Fear, Change, New Beginnings

As I look at my calendar I can hardly believe that it was just 3 weeks tomorrow since we pulled into Delta Co.! What an adventure it has been for sure!

To start off with, here is a recap of the past three weeks. Joel, Hannah, Tyler and I arrived here on June 25th. We unloaded some basics that evening (beds, clothes, etc) and then finished unloading the remainder on Sunday June 26th. We all LOVE our house, it is by far the biggest home we have ever lived in, is old and fun, and just great!

On July 4th, we met up with my Dad, Malachi and Kestra in Silverton (they had been at youth camp with Levelland church). We had a great time celebrating this amazing nation with my cousins, aunt, uncle, etc and then headed back - our entire family together - to officially begin this church planting journey!

Joel was hired at Wal-Mart and began on July 1st. It has been an adjustment in many ways for our entire family. He is working from 2:00p.m. to approximately midnight stocking shelves and unloading trucks. For him, the change from primarily an office job to manual labor has been rough but he has adjusted really well! For our family, it takes some getting used to having Dad home in the mornings but not home at night...however, we are starting to get the hang of it!

Hannah was just hired at McDonald's yesterday and will officially begin July 24th! I must say I am SUPER proud of her!!! She literally hates McDonald's food but knew she needed a job to earn money for Youth With A Mission - so she took a deep breath and went for it!!! Pray for her to have a great attitude and to shine for Jesus in her workplace.

As for me...well, that is where the title of this blog comes in. Fear. Change. New Beginnings. It pretty much sums up me emotionally the past few weeks. You wouldn't know it on the outside but really moves cause me MUCH fear! Even when I KNOW they are of God and that He has gone before us!

Let me back up a bit to Levelland. There was so much to love about our time at FBC Levelland - great people, great church, a fun and fulfilling ministry but for me PERSONALLY was the finding of my purpose, a passion and an excitement in a career. I LOVED my job at King's Kids Parents Day Out! I loved that I could combine my business degree and human resource passion with my passion for preschoolers and their families! Joel and I have commented many times that this was a defining time for me - a time where I could truly say "this is IT".

Which brings us to Delta and wondering how I would  be able to be that excited about a job again. The childcare laws in Colorado are much stricter and require a lot more to work in the childcare field. In order to do what I was doing in Texas, I need to take 9 college courses and work 12 months in a licensed day care. To just teach in a preschool/daycare I need at least 2 classes. This is one area where fear has crept its ugly head - how can I do THAT and earn money? I already have a college degree, just use it and get a pay check - you can't afford college again! Who changes careers over 40 anyway? You get the idea....
Yet - I know where my heart is, where my passion is, etc...I just tend to go back to the "safe zone" my security - get an office job and be done with it.

Listening to this fear, I sent out several resumes to some office administrative type positions. I even interviewed at one in Montrose (a 30 min commute one way). Joel encouraged me to be patient and wait for the Lord...not something I am good at. The more I began to think about it, pray about it, etc I knew that I really should/needed to wait for something here in Delta to open up. Not only do I need to meet people here (after all, we DID move here to build a church in Delta) but I just didn't have a peace at all about this interview.

Change - I KNEW I needed to overcome my fear, stop playing the "what if" game in my head (which I have banned from our home), and just take a step of faith and trust God. So...that is what I did. I got online, applied to an online community college, Joel helped me apply for Financial Aid, and now I am just waiting to see what God does with it. My Mom once told me that when you are struggling with a decision and you have truly laid it at the feet of God - let it go and let Him work. I have no idea if/when all the pieces to this puzzle will come together but I know they won't if I don't take that step of faith and start the process!

New Beginnings - in the meantime, yes I do need to eventually earn SOME money! So, after talking with a friend, my Dad, and Joel I decided to once again overcome my fear and do it. I have started the process to be a substitute teacher here in Delta County - in Colorado, you not only have to apply through the school district but also get a sub license from the state. Thankfully, I have had one before in Colorado and so other than updating my information the process was fairly easy but now I wait...I had interviewed with the school preschool director over the phone awhile back and that went well and although I didn't get the job she really wanted me to sub and spend time there for future openings - so, that is my plan!

I am choosing to overcome FEAR...embrace CHANGE...and look forward to NEW BEGINNINGS! It may seem crazy and illogical to turn away from job security in a field with my degree (ok, it DEFINITELY does) but for lack of a better way of explaining it, I am just having to trust that God's got this, He called us here, He has a purpose.

One side note: Delta has a HUGE shortage of quality childcare options. Every person we have talked to about needs in Delta County has brought this up. We believe that long term, our church plant will be able to meet this need and thus an additional reason I am pursuing the education and experience to be ready for such a time as that door may open. Pray for that!

Here are some ways you all can be joining us in prayer (be sure and join our church planting prayer team for weekly updates as well): www.joelarrington.online/join

1.) Joel is already having meaningful spiritual conversations with the men at work. Several have expressed interest in knowing more about the church plant, why we would come here, etc. Pray for those doors to continue to be open, relationships to be built and more.

2.) Pray for the door to open for me to take these classes, financial aid to be available, to not give into the fear of going back to school (it's been 20 years!).

3.) Pray for lots of substitute opportunities in the schools that will lead to not only financial benefits but also meaningful relationships!

4.) Our family has begun the process to be a mentoring family to a local child in need. We don't have a lot of details but pray for that child, the process and our family to be ready to show the love of Christ!

5.) Pray for Hannah as she prepares to go with YWAM for 6 months - she still needs about $2500 in financial needs, she needs boldness and confidence.

6.) Pray for our other three to meet friends and have a great school year!