A New Challenge

We barely had time to revel in our new found debt-free status before the next leg of our journey began. We intended to move on to Baby Step #3 which is a fully-funded emergency savings to cover 3-6 months of expense, but from November 2007 to February 2008 our progression was very slow.

Then we received the letter. It was an official letter from my husband’s workplace, Ford Motor Company, informing him that he was on layoff notice. We didn’t know what to think. On one hand we were happy and vindicated that our sense of urgency to get out of debt was definitely part of God’s plan to preserve us during a time of global economic distress, but on the other, we were unsure of what the future held for us. During this time of questioning and uncertainty I would sing the words of a praise song that is dear to me.

“He didn’t bring us out this far to let us go back again...

He brought us out to bring us into the promised land!

Though there be giants in the land, we need not be afraid,

He brought us out to bring us into the promised land!”

I clung to these words as though they were a personal promise to me alone. God did not motivate and bless us in our total money makeover just to allow us to be plunged into financial disaster before we had even had a chance to enjoy the fruit of our labour.

In the natural however, our future looked precarious. Shawn’s job was our bread and butter. My small home business was growing steadily...but slowly. This was largely because instead of investing in traditional advertising and promotion, I was funnelling as much of my business income as possible towards our financial goals. I knew that now it was time to step out in advertising.

Unsure of what to do next, I went back to my knees in prayer and extended fasting as I had the year before. We needed guidance in how to promote my home fitness studio, what to do about Shawn’s job and we needed a good dose of hope.

We didn’t have to wait long for an answer. Just a day or two into the fast we received word that our son, Trysten, had been approved by Revenue Canada for a Disability Tax Credit that was back-dated 5 years. I had been persuaded by a child development specialist to send in the application over 6 months earlier and it took until that very week to be approved. We learned at that time that the amount of that tax credit and our subsequent income tax refund would cover the entire amount needed for Baby Step #3!

I was actively researching advertising strategies during this time and I priced one of Windsor’s local business magazines called Windsor Life. When I learned the cost of advertising in this particular magazine, I tried to cancel the appointment that the editor had scheduled with me. He convinced me to meet with him and during the appointment he informed me that he features all new businesses for free. I got a small place in the new business section for no cost at all.

Shawn was still on layoff notice, but this sequence of events significantly boosted our faith that God was in control and would continue to take care of us. We received the blessings and took care to sow seed into our church and into the lives of others who we knew were in need. We resolved to continue our journey in preparation of the changes that were sure to come our way. Whatever God had planned, the extraordinary provision He had made for us made us realize that it was going to be big!