Spring Break then and Spring Break now!

Israel and I really wanted to spend Spring Break week together last year, so he was going to take his vacation during Spring Break! Typically he has to work and I am home by myself! Last year, that was not the case! Last year was the first year Israel and I both were able to spend Spring Break together! Sounds pretty appealing, BUT he got laid off from work a few days before! So we didn't have another choice but to spend it together! We decided to go home to Snyder, TX, Spring Break central! ;D Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed spending time with our families, but we both had his job, or lack of one, in the back of our minds! How are we going to pay our bills? Where should he apply? I am about to start student teaching, should I do it in Snyder so we can move back? Millions of questions running through our minds!

A couple of weeks before all this, we started going to a different Church, Experience Life, and we had just joined a Lifehouse, (small group in your lifestage, so in our case for newly married/engaged couples) that meet weekly. Our first week there we meet two couples: Rachel and Larry and Doug and Colby! They were both going through similar situations and we saw how God was providing for them, and we were unaware that in a few weeks, we would be going through the same thing! When it happened we had to completely let go and let God take control! We kept hearing from everyone, it's all a part of God's plan but at the time it was hard to let go and just give it to God! Thank God we did, but it was hard not to feel sorry for ourselves and think we were the only couple who had gone through something like this!

On our drive to Snyder, Israel stopped in Post to apply at the Juvenile Detention Center. He took the application back a few days later and when they saw one of his references, Kenny Burns, they told him you are going to get the job! But we didn't hear from them for about 2 weeks but when we did, they told him he had the job, now it was just a matter of paperwork! So this meant we could stay in LBK, but money was going to be tight. Answered prayer one and two--CHECK!!

While we were home, my cousin Michael was talking about needing a place to stay in LBK while he was finishing up school, and luckily was willing to pay rent--wow, is this really happening?!? So we invited him to stay with us and that weekend Michael moved in and gave us our first month's rent! Answered prayer three-CHECK!

It's amazing to look back and see how God was working in our lives! A few months ago Israel and I read "Purpose Drive Life" and one of the questions asked if there was something that happened in your life that changed your personal relationship with God and I shared my answer with Israel and then he shared his with me! He told me that when he had gotten laid off, his relationship with Christ changed! It was so uplifting to hear that in that "terrible" time, God was working on His plan for us, rather than our own!

This year, Spring Break was different than last year! Thank you God!!! My nephews came to stay with us for the week! We played laser tag, putt putt, baseball, went to the park, went bowling, to the movies, and skating, among many other things! We had a blast! BUT, I wouldn't have changed what Israel and I went through last year! Last year was definitely one of the BEST SPRING BREAKS, even though at the time, it didn't seem like it!