A Most Amazing Car Ride
Most of you know that I am married to an unbeliever. I write about the struggles and triumphs in our marriage and how God is always in the middle of our life over at spirituallyunequalmarriage.com.
However, I rarely share with the readers here at Laced With Grace the details of our unequally yoked life. But today, I am overwhelmed by the goodness of God and the extraordinary changes He has brought about and I want to tell you just how BIG our God really is.
Rewind to January 16, 2009. UNEMPLOYED
My husband lost his job. Thus the journey began.
Eight long months have come and gone since then. Being a woman, I admit that I am one to worry about finances. Also, as a former banker, I tend to be extra sensitive to how our money, budget and all things financial are handled.
So, you can bet I have sat in the garden most of the summer and begged God to give my husband another job.
He hasn’t.
Months of praying, have passed. But God is not ignoring me because this journey has been a passage between God and my husband.
I have watched from the back seat (not my favorite place) car window as we passed the bank and see our funds dwindle. I also, glanced out the rear window to see our hope fade in the distance as our small financial setback becomes a large financial setback.
There in the front seat is The Lord Almighty. He is sitting on the passenger side this time (not His usual spot). But for now, His passenger status serves His will and purpose. He has pushed my husband behind the wheel encouraging him to learn to drive. His calm demeanor and consistent presence pushes my need to jump in the driver’s seat and take control, behind me. He is watching my man as he emerges onto this strange road of unemployment.
My husband is scared about finding himself in this place but too proud to show it. In his desire to return to the old Highway, he charges the gas pedal, and we jolt, bump, and then finally slow to a steady pace as we head down the winding and unfamiliar road.
We have been in the car along time now traveling at this steady pace. We veer off the pavement at times with expectation as interviews come. Then swerve back to disappointment when the job fails to materialize. The bumps in the pavement are emotional but the Almighty is present.
This journey is one of the most difficult roads we have traveled; however, it is THE journey! I didn’t truly understand this in the beginning. But over the months, little-by-little, my man is learning and so am I. My husband is driving as God gently instructs him. I am convinced our eventual destination will find us at foot of the cross. But let me share just a couple of the side roads we have traveled to date.
My husband began attending church on June 29th consistently. Of his own free will without any anger or resentment toward me or God. -The Almighty, I suspect was behind this bend in this road.
In July he started an online radio show to help other unemployed people in America to find work. He spends hours working on this show for no money. His only reward is the satisfaction of helping another person in need. Until now, my husband has never desired to help anyone outside of his circle of family and friends. Additionally, my husband and radio??? Are you kidding me? Who would have thought it! –Can you see the knowing smile on the Almighty’s face as we traveled down this bumpy and unpaved path?
Two weeks ago my guy unburied his long lost Bible from a drawer and brought it to church. Girls, he opened it, read from it and pointed out notes in the margin to me during the service. -Do you see The Almighty with a broad grin on his face?
Gulp!
This ride is not over. Oh, praise be to Jesus, the ride isn’t over. Because my husband is becoming the man I have always dreamed about. In the past eight months I have watched him handled multiple unusual and first-time situations, work search queries, his wife and our daughter with integrity, wisdom, humor, and love. He has changed in ways I thought not
possible. He is slowing being reborn.
Born Again.
Ahhhh, how those words ring sweet in my ears. I will continue to ride in the backseat; thrilled the Lord has included me in the car to traverse the months ahead.
I am sometimes anxious about the unseen potholes ahead. I am uneasy about knowing the Lord may require me – us- to sacrifice even more in order to complete this long drive. But I am willing. I have seen the results. They are real and amazing and more fantastic than my wildest dreams.
If you are also on a journey with someone and it feels like it will never end, or you won’t survive the pain, I have two words for you: Wild Hope.
You may not see The Almighty seated there next to you. I didn’t at first, but He is there. If you have prayed and asked Him to be the center of your life, you have the gift of, Wild Hope. How cool is that?
