QUIT...and I'll give your husband a better job
Living on One Income - The Prequel
Comment: "We aren’t living in luxury! We don’t have a large home, we don’t drive luxury cars, our kids are in public school, we don’t have maid service, and we don’t even go on vacations! There is no way we could make it on my husband’s income, but I WANT to be home! What do I do?"
Over a decade ago I read an article by Patricia Chadwick called “Leading Me Home”. Patti has graciously allowed me to share a snippet of it here, and the majority of the article is in my book How to Thrive on One Income. This article was so encouraging to me!
“While we didn't live
an extravagant lifestyle, my husband's wage was low, and his work was seasonal.
In my mind, there was no way I could quit my job. Over and over again I would
feel the Lord prompting me to become a homemaker. I would hear Him speak to me
when I read the Bible. I would hear His voice when I heard a sermon. In my time
of prayer and devotions, I would feel Him prompting me to trust Him to take
care of me. I would cry out to Him, "But Lord, you don't understand! Give
my husband a better job and I will gladly quit!" He would gently respond,
"Quit, and I will give your husband a better job!" This struggle went
on for over a year. It then became clear to me that there was a lesson I needed
to learn. I had to learn to "live by faith."
At the time I read her article, I was working full-time, and
my husband was only working part-time.
He had been going to school and was content to work part-time. But then we decided to have children, and we both knew we wanted me at home.
But what to do? How in the world
could we ever get by without my income?
I got pregnant and told my bosses I either
needed to quit, or go part-time. Then I
lost the baby. But that was even more
incentive to work less. Less stress. I kept repeating to myself, “Quit…and I’ll give your
husband a better job.” Three months
later I became pregnant again.
We began to live on less by cutting out the obvious extras,
but it was apparent there would be no way we could make it on just his income. Major changes would have to happen. I felt shaky, wondering how this would work
out and if God would really provide
when it was time to turn in my notice. (“Quit…and
I’ll give your husband a better job.”)
I found a replacement for my position, but kept my option to
return to work open. After all, Patti
was the one who heard God say “Quit…and I’ll give your husband a better job” –
not me. And they offered me a bonus to
come back in a new position! At my shower, a female
boss told me that the first few weeks back would be heart-wrenching, but that
I’d get over it.
Would he find full-time work? He’d been part-time for years! (The rest of the story is in my book.)
IF you are a Christian (for I can only speak to Christians –
I know nothing about the spiritual laws of other religions), then our Bible, in
Titus chapter 2, says we are to be keepers at home. That means you can rely to God to help
you. And it is super scary because we do
not know how He is going to do it. But
God knows your heart and your circumstances.
If you don’t want to be at home, that is fine by me. But if you do, cry out, plan and prepare all
you can, then walk in faith. Let God
guide your steps.
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