an unexpected provision

Happy November!

I've written sporadically about being grateful ((grateful girl series)) in the past and participated in Thankful on Paper the last two Novembers, but I felt that this year calls for something different. Each day, I will reflect on one ((or more)) people/things/places/foods I'm thankful for as away to focus on life's many blessings.

To get started, let me say I am grateful for our second car. I haven't shared much about this, but it's a huge blessing and a story worth telling. Up until about a month ago, we only had one car in our 2+ years of marriage.

In early September we realized this season would would look different than expected. I’m often thankful things didn’t go the way I had planned because I’ve seen how God’s plan is better for me. Over the past few months I’ve been reminded of how planning and anticipating that life will look a certain way is often met by a reality that doesn’t match and it has left me leaning on God in new ways.

Over the summer, we were anticipating that my husband would begin an internship at our church this fall and that would change his “job.” We worked to fund raise his salary for the internship and planned that he would quit his part-time job at Home Depot to work for the church while he’s also taking classes.

For the past year and a half, the Home Depot job presented its fair share of challenges, with its retail schedule changing from week-to-week, so we never knew his work schedule more than two weeks out. By early August, it appeared we would not have the full funding raised for him to quit his job at Home Depot and rely solely on a small income from the internship.

A week before the internship was to start, a full-time position opened at Home Depot and it was one of the few roles there with a set weekly schedule. It appealed to Brandon because it was only Monday through Friday and the hours wouldn’t change from week to week.

At first I thought he was crazy to want to work more hours. That would mean balancing four graduate courses, the church internship and a 40 hour/week job? After some consideration, prayer, and a conversation with our pastor, Brandon applied for the full-time position and, by God’s grace, he got it.

It's certainly a stretch for both of us to have our days so filled and this season has been most taxing on my husband. Balancing these multiple roles is not what we expected this time would look like, but we are so grateful for the opportunities that have opened up and we remind ourselves it is only for a season.

We also had hoped to buy a second car this fall, to alleviate the strain of sharing one car without the use of public transportation. We looked at a few cars and even considered selling the one car we do own to be able to put two down payments on two older cars. While talking to a friend from church about this idea, she suggested we use their third vehicle that had been sitting un-registered in the driveway for months.

Of course, there were details to work out, but it was truly a gift that they would lend us their perfectly working vehicle.

Last month was our first as a two-car couple. I am so grateful for God’s provision of both a job that allows Brandon a consistent schedule from one week to the next, and a car that allows me not to have to go in early or work late based on when I can get a ride. The Lord has blessed us with more than we could have imagined in this season and I am increasingly in awe of the way He provides.

Have you been blessed in surprising ways lately?

((I'm linking up with Amanda for her #30daysofthanksgiving series and Carina for Oh So Thankful))