Our Enemies

I could write a book on all that has transpired over the last three years. In regards to my husband's place of employment it would fill a book alone. Never have we felt like we were in the midst of enemies as we have there. I say we, but really it's my husband. We are so grateful for the opportunity to have moved closer to home by a couple of hours and to be close to his parents and family. We love Portland and the opportunity to move was a promotion. But little did we know as my hubby sat at dinner with the "group", that as they initiated him in and congratulated him on becoming "one of them", what that really would mean in the years to follow.

Everything was fine until he (hubby) was asked to behave and perform according to the "group", even if that meant lying or doing things that were contrary to good business or even a little unethical. So quickly the "group" found my hubby not as easy to get along with. I'm so proud of the man that he is! It is a gift to find a man of integrity and that stands up for what is right. We were judged as a family as soon as babies #4, 5, & 6 were on the way. We were put into the same "right wing/conservative/God loving" class as his Christian assistant manager that they looked at with disgust! (Praise God!) But where it got interesting was when his regional manager attempted many times to demean and demote my husband. When another yard in the same market was going under, they decided to consolidate to his location and wanted him to now take a second seat to the flamboyant manager who's location was shut down. But he was still expected to sign off on papers and the location as if he was still running things. This quickly became a problem! He wouldn't be held repsonsible for this man's questionable actions. Soon that man was paid to leave. And then the next move by the regional was even more interesting. Instead of letting my hubby run his location again, the regional let the other operations manager run it into the ground for about 5 months. When that man got fired, it left hubby with a mess and a consolidation to clean up.

This not only made for a stressed out hubby but it shed some light on the spiritual warfare that was going on at the same time. There were days when my hubby literally felt an oppressive cloud in that location when he entered the doors. There were two incidences where my hubby was at managers meetings/retreats where the regional's demeanor and even his face became dark and evil. My hubby described it as the closest he's ever come to seeing Satan himself. We have pleaded the blood of Jesus Christ over him many times as he continues his career here. How long can one survive in that environment?

Recently, there have been more attacks as the regional's own location has fallen short over and over. The regional was just demoted and a loss of salary as well. That is great news to us as hubby has cut and cut and cut his location and is striving to keep it profitable in a market that is not moving. With one furlough done and other's threatened, a salary cut threatened, and supposedly no bonus for hubby's location (even though he out performed the regional's location 14 out of 14 months), hubby is at the end of his ropes. I will admit I have been there long ago. But have had to learn to be quiet and supportive and pray.....hard!!!

My prayers over the last 3 months has been that God will open the door He wants us to go through and close the ones He doesn't! During one incredibly stressful evenings (where the above mentioned was announced) I was in tears. But then I stopped and realized what I have been praying for. So maybe for my hubby, God is closing all doors. All doors there. And we trust that He will open wide where He wants us to go!

As I write this the regional market manager and one of hubby's old bosses and biggest supporter (those 2 have never riden together...they don't get along) just made a surprise trip down to see him today. This is the second one in a week. The last one was very odd and his regional left very quickly after HIS boss called him. This was about a 3hour drive down. The items on the agenda were not even discussed. Moments of awkward silence too. And now a surprise visit???

I have learned two things. Our future and hope is NOT in man. It is in God alone! And God's justice and revenge is much sweeter than our own!

Here's the verse I'm clinging to today as I await to see what door has been open or shut!
Psalm 43:
¹ Vindicate me, my God,
   and plead my cause
   against an unfaithful nation.
Rescue me from those who are
   deceitful and wicked.
² You are God my stronghold.
   Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
   oppressed by the enemy?
³ Send me your light and your faithful care,
   let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
   to the place where you dwell.
⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God,
   to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the lyre,
   O God, my God.
 ⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast?
   Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
   for I will yet praise him,
   my Savior and my God.

God Is Bigger Than Our Enemies! Praise God!

Update: The following week my hubby was told his position as "manager" was being eliminated. He did recieve a severence package that was helpful. Four days later God opened the door at a company that my hubby has wanted to get his foot in the door at! Only four days on unemployment! Praise God!Then the next week everyone at his old location was given 24 hours notice that his old employer was pulling out of the market completely! God is good! He's bigger than our Enemies!

He Is Bigger Than...The Box

Growing up....
God (salvation) was neatly packaged for me.
And put into a box.
It had a pretty bow on it.
It looked pretty and pure and clean.

I desired to know God early on.
At age 5, I knelt by my Auntie's bedside and
asked Jesus into my heart.
I too recieved my own Gift.

So I tried to unwrap the Gift that was given to me.
But they said, "Don't untie the bow, it won't look pretty."
"If you hold the gift just so, the edges won't get torn."
"You want others to desire how pretty your gift is."
"Very few people have this gift that you are holding."
"You have to be careful with whom you share your gift with."
"If you let other's (outside) hold the gift it WILL be taken from you."
"Be so careful what you do, because you can loose your gift so easily."

I was very careful with my Gift.
I was a good little girl.
I dearly wanted to please my family and God.
So I did everything that they told me.
And my Gift was safe.

As I grew, I began to notice that there was fear that went with carrying this Gift.
And soon the Gift became heavy.
I desired to know the giver of this Gift more.
But wasn't allowed to peek or to question what was inside.
I saw that other's outside had a Gift also.
But their's looked different.

Some of the wrapping paper was torn from sharing their gifts.
The bows of some were untied.
And then I saw some who's boxes were open wide...
But their faces were not fearful!
They were joyful!
And more importantly they still had their Gifts!!!

I desired to know what was in those open boxes!
I wanted the joy of knowing the Gift giver.
I was soon to be on a lifelong journey of knowing
true joy, real love, as I opened my own box......

And let God OUT!