Being Radical for Jesus

First off, thank you SO much for the amazing amount of support and encouragement I recieved from my last post via email, facebook, and phone calls. I can tell you that it encouraged my heart and reminded me that 1) we are not alone in this 2) more often than not everyone faces these issues at one time or another 3) God is so good and faithful.

One thing I would like to clear up is that while our financial situation while losing 1 car kind of twisted up our world, I'd like to say that really our financial situation has been this way since we decided in 2010 that I would become a stay at home mom when Micaiah was born. Hart had gone to work at The Mather Company at that time, as well, and we knew it would be tight while Hart and Charlie put all they could into the company. Building a company, a good reputation in this city, and establishing themselves in the slower moving economy takes time and something that we have known from the beginning. Hart and Charlie have a long way to go, before they give up what God is leading them to do and we praise the Lord that as long as he is calling them to this, that we know the bottom line is that he will always provide for both of our families, even if things are tight.

And do you know what? This last week as emotional and mentally exhausting as it has been, has been at the same time wonderful and freeing.

I'm working through the thoughts about what it means to be "entitled" to something vs. what is absolutely necessary. Truly, for us, a 2nd car is nice and makes life easier, but it is actually NOT necessary.

Here are the ways that God is going above and beyond for us right now:
-Hart's parents have allowed us to use Jane's car whenever we need it. I actually kept her car this entire last week. So, really, I still don't know what it means to not have a car of my own anymore. Jane and Harry have told us that we can borrow that car whenever we need it, as long as Jane does not have a doctor's appointment to go to or other errands.
-Hart's parents also stocked up our home with groceries, so that we do not have to buy groceries for at least another month or a month and a half. No lie. It's an amazing blessing from the Lord. I cried at this provision and their hearts before the Lord to help us. They are truly an amazing couple that live for God's Kingdom and they said that right now, they will be willing to help us however we need. While as children, you don't want to have to rely on your parents, ya know, the whole leave and cleave thing, it is still good to know that you have back-up support if you really need it.
-Hart has already been given side jobs and has already brought in an extra $100 just this week doing yard work for some of their listings. He was gone most of Saturday doing these two extra jobs and that is a blessing. I have also done more embroidery for people this week than I have in the last 4 months.

We have decided to wait a couple more months now to see what happens when I start working part-time running the dance studio with my mom to figure out the side income that I will make there. While we have talked about me being a nanny, me substitute teaching, and me doing more sewing as income, we have decided to hold off on moving too fast before the Lord. I really would be more than willing to work part-time outside of the dance studio, but as long as that works out, it really would be ideal, because most of it, I can do from home. We would hate to turn sewing into more than what it is, because it is my "happy place". The moment that goes from "happy place" to making it more of a business, it will lose that appeal for me. However, I do not mind doing embroidery to bring in more money when I can.

More than any of this, God is doing amazing things in our hearts. Yesterday, we met up with our dear friend who lives in Nicaragua. As we talked about what it was like for him to be back in America, I felt the materialistic strong-holds falling away. The disconnects that exist between our two countries is immense, and I remember my time in Nicaragua like yesterday. Hart and I want to help their church however we can.

It's time to be Radical the way Jesus was radical. It's time to live frugally, so we can help others more. If we can go without, so that we can help their church get the land they need to have a place for their children to learn who Jesus is, have an after school program, a safe place to go off the dangerous streets, then we are going to do it. That's more important than a 2nd car. A luxury.

I've already cleaned out my entire closet. I'm going to the rest of the house this week. Anything we don't absolutely need, I am going to sell and give to the poor.

Yes, you heard me. Get scared.

I want to show you what it means to live radically for Jesus' name.

Hart might not recognize his wife when he gets home from church. And that's okay. Something changed inside of me when I was scooping the rest of my meatball potluck dinner onto a paper towel last night at Finlay park to the drunk homeless man in my own city and then as I got in my car I watched him eat his only hot meal in 2 days (or so he said) with his bare fingers.

I'm going to do whatever it takes to make my heart stay with the poor, the way Jesus did.