We thought that we trusted the Lord with all things. Well, watch out when you start thinking you have arrived in an area of walking with God. He has been revealing our lack of trust in a few areas of our life, mainly employment and finances.

It seems the more we get involved in the ministry, the wilder this great adventure gets! I (Jeff) have changed my employment three separate times in the last 13 months. All decisions were prayed through to agreement, as well as spending many restless nights with little sleep as God was stirring my spirit. Each job has carried with it a Christian brother in need of some good seed for being a godly husband and father.

My last job was going from sales of computer hardware to driving a skidder for an independent logger. God’s hand was on me every day protecting me, giving me discernment and wisdom, and much insight to learn this new profession. Unfortunately, the brother he sent me to encourage and plant into had chosen to let his heart grow hard and reject the things of the Lord. It had become an ‘ungodly alliance’. Miraculously God parted the waters for me and I received a call to come back to work for a previous employer that I worked for when Cathy and I first started 2=1 five years ago. And yes, there is another brother in the Lord at this job that is in need of good seed as well.

It will keep me on my toes to be a good witness and a great opportunity to keep each other on track. About three weeks into the logging, spring breakup came and lasted almost three months. We had an extremely wet spring, so the roads were closed longer than usual. That means no income. During that time period I (Cathy) got laid off from my job. So I went from being overwhelmed with work, a two hour commute to work every day, to having too much time on my hands and being vulnerable to the attack of the enemy on my thoughts and my emotions. How much I had prayed for a rest, and now that I had it, the bitter sweet waters of it surrounded me. I watched our bills starting to stack and I quit answering the phone because I got tired of trying to be Christ like to the collectors.

Jeff’s new position requires long hours and my days sometimes seem endless, but I have remained obedient to pray and read God’s word. Although the Lord faithfully supplied our every need, I was allowing circumstances to interfere with being in His presence. I wanted to quit! 2=1 wasn’t for us anymore. I no longer felt equipped. I no longer felt the passion to minister, yet every time the Lord put a hurting couple in our path, or a sister or brother that needed encouragement or prayer, God was there. For a moment I felt His hand, His presence, His spirit working through me, and better yet, through us as one flesh. The joy of the Lord came over me if only for a moment. That’s when I knew the Lord had never gone anywhere. He was right there, waiting for the right opportunity to use me, even though I felt used up.

He is so faithful even when we are not. When you feel that you want out, that you want to quit, that the Lord is leading you elsewhere – check your heart. What is the driving force behind it? Is it lack of faith, ungratefulness, disappointment, frustration, or self pity? Those are not the driving forces of our loving Father. If the force is love, passion, joy or vision, those should be the forces from heaven that will open up new doors of opportunity. If self is in the center, you can bet it’s not from God. Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace from Eph. 4:5. Because we continue to remain clean in the desert, God faithfully kept our relationship in balance. We never both saw the cup half empty at the same time, we continued to pray together and for each other, and Satan could not divide us. Be very careful then how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Eph. 15-16

Jeff and Cathy