God's Wonderful Providence

After graduating high school, I entered the US Air Force where I started a career as an electronic technician. My Dad had encouraged me to seek a career in electronics. It was a great choice as I loved working with electronics. After serving for three and a half years, I sought to enter civilian life and desired to become an electronics engineer.

After returning home from the Air Force, I found it difficult finding employment in electronics. As time pasted, I ended up working in the small loan business at Household Finance Corp. I also met the love of my life, Nellie Galloway, and we married and started our own household. My career at Household Finance was progressing as I was working to become a Senior Assistant Manager and eventually a manager of my own office. While this job was more than supplying our needs, it really wasn't what I wanted for a career. I still desired to become an electronics engineer.

Now, God starts to apply pressure! My manager at Household Finance informed me that the company wanted me to gain more experience in a busier branch in a more metropolitan city. I told my manager that I really didn't want a transfer. After he discussed that with his district manager, it was clear that they would be looking to transfer me as soon as they found a position. That prompted me to apply for electronic opportunities outside of where we were living. So far I got no responses for my job inquiries.

Then the day came. Household Finance informed me that I would be transferred to one of the four offices in this large metropolitan city. We were disappointed, but had no other options. We moved to the city just before Thanksgiving. There were things that immediately stressed us. Many of our neighbors had bars on their windows. The drive to and from work was incredibly congested. It didn't take long for my anxiety to build at work. A customer that I called to collect money from threatened to come to the office and knock my teeth out if I called again! And, conversation in the office centered around a manger from one of the other offices that had been shot with a gun in the office by a customer while discussing there need to make payments on their loan. And, this was the second time that manager had been shot by the same customer. After the first time, a judge, after assuming the customer wasn't hostile anymore, told the customer to go to the office and make arrangements to pay the loan. That is when, for the second time, the customer again shot the manager. I am not sure why that customer was allowed out of jail after the first time, but I really didn't care. I just wanted out of the small loan business.

God rescues! I got a call from a government contracting company wanting to know if we would be willing to move to Bitburg Germany where I would be involved in modifying aircraft that I had worked on in the military. It was at the same military base that I served at for two and a half years in the Air Force. At this point I probably don't have to tell you what our answer was. We promptly packed up and headed back home!

Lay-off of 2010 and Jehova Jireh - God our Provider

A Little History...

As I enter this first post, I must provide some history to help with understanding. I have been laid-off since May 14, 2010. God has been gracious by providing constant income from my old job through software consulting. However, my monthly income does not add up to our monthly expenses. We received some severance pay and had some savings after the lay-off. So, we have been pulling from those resources since the lay-off. Also, while receiving consulting fees, I was setting aside Federal Tax money. The resources ran dry and we starting using the Tax money to subsidize our expenses. Now, the Tax resources are also gone. I have yet to do our income taxes for 2010. I have a 401K from my last job that I was planning to use at this point. While I am looking for work, doing consulting with my old company, I am also designing my own software package, (CRM, Customer Relations Management).

Then God...

We have been in this position before, (being laid-off), and have experienced God's provision every time. Three sets of scripture have always been a comfort during these times. 

1. Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
2. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
3. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Along with the lay-off, to further complicate our situation, both our son and daughter are getting married this year!


On Feb 4th I was praying and lamenting the fact that I could not help my daughter with her wedding because I was unemployed. I asked the Lord what I should do? Almost immediately I heard "give...". It wasn't audible, but I clearly heard it in my mind! So, immediately I asked "How?". I continued to pray and never got an answer to "How?". After I finished praying, I mentioned to Nellie what the Lord had said. She expressed some excitement that the Lord said "give...". We discussed the fact that "How?" was not answered. Nellie said she was also praying about the same issue and just sensed a positive feeling about somehow helping our daughter. Then we spent some time praying together and asking the Lord "How?". But, still no answer. After we finished praying, Nellie and I went to the computer room, Nellie to check her blog, and I to continue work on the CRM software. As I checked my email, I remarked to Nellie that I had an email from Bob, (my supervisor from my old company). What I thought was probably some more consulting work turned out to be a possible employment opportunity at Ligonier Ministries as a Software Developer/Programmer that had been passed to Bob by the HR manager.


At this point we thought we had the "How?" from God! The position seemed to be a good fit and I had never had the opportunity to work for a ministry! Within days I had a phone interview followed-up in a week with an actual interview with the IT Manager and the CFO of the ministry!


Not much has happened since. I contacted them twice and the HR manager said they were still interviewing and would let me know something when they knew more.

The Lord's Surprise...

On March 22 Nellie was telling me how much our daughter paid for her wedding dress. Since we were reaching a point that I knew we needed an infusion of funds to continuing paying our bills, (probably from our 401K), I wondered if maybe we could pay for our daughter's wedding dress. That morning I started to seek God's counsel in prayer concerning this matter. I again expressed to the Lord my desire to help my daughter financially with her wedding. I asked the Lord if I should take money from our 401K and I believe He said "Yes!". Many times when I hear the Lord answer I desire confirmation from the Holy Spirit so that I can be sure that the answer was not just my wishful thinking. So, I enquired in prayer about the answer and immediately received the answer "I AM the Lord your God." If I enquire and get no answer I usually don't act on the answer unless He confirms the answer another way. Now, I am not saying that this is how God will communicate with you, or others. But, it does seem to be a way that He communicates with me. Of course He can communicate in an infinite number of ways with His children. Sometimes I will receive a scripture (out of the blue) that will confirm His communication with me. Anyway, as I prayed I asked how much I should give toward my daughter's wedding, (thinking that He might agree with me paying for her wedding dress). Well, the Lord is full of surprises! When I enquired how much, He said very clearly, "ALL". You can be sure that I sought confirmation because we appear to certainly need the money! He was clear, "ALL". Immediately the scripture concerning the "Widow's Oil" in 2 Kings 4 came to mind. So, I asked the Lord if needed income would be poured out like the widow's oil. He said "Yes!".

So, Now the Adventure Begins...

So, now we must be obedient and see where the Lord takes us. This is exciting and scary at the same time. How will God provide? It will be exciting to share this news with our daughter and fiance, but will pretty much "seal the deal". What about our up-coming expenses and bills?