When the going gets tough, it can get tougher still!

Hello folks out there in the relatively new but rapidly growing world wide community known as Bloggerville, I welcome you to Tuesday, October 20, 2009. If the economy is doing so much better as reported by the Administration, then I wonder why so many folks near and dear to us continue to lose their jobs, or those looking for months can find nothing, or how the outlook at the street level is so gloomy. I was in a management course one time where the visiting professor told us that if you mess with the graphs long enough you could find something that will make it look like all is well. To some 16 million plus Americans who are out of work it certainly looks like someone is messing with the stats when they report that happy days are here again.

I can identify with being unemployed, or more specifically, underemployed for some 18 months. I know what it means to use up all means of savings, equity, and making painful adjustments to keep the home fires burning. But I was blessed because we never went without and we did not experience the loss of property and other valuables like so many have and still are even as I write this blog. We have a growing number of people in our local fellowship of believers who are experiencing this time of testing. And, while this particular geographic area of our country has suffered far less than others, the trickle down has made its way and is beginning to take a toll on folks each week. What was hoped for seemingly has fizzled and now the reality of a very long and protracted time of recovery seems to be inevitable.

I’ve seen the look on these men’s faces. I’ve seen that same look in the mirror. How low can one go? For the man, head of his home, the designated breadwinner, I can think of nothing more devastating than not being able to fulfill what he believes to be his God given calling on his life. However, it is exactly when we are flat on our back and have nowhere else to look but up, that is the time when God moves and works in our hearts. I can’t help anyone with making sense out of the statistics that say things will be all better soon, however, I can with certainty and personal experience point us all to the God who cares, and to His provision even during these difficult days. It’s not a mind over matter situation; it is a faith in God and a reliance upon Him that will see us through in experiencing His promise of never leaving or forsaking us! Amen. ….More later.