Waiting is hard. Especially when you can feel something exciting coming but you just don't know what it is. It's like a kid waiting for Christmas morning. As a child you know without a doubt your parents put awesome amazing presents for you under that tree but of course you have to wait until Christmas morning to open them. So instead you sit and dream of every magical thing that could be in those pretty boxes. My favorite verse about waiting has become:
"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning" Psalm 130:5-6
I knew if we didn't wait IN the Lord, and if we didn't put our HOPE in His word, that the devil could easily put stuff in our path that wasn't God's plan for our lives. I didn't want to make the wrong decision. I wanted us to make the best possible decision for our family.
At first an opportunity came up that we thought might be what we were waiting for. It involved me going back to work but we wanted to at least give it a shot in case it was our answer to our prayers. So I applied and then we just continued to pray. We thought of it as if it was meant to happen God would work it out. As the weeks pasted though, Trav started talking to a recruiter. Ryan's job was to find jobs for those in the agronomy field. Trav knew he wanted to shift his line of work and move up but currently and sadly his current job didn't have that opportunity. Of course, none of the jobs he was interested in were around the Litchfield area. So again we just continued to pray over it. Deep in our hearts though, we never thought anything would happen this year. We thought Trav would have some interviews but in the end, none of them would work out.
Fast forward a few months and I got offered the job I had applied for. I was beyond excited. Yes I would miss my baby girl but I would only be working part time and we so needed the extra income. Trav had had an interview but we didn't think anything would come of it. We thought if he did get offered the job, it wouldn't be enough to be worth it to move. We started getting daycare lined up and thinking ahead to how big of a change this would all be. But we also thought about what a blessing it was all going to be as well.
A few days later after accepting my new job we were in the car on our way up to Duluth to take Trav's sister to college. Trav got a call from his recruiter letting us know that he would be receiving a job offer for us by the following Tuesday. Ryan told us what the ballpark figure was and what little he knew about the job itself. We were in total and complete shock. How could this be happening?? Why on earth would God give us both opportunities when they are so far apart from each other?? And why do we now need to wait 5 whole days before we actually get the offer?? I. Want. To. Know. NOW! But funny, God doesn't always work the way we want it and in the timing we want.
The next week was a long waiting game. Each day would end with us not hearing too much and still left in limbo. Wondering how much our life would change. Wondering if we would be packing our family up and moving. Wondering if this really was something God wanted. I felt like all we both did was pray. Pray that if it was meant to be Trav would be offered what is fair. Prayed that God would give us the wisdom we needed to make such a life altering decision. Prayed that all the stress that was building up would not start ripping us apart. Looking back I'm sure that was all part of God's plan. He was and still is teaching us how to fully rely on Him for everything instead of just going by what we want for us.
Friday 9.7.13: I was in the bathroom getting ready to go out and celebrate my bday with my hubby. He walked in and said: "Well I got a call today". Here it is. The moment I have prayed over for what seemed like months now. As he described the details they were offering The job title he would be given and everything that goes along with getting a new job, I couldn't help but have a smile come to my face. I was watching my husband's eyes dance with delight. This manager had faith in him. This manager wanted to give my husband the opportunity to push forward with his dreams. We quickly figured out that this is what God had been planning for us. I have never felt so much peace in such a chaotic situation. Saying yes to this opportunity meant so many more uncertainties followed. And yet, there we were, grinning ear to ear all weekend as we talked about it all.
And among all the excitement we had more than that offer to think about. I was supposed to be starting my new job in a week. There were so many unknowns still but how could I just act like we were staying forever and continue on with that when I knew in my heart this was it for us and Litchfield in a few months or so. I couldn't bottom line. So I had to tell them everything that was going on. I could either keep everything as planned and work until the house sells, or they could decide to find someone else. It was their choice. And I had faith in whatever their decision was because bottom line, I knew when I looked back when all was said and done I would see the work of God.
We need prayer from all of you. These next several months are going to be hard. We have to get our house on the market and sold quickly. And to get ready for that we need to get everything organized and lots of small stuff fixed up. Trav will be leaving for Canby MN at the beginning of the month and unless things go super quickly, he will sadly be leaving without us. Maci and I will be staying in Litchfield until the house sells. Trav will come home on weekends when he can and unfortunately that wont be much the first several weeks. He will be starting right around when things go crazy and will be working 6 days a week. And they will be his long hours just like they were here. So we need prayer that the house sells quickly (and for a good price at that), that we will find housing for ourselves quickly after that, and that Maci and I will get through these next several months without our main man around.
With everything that goes with this new chapter in our lives, with all the stress and challenges that we will be facing, it would be so easy for us to decide to not go through with it. We could just say no, stay in Litchfield and I would just keep the job I was offered. We could choose comfort. But sometimes God chooses us to be courageous. To do something out of our comfort zone so He can bless us. So He can use us in a greater plan He has for us. I read a quote in a blog last week that stood out to me. Gave me more confidence in our decision.
My husband doesn't like change. He will be the first to admit it. So God giving him such an enormous amount of peace is such an incredible blessing. We can't thank the Co-op here in town enough for everything they have done in the past 5 years. They are the reason our first home was in this beautiful little town. There will be so many tears the day we have to officially say good-bye to this place. We have made lasting friendships here. We have had so many firsts for our family here. We created our family here. We found a church home that was beyond our dreams here. God blessed us many many times here. I don't want to think about all we are leaving behind too much because I know we will be back to visit often. Trav's family is all from the Kimball area, so yes dear friends we will be back often.
