This situation has been a firm reminder that our Father, is a good Father. He tells us to ask, and he will provide. He desires to bless us and love us. With that amazing revolution and promise, I approach God asking for this job. I pray asking for the opportunity of glorifying him in this job. It would be amazing gift that I would truly appreciate and treasure.

Another thought that came to mind yesterday was my faith increasing trend. Each event and year that passes my faith is increased and tested. The most recent event other than this job, where I was scared and completely dependent on his provision, is dating Sarah. He blessed me in my devotion to pray then, and I’m confident and know my loving Father will provide a job/career soon. Whether it be this one or one unforeseen.

Oh and when he does provide…. you will know!

Friday at 2:00 p.m: I received a call from a friend and colleague offering me a position on campus for the summer. This was awesome news, I’ve been praying for this position for a month and asking God for both the opportunity to have this job and that my colleague may have this position approved. That was the first awesome news, I meet with her today to go over the details. Saturday morning I presented on social media and online marketing at the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors meeting. It was an awesome opportunity to practice presenting and speaking. The presentation overall went really well, and after the presentation I was introduced to an audience member. He quickly gave me his business card and start speaking about hiring me upon graduation. After speaking with him I was on cloud nine, at the potential opportunity of employment. I’ve been praying for months for a job and that God would bless me by opening a job to me. Boy, if this gentlemen is actually willing to offer me a job and to hire me in August it would be truly a gift from God.

With all this said, I’ve been praying so much, cannot say it enough. Truly glorifying God for the job position for the summer, and now desperately praying for this opportunity. I do ask you, my reader to pray as well. It would be greatly appreciation and I would be thankful. I want to trust in him fully and completely!

The stress added on, when I found out that I’m no longer going to have my job on May 13th. A couple of weeks ago as I learned that I would be in need of a job, it was overwhelming. I’m still searching for a job, and may learn today if I have one or not, please be praying for that.

I’m not as scared as I once was, now I still have a random day or period within a day that I freak out a little. But, I’m learning to trust God more. I’m confidentially approaching God, and asking him for a job for the summer and a career for August. I seriously ask him all the time, I’m positive his inbox is full with my desperate pleads. I ask for his blessings continuously and ask that he may transform me into a Godly and righteous man.

How awesome is our God, he allows us to ask things of him.

In addition, to recognizing life is hard, I also want it to come so easily. Why, wont my plans work out? I would just like to pick out the location and job? And, why won’t the Cubs win a World Series? If I had the control, and had my life come easily all of those three questions would be answered. I would also have a lot more funds in my bank accounts.

After recent conversations with my friends, roommates, and Sarah, I’ve really started to think about this phrase: “Life’s Hard!“ It’s easy and simple to memorize, but hard to accept. It’s fundamental to each of though, it helps us. Once we realize that we have to do something, experience something, go somewhere and we have no choice, it forces us to do it. Personal example, I don’t want to apply for jobs and  investigate locations to move, but no matter what in August it will happen. That forces me to accomplish the tasks before August.

It back’s you into a corner, and you’re  forced to survive.

The second reason life is difficult (completely my opinion), it helps us to long for perfection. If life was comfortable, easy, and perfect here on Earth, why would we ever want to enter Heaven? That’s the main reason, I accept this difficult lesson, and is the best encouragement for the tough experiences. The only true control we have in our lives, is that we accept and love Jesus. He controls everything else, and again this because we aren’t supposed to fall in love with this world.

We’re supposed to long for perfection!

I love storms, especially with Sarah. ***Warning, sappy  line coming*** I love storms, because I have the opportunity to “protect”/comfort Sarah. ***Sappy portion of this blog is now over!*** Another reason I love storms, is because it’s an amazing display of God’s power. It’s hard to imagine the power that tornadoes and storms generate. It’s something we should be in awe of and rejoice over. Simple post today, but I’ve added photos below. You can find more photos in Sarah’s album, in which I stole these photos. Lastly, as I returned to Carbondale on Sunday, Carbondale was placed under severe storms and tornado warnings, they are chasing me!

This takes discipline, time, and a little creativity. I’ve been going through items and purchases that I make regularly and seeing which will last longer or which is more valuable (not more expensive). Quick example, doing laundry, it’s a necessity! What I’ve learned is, that I have a lot of clothes that I don’t wear. I was doing laundry frequently, and I’ve now trained myself to do laundry about every 18-20 days. That’s actually, saving several things… the earth (being green), money, and time.

I’ve made an ambitious goal for this year: Reduce my personal waste by 33% and increase my efficiency by 25%.

Reduce my waste:

• Becoming more green
• Traveling green (no necessary electricity running a home, while I’m gone)
• No more paper towels
• Cut the time I spend each day in the shower by 25%

That goal, cannot be met if I live in the life of luxury. It cannot be met if I’m unsatisfied with God’s provision.   We must trust in his blessings, and his blessing may be minimum wage for several years, or it could be a well-paying job. It’s all about having faith that God will provide, that he continuously loves you, and that he testing your faith.

I hope some of these ideas will be encouragement and beneficial for you.

Today, and this weekend has really helped me realize that this season of my life is going to be all about trust. Devote. Unheard of Trust. Trusting Jesus that the deathly force of the water wont consume me. Trusting that he has all the power and strength to change the flow of the water.

A passage that comes to mind is “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”

Now, this passage is most commonly used talking about disciples, but I’ve substituted disciples with trust. If I trust him with my life and everything within it, I will trust him with more and in my situations. This mind-set has brought peace, patience, and expectations. I’m praying (it feels like hourly) so frequently for a trust for a job this summer, his provision (finances), a career and location upon graduating in August, and for Sarah and I.

