PRAYER REQUEST ~ I meant to post this the other day too but forgot becuz I had a lot on my mind. Remember DH's friend (Omer Lefebvre) that passed away in June that you prayed for -- well, his wife is going through a horrendous experience right now. Her name is MARGUERITE LEFEBVRE, and she went into the hospital recently for a minor surgery but something went terribly wrong, and they had to amputate one of her legs. She was in good health otherwise (she was very slim and loved to go for walks with her dog & friends 2 or 3 times a day, at least). Her son told DH about this; I don't know all the details, but they are in shock. And Omer's brother just passed away this month too from cancer; this family has been hit so hard on both sides with illness (esp cancer) and deaths lately. I know MARGUERITE could sure use prayers right now, as can her family. Thanks so much everyone ...

Oh My Goodness Rosebud! I will definetly keep Marguerite in my prayers. This has got to be a total shock to the family. Sending prayers for all

Praying for Marguerite and family at this stressful time.

Prayers said for all always.

I have an urgent request-my DH just lost his job yesterday. Fired within a week of bringing some safety issues to upper management attention. He is a union member, 27 years with the company, NO infractions or disciplinary letters, so this is an unprecedented act on the part of the company. The union says it's trying to work it out, but right now, we're in a very bad state. We have NO reserve funds and, as far as we know, we now have no health insurance or retirement pension or anything. There will be one more paycheck coming this week, we think. Don't know if he will be able to get unemployment yet either.

ronni, praying for your situation, sounds so unfair, but God can unravel this ! I am not an expert but as I understand it in Calif where I live you can collect unemployment if you are fired but if you quit you cannot.

Ronni-- prayers going out for you. I hope it gets worked out. This happened to my hubby too! That was about 6 years ago and he was with the company 17 years..came in to work one morning and said he wasn't needed anymore. Just 1 1/2 years before retirement! Prayers and things will work out for you.

RONNI ~ wow, that's a huge bummer indeed; but sometimes things have to get worse before they get better. We have been praying for him and this situation as you know, so we must have faith that GOD has everything under control and ask him for clear direction for your DH. Will pray esp about the income issue.

I think many of us have been through something similar (both DH & I have), or know someone who has, esp with the way things are in the US right now. Sometimes this is allowed becuz GOD wants to make some changes or shake things up a bit (and wants us out in the clear), but more often it's a sign that GOD wants us to move on (or both).

So, tell your DH while he is waiting to see where he stands with the union and UI, to also keep his ears & eyes open too. This means you may have to take actions like putting your house up for sale (remember it will only sell if GOD wants it to); and putting some job applications in other places right away, etc.

BTW, if you really get strapped for cash, have a yard sale and sell anything that you don't really need. Meanwhile, more prayers are on the way ...

KAREN ~ I'm curious what happened in your case. Is that when your DH started his own business? That is another option in these situations.

No he didn't start a new business-- he just went ahead and retired. He had unemployment for awhile that kept us going. We went ahead and put our house up for sale in Colorado and moved back to MO. Things are so much less expensive here and all my family lives here. Still kind of miss living in the mountains of Colorado (but not the snow) So we are happy back here and getting used to this retirement -- which does take some getting used to being togther 24/7--- quite an adjustment! God will see you through this and you will be OK. Keep the Faith

KAREN ~ yes, we ended up selling our house at that time too; we had a yard sale and sold things just like I mentioned above. Then DH looked all over for a job (we tried different places). Then in the end, he ended up getting another job after a couple of months and so on. Later on (years), he ended up on a pension; and he is retired now. As you know, GOD blessed us with an even nicer house just last year.

You know, we never starved and GOD gave us peace despite all the uncertainty of our circumstances. We found a place to live; DH found another job; it was a series of adventures but everything worked out in the end. I think the key thing is to listen ... listen to that still small whisper that is telling you what to do, or where to go.

Too often, the red flags and signs are staring you right in the face, but people don't listen. Often when everything goes wrong -- that is GOD "yelling" at you to listen to Him (becuz you didn't listen to the whispers, so he has to shove you along). I really believe that if everything is going wrong that is a glaring sign that you are to do something else or be somewhere else. We must always be flexible and willing to change, even if it feels scary.