God has been in this journey from the very start. We have seen all his blessings throughout the whole situation so far. We know this is a gift from God. If I didn't tell you this personally, please don't take it personally. This has been a very big secret in our household. We didn't want to tell anyone until we knew it was happening and we knew it was God's will.
Thank you all in advance for your love, your support, and your prayers. We couldn't do this without all of you.
***Please out of respect for us don't ask where I was offered a job. Our family, has chosen to keep that private for various reasons. But I do feel it is an important part in this journey we are on. God has a reason for keeping me as a stay at home mama, of that I am sure :)
A few days later after accepting my new job we were in the car on our way up to Duluth to take Trav's sister to college. Trav got a call from his recruiter letting us know that he would be receiving a job offer for us by the following Tuesday. Ryan told us what the ballpark figure was and what little he knew about the job itself. We were in total and complete shock. How could this be happening?? Why on earth would God give us both opportunities when they are so far apart from each other?? And why do we now need to wait 5 whole days before we actually get the offer?? I. Want. To. Know. NOW! But funny, God doesn't always work the way we want it and in the timing we want.
The next week was a long waiting game. Each day would end with us not hearing too much and still left in limbo. Wondering how much our life would change. Wondering if we would be packing our family up and moving. Wondering if this really was something God wanted. I felt like all we both did was pray. Pray that if it was meant to be Trav would be offered what is fair. Prayed that God would give us the wisdom we needed to make such a life altering decision. Prayed that all the stress that was building up would not start ripping us apart. Looking back I'm sure that was all part of God's plan. He was and still is teaching us how to fully rely on Him for everything instead of just going by what we want for us.
Friday 9.7.13: I was in the bathroom getting ready to go out and celebrate my bday with my hubby. He walked in and said: "Well I got a call today". Here it is. The moment I have prayed over for what seemed like months now. As he described the details they were offering The job title he would be given and everything that goes along with getting a new job, I couldn't help but have a smile come to my face. I was watching my husband's eyes dance with delight. This manager had faith in him. This manager wanted to give my husband the opportunity to push forward with his dreams. We quickly figured out that this is what God had been planning for us. I have never felt so much peace in such a chaotic situation. Saying yes to this opportunity meant so many more uncertainties followed. And yet, there we were, grinning ear to ear all weekend as we talked about it all.
And among all the excitement we had more than that offer to think about. I was supposed to be starting my new job in a week. There were so many unknowns still but how could I just act like we were staying forever and continue on with that when I knew in my heart this was it for us and Litchfield in a few months or so. I couldn't bottom line. So I had to tell them everything that was going on. I could either keep everything as planned and work until the house sells, or they could decide to find someone else. It was their choice. And I had faith in whatever their decision was because bottom line, I knew when I looked back when all was said and done I would see the work of God.
We need prayer from all of you. These next several months are going to be hard. We have to get our house on the market and sold quickly. And to get ready for that we need to get everything organized and lots of small stuff fixed up. Trav will be leaving for Canby MN at the beginning of the month and unless things go super quickly, he will sadly be leaving without us. Maci and I will be staying in Litchfield until the house sells. Trav will come home on weekends when he can and unfortunately that wont be much the first several weeks. He will be starting right around when things go crazy and will be working 6 days a week. And they will be his long hours just like they were here. So we need prayer that the house sells quickly (and for a good price at that), that we will find housing for ourselves quickly after that, and that Maci and I will get through these next several months without our main man around.
With everything that goes with this new chapter in our lives, with all the stress and challenges that we will be facing, it would be so easy for us to decide to not go through with it. We could just say no, stay in Litchfield and I would just keep the job I was offered. We could choose comfort. But sometimes God chooses us to be courageous. To do something out of our comfort zone so He can bless us. So He can use us in a greater plan He has for us. I read a quote in a blog last week that stood out to me. Gave me more confidence in our decision.
"You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both. They are mutually exclusive" -Brene Brown
Right now, in this moment. In this challenge God has placed before us, I choose courage.
My husband doesn't like change. He will be the first to admit it. So God giving him such an enormous amount of peace is such an incredible blessing. We can't thank the Co-op here in town enough for everything they have done in the past 5 years. They are the reason our first home was in this beautiful little town. There will be so many tears the day we have to officially say good-bye to this place. We have made lasting friendships here. We have had so many firsts for our family here. We created our family here. We found a church home that was beyond our dreams here. God blessed us many many times here. I don't want to think about all we are leaving behind too much because I know we will be back to visit often. Trav's family is all from the Kimball area, so yes dear friends we will be back often.
God has been in this journey from the very start. We have seen all his blessings throughout the whole situation so far. We know this is a gift from God. If I didn't tell you this personally, please don't take it personally. This has been a very big secret in our household. We didn't want to tell anyone until we knew it was happening and we knew it was God's will.
Thank you all in advance for your love, your support, and your prayers. We couldn't do this without all of you.
With all our love,
The Petty's
Travis, Chrissy & Maci
***Please out of respect for us don't ask where I was offered a job. Our family, has chosen to keep that private for various reasons. But I do feel it is an important part in this journey we are on. God has a reason for keeping me as a stay at home mama, of that I am sure :)
