Daily Bread

So circumstances have changed; I am now free to move about the country! (Ding.)

Over the past couple of weeks I've been giving more thought to finally leaving Austin. Now that I'm (soon to be) unemployed and with my lease ending in two weeks, this discussion has taken a serious turn. I thought I'd be here at least until December, but with no job, no way of paying for school, and really nothing more to prove academically, I'm mighty tempted to just shrug my shoulders, give it an ol' "Eh, what the hell?" and roll the dice. I'm sure I could rebound and find another job here, but I'm tired of Austin. I've been here 7 years, you know; at this point, I'm a townie. I feel I've grown as much as I can here, and a change of scenery could do wonders towards my own personal growth and maturation. I really want to get out there, strike it out on my own, and really test my mettle. For too long, I've relied on my friends and family as a crutch; I'm ready to take the training wheels off and ride on my own.

On a somewhat unrelated note, it's kind of funny that I should lose my job now, at the conclusion of a series on Recession & Lost at the Austin Stone. The job loss came out of left field, and it's funny because all of a sudden, that series on Recession & Lost has become all too urgent and real. Carter & co. discussed how R&L will uncover hidden sin in our lives, how we'll have to make a choice between serving God and serving money, and how God uses these tests for our own growth and increasing our capacity to empathize with others. These things are all so true in my life now, and it's funny. Had this been 2 years ago, I would have gone bonkers, but I'm handling it better than usual, I think. It's a testament to God's faithfulness.

Continuing on with my Walk, I've been doing a lot of praying and asking about various things, and God has been doing a lot of "No"-ing. Really, this whole month has been a lesson in loss, patience, endurance, and trust. I'm doing my best to take it in stride and learn what God would have me to learn. It's been really trying and taxing at times, but I think I'll be a better person for it when it's all said and done. Albeit just not in Austin! Maybe.

Matthew 6:25-34