The impact of last week is already being felt in my life, and I’m approaching God with confidence that he will provide for me. One more metaphor of the season, it feels like I jumped out of a plane with a parachute and its the scariest thing I’ve experienced. I cannot pull my chute, because I’m too far from the surface of the earth, and the lack of oxygen would kill me. My one desire to pull the chute and to be on the ground (August, with a career and a place to live). I know once I’m on the ground I will have successfully accomplished a great adventure and that I overcame my fears.

Trust.

Monday, I worried about the summer, my classes, grades, bank account, job in August, where I was moving in August, and many more things. I was overwhelmed! Through the day I received prayer, even got my hands very dirty and performed hard work. The stress, worry, and fear lifted and I returned to joyful animated Jay. Later that night, as Steven and Joe were praying for me about a family member, that family member called at that exact time and we reconciled and just expressed our love for each other… it was awesome!

That was all on Monday, it was a total 180 from Sunday, and Monday night I jolted upwards. Tuesday was that part of the roller coaster where, it had small dips and turns, but you weren’t too affected by the G-Force. I started to look for jobs, and ask Jesus to provide. I was able to turn in an application, and now I’m waiting and still looking.

Wednesday, it was going well! Then took a sharp dive downwards as my heart broke hearing some unpleasant news. Late that same night it was a high again hearing that there was a lot of healing that took place. Then yesterday, I was able to speak to my department chair and he is substituting classes and whatever is necessary for me to graduate in August. Oh and I learned now I have options of what job I want! Currently, I can apply and most likely receive several different jobs.

Jesus provision… Wow! Daily, I pray that I trust in Jesus more. I want to completely, utterly, fully, wholly, and that enough adjectives… Trust Jesus! I tell him, I’m okay with being homeless if that’s what necessary, but am I? When I found out that I may lose my job, I was quickly frightened. Nevertheless, I continue to trust in him and welcome his testing! I want transformation and to trust in him. If I cannot trust him in this summer job, how am I going to trust him in August, moving to a new city and looking for a new job? It’s like a finance person’s worse nightmare… uncertainty! But I’m certain in Jesus’ provision for my life!

Week summary… I’m on a roller coaster, but I know it’s going to come into the gate soon.

This past weekend, Sarah and I traveled to my hometown (Gurnee, IL). We were invited to attend my moms baptism, which is a very significant highlight in my life. At the beginning of this blog, I have written about my desire, excitement, and prayers for my mom. She is a wonderful woman who has recently focused her life on Jesus. Sunday, marked a very proud moment as she read her testimony in front of her family and the church.

As she nervously spoke before going in for the dunk, I was watching each of my family members who were out of the comfortably sitting in front of me. I was overwhelmed with joy that they were there watching, supporting, and loving my mom. Yes, they may not understand or like the idea of my mom being baptized. They may not even like Christianity, but I was so encouraged that my family came together to love my mom. She had some of us crying with the words she spoke, I was one of them. Simply put, it was one of the best days of my life. I thank God over and over that he gave granted me the courage to invite my mom to church one weekend visit. I thank him that he granted me the bravery to send her a message expressing my hope for her to understand my faith in Jesus. Awesome, just awesome! Years of prayers and two simple actions have advanced his kingdom!

Mom, I love you! You made me so proud, and glad I was able to attend this awesome event in your life. I pray for you daily and thank God for granting me a mother like you.

It all started when I was told that I would not be returning to the SIU Alumni Association for summer employment. I have been training my replacement for the past several months, so this wasn’t unexpected. I’m not sure why it hit me so hard, all at once, worry entered my life. “Without a job, how am I going to pay rent and live?!” That quickly lead into my worry about my classes situation. Now, I was freaking out about classes and graduation, which if you guessed correctly that led very quickly into where am I going to be in August, where am I going to work!? The topping on the cake was unpleasant emails from a family member and I looked at my bank account, and I began to worry about that as well.

All of these factors finally broke me, I felt like I was surrounded and I couldn’t be successful! The logical equation: No job = no rent = no place to live for school = no school = no graduation = no job = no where to move = Everything that is moving in that direction is collapsing. As I write this, I’m still worried, concerned, and overwhelmed, but I’m realizing I can be successful. Even more so than what the plans look to produce…. I can trust God. It’s simple! Well, actually its very difficult to trust, but it’s a simple answer. I continue to plead daily with Jesus, that I will trust on him ultimately and rely on his strength. Why, is this disaster such a mystery to me!? The Bible states that he will test us, that life won’t be easy, that it’s going to be difficult so we can love and trust him more!

I love a passage in the Bible ( I cannot locate the specific passage, but I’ll try and recite it the best I can), it  states if you live your life by the word and carry out into your daily living, then you will be like a good carpenter that builds on a  strong foundation. That’s exactly what I feel like, my foundation is in-tact, but the winds are beating against it. I must trust, and realize that I will not be free of stress. No matter, how well I am at avoided or handling stress, I need to trust him and expect his aide when the climax of stress is surrounding me.

As I was speaking to close friends about this today, I received an email. The email was a for a summer job on campus. I haven’t spoken to the lady that sent me the email about needing a job, and I’ve only been on the summer job market for several hours, but she seems to believe I would be a great fit. Now, I’m in the process of applying for the job. I’m praying that it’s Jesus and that I may have a job for this summer! Prayer, Worship Music, Speaking to my friends, and Replying to those Awful Emails have Helped a lot! I’m still overwhelmed, but I’m not a wreck I was hours ago. We must continue to run into his arms and not to our own pride and strength, I hope I was able to do that today, and that I may glorify Jesus in this situation and make disciples.