Provision and God's plan

Well, the last 5 months has been a period of change for the hubster and I due to the economic recession and the laying off off jobs. This past October as I wrapped up a change to our electric company and the day to day requirements of life, my sweet husband came home with a pained look on his face and the news that he had been laid off. Naturally, he was extremely upset and distressed but somehow I felt a sense of peace about the situation and shared with him that God had a plan and just wanted him out of that toxic environment. Scott had been unhappy in that job for sometime and wanted to leave, but was waiting to graduate before making his move. Apparently God had other plans and made Scott's exit more posthaste.
I was so proud of his dilligence in job hunting and determination to find not only a job, but the right job. Of course there were good days and bad days, and the challanges of making the budget work on much less gave me pause on occasion, but I knew there was something better out there for him and regardless of what the media was protraying about the economic environment, God would provide when the time was right.
In the meantime, months past and along the way, halleluia, Scott graduated college. I was so proud and excited, but his lack of a job dampened the experience for him at the time. I reminded him that it would pay off and that only more time was needed before the right job came along.
Now, I have a confession to make. This past year when my husband was gainfully employed, I had become inconsistant in our tithing. In my own struggles with our financial situation ( lots of debt due to a first house with lots of problems), I had justified in my mind reasons why I could not tithe on every paycheck, but felt conviction. The conviction deepened in the moment we were to be without the income we were used to. I was praying about it in the car, as I often do, and low and behold would you believe that when I turned up the radio, there was a sermon on, you guessed it, tithing in tough economic times. There was my answer loud and clear that I was to start being consistent regardless of our financial situation. I knew in my heart of hearts that while the job hunt was a growth point for Scott, faith in giving our first fruits to God when the belt was already cinched was mine. I was determined to put my own faith to the test and do what I knew God wanted me to do. ^{Malachi 3: 10 states "10} Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Well, I tested and I have to say, I, no, we, have felt the blessing that He spoke of in this test.
Five months and a day after Scott was laid off, he was offered not only a job, but a job in the field he wanted, doing what he wanted to do, making more money than he has ever made with a company that has a reputation for taking good care of their own. The environment is a great fit for him all the way down the the lighting and the dress attire. I know, little things, but little things that make the difference in making the work experience ideal for him. The benefits are great, the people are good, the management good, the hours perfect for him and I could go on.
And then there is our financial situation. In His grace, during our time of having less and yet keeping the faith in our tithing, we not only continued to pay all of our bills on time, but continued to grow our savings, increased the benchmark in our checking by almost a thousand dollars, paid off a smaller credit card debt and have continued to work on paying down other debts. God is good. It is as though God was not only setting Scott up for the job He had planned for him, but was setting me up to see that light at the end of the tunnel in our financial struggles.
Now that is cake!!!