two jobs and a full time college student at the time, and I was absolutely miserable. I would drop ds off at day care at 5:30 am, go to school, then go to my first job, then second job, and then pick him up at my mom's at 11pm (she picked him up from daycare because dh had to work). This went on for longer than I care to remember, I was sickened at the fact that I couldn't get anything done at home, had no time for my duties as a wife or mother. As we began to get closer to the Lord, we both began to really desire for me to stay at home. I was resigned to the fact that it couldn't be done because we really needed my half of the income. I quit one of the jobs, and cut back a few classes at school, but then I ended up working even more hours at my one job that was left, it didn't help much. We began to pray very deeply about this concern, because I truly felt like the Lord was putting it on my heart to stay at home. I always felt worthless as a wife and a mother, because I couldn't be there for them when they needed me, and the house never looked presentable. One day after I'd been promising my son for weeks that I'd take him to see a movie that he'd wanted to see, and then bailing out on him because my boss would always ask me to stay late, it hit me. I was dropping him off at day care and I said, "I'll be picking you up today and we'll go see that movie, I promise" he said "Whatever, you ALWAYS promise, I'll see you tonight at Mamaw's..." My heart fell through the floor (mind you he was only 4 at this time and this is the impact my working was having on him). I cried the whole way to work, and I knew then what the Lord wanted me to do. I walked in to work that day (after calling my husband, who supported me eagerly and wholeheartedly) put in my 2 weeks, said NO when my boss asked me to stay late again, and took my boy to the movies. I have never broken a promise to him since.
Now, I must say that I was absolutely terrified at how we would make it on one income, but because I'd prayed on this matter for a while and I knew what He wanted me to do, I just took a giant leap of faith knowing that He would provide for me being obedient to Him. And let me tell you He did provide! Within weeks dh got a promotion at his job that increased his pay to more than that of mine and his combined before. I knew then that I had made the right choice. I have never regretted it.
Now I am not saying quit your job, and the Lord will give you give you double. But I am saying that you should pray that if it His will that He settle your heart (and dh's) on the matter and give you the courage and strength to do whatever it is that He will ask of you, whether it be staying home or continuing to work. And know that if He wants you home, He will provide for you. This is not to say as well that you may not need to make sacrifices. Because after dh got his promotion, he soon realized that money was not the issue at all, we were just a much happier and contented bunch with me being home, and now (5 years later), he has quit that job for one that pays only a third of what he was making before (which actually puts us back to his original income without mine. Funny how He works, He gave us what we thought we needed just to prove to us that we would have been fine without it anyway). We have made many sacrifices, those things that we had when he had alot of money didn't give us much pleasure anyway, and we began to desire a simpler way of life, whatever the cost. There are times that we get low on things or have had to go without (like a car 3 years ago, but the Lord once again, provided us with TWO cars, free of charge, the very next year), but the Lord equips those that He has called. And I have learned so many ways of being frugal (which dh loves, and actually brags on) now, and I'm learning so much more each day.
I know that this was really long, and I don't even know if it made much sense. I am not telling you to run out and quit your job. I'm just saying that if its something that you really want and feel called to do in your heart, and dh feels the same, then the two of you take it to the Lord in prayer, and if it is in His will, He'll make a way out of no way. I've seen it personally, I NEVER thought I'd be a SAHM, NEVER even crossed my mind until 5 1/2 years ago when the Lord really began to impress it upon my heart. My mom worked, her mom worked, I just though it had to be like that, little did I know of his plan for me....
(Not to mention, my mom now has little ones not much older than mine, and she's a SAHM now, say's Prov. 31 has inspired her and she loves it, and smacks herself for not doing it sooner, we now love discussing new frugalties with one another).
All of you ladies who wish to be home, yet cannot, I will continue praying for you. I know how much of a challenge it can be being a working mom. And please understand that I am in no way trying to knock those of you that must work, this is just my own experience.
God Bless, and sorry so long...
In Christ,
KiKi