Generous Angels

You know those stories told of families who are barely scraping by and someone anonymously gives them a generous gift of money/food/etc? Well, that is currently my story.

Quick back story: my husband is currently attending graduate school to become a Physician Assistant. We have agreed that the most important thing for me to do in this phase of life is to be at home with our children. Because of this choice we are living on student loans. This can be, well, difficult and expensive in the long run, but we feel strongly that my most important role is within the home. I am comfortable with this choice. I am thankful for it.

So back to the present. A few months ago we received our loan disbursement for the semester. It just so happened that the school raised tuition, therefore making the amount we received to live on not quite enough to make it to our next semester. I felt peace that the Lord would provide a way for us to make ends meet, I just didn't know how.

That night I lay in bed and I had a small conversation with the Lord. It went something like this:

Father, I know that you will take care of us and I have faith that all will work out, I just don't exactly know how. I promise that I will do whatever you inspire me to do to make ends meet.

I went to sleep feeling calm about the situation.

The next day I checked my email to find a message for me about a new nursing facility opening in a city nearby. It offered walk-in interviews and I immediately felt it was an answer to my prayer. Even though I knew this was one of my answers, I was conflicted. My husband and I had decided that it would be too difficult to work out a work schedule that coincided with his rigorous school schedule. I also felt apprehensive to return to the field as I felt out of practice and lacked confidence.

I discussed this with my husband and we prayed about it. The answer was clear, I was to go to that walk-in interview. We both felt we had nothing to lose by me going.

Long story short, I went to the interview (I cried while dropping my children off at a babysitter and on my drive). It went well. I got the job. Not only that, but I got the perfect job for our situation: one 8-hour shift per week, on the weekend when my husband can be home with the children. I felt blessed.

Very shortly afterward I felt impressed to promote my photography business. Within a few hours of posting on social media, I had several bookings for family photo sessions. I once again felt humbled.

I kept moving forward. I started working. I felt a lot of emotions. It felt good to use my brain in a different way. It felt good to be compensated. I felt (and feel) anxiety before every shift. I felt reluctant to leave my children. I felt guilty that I was imposing on my husband's precious study time. I felt guilty that I liked leaving for a few hours.

Every month passed and it looked like we were going to make it. Then the holidays happened. Don't get me wrong, I love the holidays. I love the food. I love the family. I love the friends and the getting together. I love the romance of the season, I just don't love the financial cost of everything. I checked the books and we were going to fall short. I wasn't quite sure how to pay our rent in January.

I went to my normal shift wondering how we were going to make ends meet without either maxing out our credit card or asking family for help. Lo and behold, there was a memo from a sister facility in desperate need of nurses. They had open shifts for almost the entire month of December, and not only that, they had an $8.00 an hour bonus incentive for those that picked up shifts. Immediately I felt a burden lift and knew that if I picked up a few shifts over the holidays we would be okay.

I have tried to be optimistic and to see the bright side of things. My few shifts at the other building have been challenging, to say the least. I have been reluctant to go back for many reasons (I will spare you the details), but I have pushed forward, trying to show the Lord I will stay true to my promise.

A few nights ago, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find a single envelope on our doorstep. I opened it to find $150 and a note saying Merry Christmas. My eyes welled with tears and my heart was full to bursting. Not a few days later, we received another anonymous gift card for a date night out. Once again, my heart was humbled and my love expanded. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

I do not know the angels who so generously gave us these gifts, but thank you. Thank you for being an answer to prayer! Thank you for being selfless! Thank you for spreading the Light of Christ! You were a heavenly messenger and helped the Lord to accomplish His work on the earth today.

This experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of service and how it truly affects the one on the receiving end. I promise that once we have interest free income we will pay it forward. We will continue the tradition you have now started for us. We look forward to giving what little we can to help those who need it.

This is a long post, but to sum it up: God lives. He loves us. He hears our prayers and He answers them through earthly and heavenly angels. The Light of Christ is still on the earth and it can penetrate every heart. The Christmas spirit is real and it lives through us.

#Christmas #Christmasspirit #lightofChrist #generosity #actsofservice #donation #blessings #religious #gratitude #giving