Blessed

Blessed is the only word to describe this last month. Job searching was a miserable adventure but it ended with both Ryan and I getting jobs within the 2 weeks we started to search for them. Every time we tell any one here that we were employed so quickly they act very surprised and tell us how fortunate we are. The next obstacle was  getting our cars registered here in CA. That would have been a lot easier if my car would have been working.
With a low bank account I took my little car in to be fixed. Around this time we found out that we had to get our cars smogged and if they did not pass the emissions test that we would then have to pay around $350 to get the correct parts put in our cars. My mind fell from acknowledging how blessed we were to panic. I sat at the mechanics feeling very unsettled. While I sat there I started to read a book called, "Crazy Love" which describes how Christians have fallen in mediocrity and the author believes that it is because we misunderstand God's love. The chapter I was reading talked about justified stress. We tend to be worrying people and we try to justify our worry and stress to God by showing Him how important our issues are. The real issue is that we think we are so important that we have put God in a secondary position. What needs to happen is that we need to lay everything down and die to this idea that we have more important things than serving God. This requires us to die to self.
I have heard this concept many a time but it screamed at me this time. I laid the book down and tried to set aside my fear of failure. I battled between letting go of my stress and fear of not having financial means to support my self ( what if I was in an accident? My prof. told us that medical debt can haunt your entire life.) I presented every horrible situation to the Lord and He continued to remind me that none of my worries were eternal. I slowly relaxed and soon the mechanic came in telling me my car was fixed. The next day I went to check the smog and my little Saturn passed. I was overjoyed, to the point that the car shop men must have thought me very strange. I registered my car and passed my driving test (although it took two attempts and even when I passed the DMV only gave a permit until I proved that I was older than 16!!!)
Yesterday the sermon the pastor spoke on was dying to self. He reminded us to not settle for being Christians but disciples. Then, he told us to take all the thing we thought were important off God's throne. So, I think God is trying to tell me something- LET GO! So that is exactly what I have been doing for the last 24 hours! :) Letting go of MY life and not worrying that the life God has for me is going to drive me to destruction (dumb but honest fear!). First pay checks have yet to come but I'm not worried. Thanks for reading!
We are OVERJOYED for:
-Jobs
-Beds to sleep in
-cars that work and are legal!
-Loving families
-Seeing best friends this month to celebrate a new marriage!!!!!!!
-God's provision
-God taking control so we can stop worrying
- Gods guidance

We are asking for:
-Some more money to come in for Ryan to get a new car (to get his car fixed and eligible for CA standards is going to be over $1000 and the car is nearing its end any way).
-Cheap car insurance
-Constant reminder to live for Christ
-Community and friendship
-Guidance in starting nursing classes (Jan 2011)