Look at Moses and others in the bible -- how many times did GOD want them to move somewhere else? Often they had no idea where they were going, but GOD did, and He kept prodding and pushing them to move forward; and encouraged them to trust Him all along the way. As I was writing this paragraph, this scripture came to my mind ...

"Don't be afraid; stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. Tell them -- to go forward." Exodus 14: 13-15.

This almost sounds contradictory, but it's not. What he is saying here is: Don't be afraid; this my fight. I don't want YOU to do anything becuz I will fight for you; hold your peace. BUT, then HE says -- go forward! Why? The battle is His; but He wants you out of the way. He wants you to move forward and not be stagnant. He wants you to keep going ...

I went through something similar once. I was working for a company where lots of things were being done that were wrong (illegal, unethical, abusive, etc). First, GOD told me that I would be leaving soon becuz my work there was done (that whisper; and I heard it loud & clear). Then I came to work one day, and was given my lay-off notice along with 12 other people. I went on UI & got another job eventually. Unbeknownst to me, GOD started a shake- down in that company; things changed there drastically (it wasn't a nice place to work at all). Long story short, after another series of lay-offs, the place was sold & closed down, then plowed into the ground.

I had an experience that I will never forget, not job related but life related. I was newly married, still a bride when we saw a house we wanted to purchase, I still remember detalis of that house to this day and this happened many years ago.We saw the house , fell in love with it and made a verbal agreement to buy it, but had signed no papers, yet when that house burned down, flat to the ground. It was awhile before I realized that God was watching over us as eventually , due to circumstances we moved from that area hundreds of miles away.and never lived in that area again.

BARGOO ~ Yes, now how could you miss that sign? It wasn't the right house or the right place; and that was a very clear message indeed.

You know, after I wrote that post last night; I went to bed and did my evening devotional -- and low & behold ... guess what it was talking about? All about "listening" for GOD's "voice"; waiting patiently and listening for HIS direction. Sometimes, we are impatient and try to do things ourselves (or fight battles that GOD doesn't want us to); and sometimes, we are stubborn and won't move when He says to move, so GOD has to shove us along (even kick us in the butt sometimes by allowing bad things to happen for good reasons).

All these things can be signs for us -- getting laid off or fired or transferred; being forced to move; getting ill; house burns down; bad neighbours; job closes down; or just continuous problems & troubles plaguing a job or place you live, etc).

That happened to us too -- GOD had told me that we were supposed to move from one place, but my DH was stubborn and refused to move. Two people came and gave me a warning (two more signs); but again, DH wouldn't listen. So I went ahead and started packing anyways. He would say to me, "What are you doing?" I said, "I'm packing becuz GOD told me that we will be moving soon." I packed 3 boxes every day.

He would just shake his head and walk away. Well, you guys know what happened -- the next fall, DH went to pay our rent and we were given a written notice that we had 8 weeks to vacate our apartment becuz they were closing the place down. You prayed for us and GOD found us another place to live. I was happy as a lark becuz I had wanted to move from that place for years!

But even more, then GOD told me this -- that place was only a "stepping stone" to our real dreams. As you know, circumstances came about so that we were able to buy this house about 3 years later (I had asked GOD to give me about 3 years to recover from the last move becuz it was so tiring). We moved in here just one month shy of 3 years later.

GOD is good -- but we must listen to Him, so that He can bless us in ways that we cannot imagine ...

We never know in what forms those signs will come. I had a job that I was just miserable in, in over 33 years of working I only cried on the job once and it was at that job. I was talking to a friend and moaning and griping about my horrible job and someone standing by, I did not know her but she was listening to my complaints and she very quietly and calmly said" Do you have to stay there ?" That was just like a light being turned on and to my surprise I just as calmly and quietly said"No, I guess not." I quit that job found another and moved on.

I am so sorry to not keep you all updated. I am weary. The recent tests were not as bad as we dreaded but also not as good as we had hoped. I promise to touch all the bases by the end of this Labor Day week-end.

Through my journey I see more and more each day the blessings of our Lord, in spite of my sadness.

You are all in my prayers.

Gary, so glad to hear from you. You remain in my prayers.

Gary, sending good thoughts and prayers your way.