2) Mark took a personality analysis test, hoping to get a little insight into what he should do. Also, I sold a couple of books I received for Christmas and used the money to buy him a book called "48 Days to the Work You Love", hoping it might help. Turns out a lot of this book is about working for yourself rather than getting a J-O-B!
3) A cousin of a friend contacted our friend to see if he might know of anyone who might be interested in starting a home inspection business in the St. Louis area. Our friend thought of Mark and contacted him.
4) Praying over this, we both felt some level of peace over this idea, but didn't come to any decisions. One of our biggest hesitations was health insurance since we both have preexisting conditions and have three kids at home.....
5) After a few weeks we were contacted again about the home inspection business and then a few days later we saw Facing the Giants. I felt God was using the movie to encourage us to "face the giants" of fear and failure and to "prepare our fields" for the rains He has been promising. Mark felt the same way. He pulled out the personality analysis and saw the many of the elements of this type of business were a good match for his personality and skills.
6) The following day we took the next step towards the home inspection business by filling out some paperwork and sending it in. An hour or so later the phone rang. Another friend of ours contacted Mark about a job... at first I was so confused as to why God would bring this job to his attention NOW. I was on my knees asking God, "What in the world are you doing? I don't understand!" The timing seemed contradictory to everything we'd been sensing. But, as Mark learned more about it we realized it might be another God-thing. The job is an entry level, low paying job and is probably temporary. But, it would provide health insurance and as we are fond of saying around here, "It's more money than he's making now!" If Mark was offered this job, he could probably work there during the day and do the home inspections in the evenings and weekends until he was busy enough that he could quit the job. And, the truth is... if this were a job that paid really well, we'd probably forget about the home inspection business altogether. So, maybe God is using it to meet our immediate needs while guiding us towards starting the business.
7) Our friend's cousin who is in the home inspection business will train Mark.... Mark just has to go out there for 3 weeks. In another God-coincidence, he is located in Ohio, near Mark's parents. Which means Mark could stay with them while he is getting training, so it wouldn't cost us more than gas. Because we'd be going into a partnership with thie company, we have a contract to look over. But, it's written in "lawyerese" and was hard to understand all the elements.
8) In praying over the contract Mark asked God to show him in his Bible study that day something that spoke to the situation. He said that the thing that stood out was the need for "counsel".
9) We talked about who we should "counsel" with and eventually came to the conclusion that we should call my attorney-cousin. I called her and it was clear that God was paving the path before us. She said that she had visited my family photo blog last week to see if there were any new photos up. She noticed that there was a link to my "I Will Learn to Fly" blog there and followed it. She hadn't ever seen that blog before and after reading through it she said she was praying, "God is there anything I can do to help them?" And before long, I called and asked her if she could look at this contract! She said this must be what God wanted her to do! Mark laughed when I told him, and said it was just God again showing us that He is taking care of everything.
10) The job still hasn't been offered yet and we're still in negotiations and prayer over the contract w/ the home inspection business. The entire scenario I've laid out above may or may not develop in the way we are anticipating. And we're okay with that, we just want GOD'S best for us. I just ask that you PRAY for us that we might make wise decisions and that the Lord will give us eyes to see whatever He wants us to see.
This has been a LONG road for us, but I can testify that you CAN consider the trials all joy. Trials draw you closer to Him as you rely on Him for every need. It is an amazing way to live, in total dependence on God.
Which, I have a feeling, is the way we are always supposed to live, anyway.
And now..... bless you if you've read this WHOLE THING!!
..
48 Days to the Work You Love
(This is the book Mark read... recommended!)
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. Phillipians 4:6
And now..... bless you if you've read this WHOLE THING!!
..
48 Days to the Work You Love
(This is the book Mark read... recommended!)
