Michigan
Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10: 7-10
Anyone who thinks being a Christian means a life of leisure and roses doesn’t know much. Jesus promised to give us life more abundantly. Jesus wasn’t talking about a life of abundance, its a life more abundant. So, what is life? It’s bills and scrapes, stress and tensions, ups and downs. And Jesus says that will be more abundant. That doesn’t sound too desirable, does it? But, the cool thing is God has promised be there during those times. That doesn’t mean he takes the trials away, but it does mean He’s there in it with us. Take a look at what I mean:
After a season of unemployment, my husband Ernie, got a contract job in Michigan, 800 miles away from our home in Kansas. I had quit my job to be home with the kids and Ernie was flying home every other weekend to see us. After a few months of this, we decided to move the family to Michigan to all be together. We’d gotten one load of furniture moved up there when the big bosses came through and informed all the contract workers that they would be done at the end of the week.
So now Ernie and I were both unemployed, with half our stuff in Michigan, half in Kansas, and everyone now living in Kansas. Welcome to our life more abundant. Luckily, God didn’t end it there.
After a few months, Ernie got a new contract position, this time in New Jersey. He hated it there, but was making good money and flying home every other weekend again to see me and the kids. Like all contracts, this one too came to an end and Ernie went back to Michigan to see about getting our furniture there back to Kansas. Instead, he found another job. It didn’t pay as well as a contract job, but it was work. We took it as a sign from God and, over Easter weekend, he flew back home to help us move the rest of our stuff to Michigan.
This was life more abundant with all it’s stress and upheaval, and it was about to get even more abundant. But God remained with us.
On our way to Michigan, I was driving through Missouri with the three boys, Joey now 3, Ryan 7 and Chris 10, in our mini-van. Ernie drove the U-Haul truck. We hit a traffic jam while passing through Springfield and crawled along the highway at 20 miles an hour.
My cell phone rang. “Where are you?” Ernie wanted to know. I let him know what exit number was coming up.
“I’m about two miles behind you at the side of the road,” he said. “There’s a problem with the truck.” A few minutes prior another motorist had flagged him down. The front driver tire on the U-Haul was smoking. When Ernie pulled over, it’d burst into flames. Luckily, the other motorist had also pulled over and had a fire extinguisher. When the tow truck arrived and lifted the U-Haul, the affected tire flopped over, hanging at an angle.
If he had been driving at full highway speed….
You get the picture. More of our abundant live, but now showing God’s protection.
The U-Haul company got all our stuff transferred to a new vehicle and we made it to Michigan a day behind schedule. Ernie went back to work, and I got our older two sons enrolled in their new school. Luckily, Ernie had already found us a church and one of the ladies told me she would watch our youngest while I was job hunting. I needed to find something quick because Ernie’s paycheck would barely cover the rent, and we also had bills and food to worry about. We’d maxed out our credit cards moving and were on very limited funds. Fortunately, God was still looking out for us.
I was offered a good position in a nursing care facility. A group of us new employees were there for orientation that Friday, at the end of the month. We were shown around the facility and told we would all start on Monday, the first day of the new month. Benefits (health care) would start on the first day of the month AFTER we started.
Oh oh. That would be a problem. Our family wouldn’t have healthcare for another month. Two of our kids took medication. Ryan’s were $300 if we had to pay out of pocket.
I explained the situation to the HR lady. She handed me a manual. “Go sit in that room and read this,” She said. “We’ll put you down as having worked half a day. Your health benefits will start on Monday.”
This is abundant life, with God’s provision. And my first paycheck arrived two days before our rent was due. Boo-yah! Way to go, God!
It didn’t end there though. God’s hand, and our abundant life, went on:
Chris had taken our move very hard. Grandpa had lived just around the corner from us in Kansas, and he and our 10 year old had formed a strong bond. Chris was now in a new school – much larger than his old one, had gone from small town to living in the city, the mom who had been home for him was now working, and Grandpa was 800 miles away. Depression and loneliness set in.
Once again, God intervened.
Our new church was small and had only 15 kids attending. One was a baby. Three were Joey’s age, eight were Ryan’s and three were Chris’. Two of those were boys.
Charlie and Alan readily took Chris under their wings and the three quickly were being referred to as “The Three Amigos.” That friendship lasted up through high school and the three still get together when they are all in town.
That’s abundant life, with lasting warmth and friendship.
Yes, the Christian life is a life more abundant, with its twists and turns and stresses, but God can always been found in the middle of it, protecting and caring for His children.
I wouldn’t want my life any other way.
How has God been abundant in your life?