For the past 6 months, my husband had been unemployed. We were fortunate enough to get a head's up way back in April 2010 that this might be the case, but we had hoped for the better. My husband worked as a music teacher, and unfortunately with a crappy economy that meant his position was one of the first to go when the school had to tighten it's budget even more (which is unfortunate for students today, but I'll spare you that rant).
We worked hard to build up a savings and build upon our food storage. I'd love to say that it was easy and he found a job right away, but he didn't. He decided to get certified for elementary school, hoping to widen his field of options. He got several interviews, but no jobs. We figured when the school year was starting more jobs would be available... but there weren't. And of course during this time several things happened to us. Our air-conditioner broke and had to be completely replaced costing over 5k. Our car battery died. Our stove broke. My husband's computer died.
But we also had blessings. An un-expected bonus from the school he worked out because the school met and passed it's annual yearly progress. Unexpected gifts from family members. Deals on the things we needed when we needed them. Receiving even the smallest amount of unemployment.
We watched as each week passed. Eventually my husband decided that maybe he would look into getting a master's in one of the other fields he loves, library science. He quickly registered for the GRE (more money!) and applied at a college for a distance learning program. He was accepted, but this still wouldn't be enough to live on. He applied anywhere and everywhere, libraries, schools, even Publix, Target, Home Depot, etc. Still nothing. We passed by Thanksgiving and were quickly approaching Christmas.
My husband and I are very active in our church, and one of our leaders encouraged us that if we were facing financial difficulties we should double our fast offering (each month we fast for two meals and give the equivalent of what we would have paid for those meals to help feed those in the area) and double it again. We did just that. It just so happened the month that we would double it again was December. Within that week he was called in for interviews at three different libraries. I received back word from a work at home job as well. With much prayer, we continued on waiting for word from the jobs he interviewed at. Within just a couple weeks (they all had said we might not hear back until the new year), he heard back from not one, but two of them to offer him a job! Just in time for Christmas!
And through this whole period we had enough to live off of because we prepared ahead. You could say it was a coincidence, but I think it was something more.
I hope you enjoyed my story!