Matthew 12:21 (NLT) “And his name will be the hope of all the world.”
Be Blessed, Lynn
Find me daily at
Oh my goodness! I have tears of joy in my eyes girlfriend. I can only imagine the joy you are feeling as you see God’s hand in EVERY SINGLE part of this Journey. If I read nothing more today but this post I would walk away a happy blogger!
Big Hugs to you.
Kim
Woo Hoo, I am doing the happy dance over this post. God is so awesome. I love you my dear friend.
Wow! How beautifully stated…putting God in the front seat while we sit in the back, allowing Him to take control of the wheel. Amazing and I am rejoicing, rejoicing and rejoicing with you over the changes being made in your husband. Praise God!
Oh, Lynn, how cool you are sharing your husbands journey here with us at LWG. Yes, the journey is painful (financially seen), but I know that He will see you through…
Love you my sweet friend…
LYnn,
I am so happy for you. God does answer prayers, but only on His time and not ours.
Lynn,
What an awesome news about your husband.
I am in the same situation. I have to remind myself that prayers never go unanswered. It is in His time and not mine.
Praising our Holy God Almighty and His Amazing ways.
Thanks for sharing, Lynn!
Oh the joy in the journey! You are seeing that and rejoicing in the hope of your husband’s salvation!
Praising the Lord with you.
This was wonderful to read, Lori!!
OH LYNN!!!!
YAY!!!! This is SO exciting!!!! Wild Hope, indeed!
I have followed what you have shared about this journey at your blog, Lynn, and I can’t tell you how excited I have been for you husband as I have followed along (and for you!). This post just brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
And, WILD HOPE?? I love it! What a wonderful way to describe all that we have in the Lord!
Lynn, what an awesome testimony! It is so amazing to see our great God at work. His word is true…He works ALL things out 🙂
Oh, sweet Lynn – your story gave me goosebumps!!!! I can’t wait to hear the end of this journey!!!
I am so happy for you Lynn. The Lord does indeed work in mysterious ways. I pray your husband will soon find work, but more than that I pray the Father’s perfect will in his life. You are storing up treasures in heaven!!
This is powerful, girl. One of the best things you\’ve written, but more important….WOW!!! How great is our God! So very truly amazing.
And I love how you got our book title in there. That\’s what it\’s all about, Wild Hope. If I doubted that was the title before I don\’t anymore. We need to keep it. 🙂
Love you!
Book Title??????? Oh my! A huge YES!!!
Sitting quietly here with shivers down my spine. The Lord is so good. And suffering works for our good, although *sigh* it’s very hard. Rom 8:28
I know the ride. I know the intense lesson in submission you’re getting through this experience. I’m so grateful to have a husband who has persevered against all the odds. My respect for him has just soared. Sounds like yours has too. ((Hugs))
Hi Lynn
I am also happy for you. I think all of us are in a sort of a ride. In my ride I am also expecting God to take the will but that is not case. However the LORD is always present. Like you i am experiencing a bumpy ride. I wish that GOD at this stage to help mestop the car before it goes over the cliff. I wish my ride could be back on the highway. I wish to understand my family life like you do. In my case we are both Christians and m wife does not even want to be a the back seat and watch me. My hope is with GOD.
WOW How powerful! This really touched my heart today. I too feel as if I am in the backseat of our “car” and we definitely have had a bumpy ride the past 5 years. Sometimes we are in a ditch sometimes on a dirt road with lots of potholes. Sometimes we seem to be sitting stranded by the side of the road with a broken vehicle… going nowhere. Some times the Lord is in the Driver seat, sometimes my husband.
We are both believers. Sometimes I have been tempted to push both the Lord and my husband out of the way and take over, but most of the time I can resist actually doing it. Other times I just backseat drive and make unnecessary comments that injure my husband and make the journey only that much harder.
I have had many times where my faith has been small, hard to trust God to lead my husband in the best way for our family. Anyway, thanks for your honesty and for the encouraging words today. I really needed them.