I think one of the biggest transitions of coming back to the US from India was the financial transition. While in India money was not a concern. We had an abundance and we were able to enjoy family vacations and give our tithe to a brand new church to help them get their feet on the ground. We lived a rather simple life in India and didn't feel the need to buy things. We made more money than we needed and were able to save up to buy and remodel our house back in the US. It was a time of plenty and we felt blessed.
About 6 months before God brought us back home he gave me a very clear vision. One evening as I sat on the balcony of our India home I was praying and praising and God told me that he had brought us into a time of rest and plenty to give us our miracle child and to restore our broken marriage. It was a time he had prepared for us to grow and to surrender to Him and now we were ready. He told me that we were heading into a time of drought, that all we had to do was to trust him and he would provide. That he had plans for us and that it wasn't going to be easy, but we needed to follow obediently.
The day God called us back to the US was amazing, it was like watching a miracle unfold as everything fell into place and suddenly we had one month to move our lives 8000 miles back home. It was bittersweet and my heart was heavy but I appreciated that God had given me clear warning before it happened so we came home. When we returned to the US we took over a 50% pay cut, making just barely enough money to survive as a single income family, and yet God reminded us to trust. Since moving back I have been tempted repeatedly to return to the work force and every time God reminded us that his plan was for me to remain in the home, that he would provide.
I will tell you that when you are faithful to trust God to provide, and are obedient to his will, and you are faithful to tithe he will answer with provision. I am not saying that you will get rich or that you will have more than you need, but he will provide! I can not explain how we have made it this far other than to say that God has provided every step of the way. We have virtually no debt outside of our home loan, and our savings account has been diminished, but we are making it. Sometimes he has provided in direct ways and in other times of need he has brought amazing gifts from faithful people who helped us.
Looking back on the last 2 years I see that we struggled in the early transition and so we created some of our heartache. We came home and felt we deserved to spend some of that hard earned money on "things" and so we did. We spent and we spent and we spent like we were still making six figures. Instead of coming home and continuing to live a simple life we were quickly swept up in the "buy" compulsion that drives this nation. We felt that we needed things but we weren't listening to God and so he let us spend our savings down to nothing. There are consequences to actions and our choice in consumerism over the simplicity that we had just spent the last 4 years living caused us great heartache. Finally we are back to where we need to be, not at all concerned with fancy new cars, a TV for every room, or the latest new toy. We have certain basic needs, food, shelter, and clothing on our backs. Other than that we have really reevaluated how we should be living in this season. I am thankful to God for his gentle chastisement and reminders that he wants what is best for us. What the world would have us think is best for us does not line up with his desire.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)
About 6 months before God brought us back home he gave me a very clear vision. One evening as I sat on the balcony of our India home I was praying and praising and God told me that he had brought us into a time of rest and plenty to give us our miracle child and to restore our broken marriage. It was a time he had prepared for us to grow and to surrender to Him and now we were ready. He told me that we were heading into a time of drought, that all we had to do was to trust him and he would provide. That he had plans for us and that it wasn't going to be easy, but we needed to follow obediently.
The day God called us back to the US was amazing, it was like watching a miracle unfold as everything fell into place and suddenly we had one month to move our lives 8000 miles back home. It was bittersweet and my heart was heavy but I appreciated that God had given me clear warning before it happened so we came home. When we returned to the US we took over a 50% pay cut, making just barely enough money to survive as a single income family, and yet God reminded us to trust. Since moving back I have been tempted repeatedly to return to the work force and every time God reminded us that his plan was for me to remain in the home, that he would provide.
I will tell you that when you are faithful to trust God to provide, and are obedient to his will, and you are faithful to tithe he will answer with provision. I am not saying that you will get rich or that you will have more than you need, but he will provide! I can not explain how we have made it this far other than to say that God has provided every step of the way. We have virtually no debt outside of our home loan, and our savings account has been diminished, but we are making it. Sometimes he has provided in direct ways and in other times of need he has brought amazing gifts from faithful people who helped us.
Looking back on the last 2 years I see that we struggled in the early transition and so we created some of our heartache. We came home and felt we deserved to spend some of that hard earned money on "things" and so we did. We spent and we spent and we spent like we were still making six figures. Instead of coming home and continuing to live a simple life we were quickly swept up in the "buy" compulsion that drives this nation. We felt that we needed things but we weren't listening to God and so he let us spend our savings down to nothing. There are consequences to actions and our choice in consumerism over the simplicity that we had just spent the last 4 years living caused us great heartache. Finally we are back to where we need to be, not at all concerned with fancy new cars, a TV for every room, or the latest new toy. We have certain basic needs, food, shelter, and clothing on our backs. Other than that we have really reevaluated how we should be living in this season. I am thankful to God for his gentle chastisement and reminders that he wants what is best for us. What the world would have us think is best for us does not line up with his desire.
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)
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