3 1/2 years ago when Chris graduated from GVSU with his teaching degree we searched for a teaching job for him. We prayed that God would lead us to the right job. Many opportunities came up at that time and one in particular that we pursued was a job for me as the assistant children's director at Kainay Community Church, the church we attended. My daycare business was coming to a slow down and I was loosing kids left and right and when I applied for the assistant children's director position we had made the decision that if I got it, we would stay in MI and I would work for the church and Chris would keep subbing until he found full time employment. At that time, my good friend Sheree ended up with the assistant job and I was excited for her. I worked with her when Myles was dedicated as a volunteer Mom and knew she was perfect for the job.
As you all know, God did answer our prayers and Chris was given a job that brought us out here to Laveen, Arizona. Through three years of Chris teaching out here we have had a lot of peace. We knew that God wanted us here, we got involved in our church here, The Bridge. We have met friends and have built relationships that have allowed us to grow out here. The last part of this school year Chris and I have both felt like God was calling us back to MI. We didn't know how or why, both we both started getting restless out here. Our hearts just haven't been here, Broedy has been asking to move back to MI and we both just had this feeling that our time here in AZ was coming to an end. We have been praying since December that if God wants us in MI, than doors would open for us and if not, that doors would be closed for us and we would be given peace about being here again.
This year has been the first year since moving out here that we have both actively looked for and applied for jobs back in MI. Chris & I have both applied for many, many full time positions back in Michigan this year. Most of those jobs have resulted in closed doors.
One particular job I came across a few weeks back made me gasp when I saw it. It was a job that I knew I would love but it was a part time position and I just wasn't sure about applying for it not knowing if I would even be able to take it if I was offered it. I sat staring at my computer and rereading the job information over and over again until I finally e-mailed Chris and told him about it. He was in MI at the time for a job interview that fell through and so when he called me back and told me that he thought I should apply for the job, I wasn't sure what to think. In an act of faith, I e-mailed about the job opening, got some more information about it and sent my resume and cover letter in praying that if God wanted me to have this job, he would provide it for me.
Chris also continued to apply for full time teaching positions that have come up and we have both prayed that if we were to move back to MI, God would make that clear somehow. Last week while on Vacation up in Williams, AZ with my parents I e-mailed about the part time job I had applied for just to see what the status of it was.
I got an e-mail back saying that while they thought I would be a good fit for the job, they were going in another direction for it. While bummed about it, I knew that God would give that job to the person he knew he wanted for it. Chris and I enjoyed the rest of our vacation and came home thinking that we would probably be here in Arizona for at least another school year.
I sat down Monday night and set up a rough budget for the school year. We made plans for the kids to go on a trip with the school to get uniforms and although there were still some teaching jobs out there and some other positions I planned on applying for, we figured that being out of state has been working against Chris & I for getting a job. We talked about it and made a rough decision that if we didn't get a job soon, we would stay out here for one more school year and then in May when he got his last paycheck of the year, we would pack up and move back home with nothing and try to find employment back in MI.
Tuesday morning I got up and applied for a few more full time jobs that I had found and then checked my phone messages. I happened to have a phone message about the part time job that I had been told I wasn't selected for an interview for. I returned the phone call and had a long chat with the person. Two hours later I had a phone/skype interview and about two hours after that I was called and offered the Assistant Children's Director position at Kainay Community Church. The same position that I had applied for 3 1/2 years ago and my good friend, Sheree got! I am now under her supervision as she is the Children's Director and I honestly couldn't be more excited about that!
So yes, we are moving back to Muskegon! I will be working part time as the Assistant Children's Director for Kainay starting the first week of August and Chris will continue to look for full time employment in a local school district. If a job doesn't come up, he will sub again for awhile. We will be living in our camper at the Muskegon KOA where we can stay for free in exchange for Chris working 20 hours a week helping out the owner, Steve and his wife. We plan on living in our camper for at least the full month of August and maybe into October depending on what God has in store for us.
We will be leaving Arizona a week from Monday, August 23rd and will be back in Muskegon the end of that week. Once again we are moving in about a two week time frame!
I know that many people think we are crazy (haven't we proven that many times???) and maybe we are! All I know is this.....This job is a God thing. It just is. I have never been so excited about a job before in my life and I'm amazed when I really sit back and look at all that has happened in the last few years since we first started attending Kainay that God chose now to give me this job. The same job I had applied for 3 1/2 years ago. The job wasn't mine then, it was Sheree's and he used her for wonderful things at Kainay and has chosen now to bring me into that ministry and to learn side by side with her. I'm excited, charged up and ready to see all that God is going to do through the children's ministry and I'm excited that I get to be part of it all. I'm amazed that God lead Chris and I to Kainay when he did 6 years ago and that the friendships and people I met back then have lead me to this place.
I will admit that we are a scared too. To leave a secure job here for Chris and to move back for a part time 20 hour position is a scary thing. Yet I have so much peace in all of this. I'm not worried and as I told Chris, "God would not hand me this job unless he had a plan in place to take care of all our needs" and I believe that whole heartily. I just know God has big plans for us in store and I can't wait to get back to Muskegon and watch it all unfold. As I've said before, sometimes you just have to leap in faith and know that God will catch you.
So next week Monday we leap and we leave our home here in Laveen and we leave behind good friends and a great church community. We leave behind neighbors, co-workers and other people we have learned to love. Although I am sad about leaving those friendships behind, I am at total peace with this move and can't wait to be near family again and to re-connect those friendships and relationships we left in MI when we moved out here.
So that is our big news in a nutshell! Sorry to keep all of you waiting for the details! It had to be announced to all the staff at Kainay before I could shout it from the rooftops!
Hello Home, Good-bye Arizona!
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