I’m feeling so happy right now!

First, a girlfriend mailed me a care package that arrived this past week. Shout out to Michelle W.! She’s amazing! She included books by the Duggars, because she knows how much I love them. The box also had a book about gypsies, because we are both fascinated by them, as well other stuff, including positive affirmation signs, and food, to help with the current transition I’m undergoing (more on that later in this post). Plus some Pioneer Woman shelf liner! She also knows how much I love Pioneer Woman goodies!

Second, some other girlfriends came over yesterday and showed me amazing acts of service. I’ll never forget these gifts of time and love they gave to me.

Third, my wedding anniversary is tomorrow; we are celebrating 29 years!

Fourth, we had a wonderful family time over zoom tonight, with most of my kids, sharing family photos and reminiscing, to celebrate our family’s birthday, aka our anniversary. Four out of my seven kiddos are out of the nest, as well as the state, so this was definitely a treat to be together! Truly this was family joy at its best. Everybody talked, we saw at least one picture of everyone shining with a bright smile, looking his or her best, and nobody left feeling hurt or offended. For an evening, it felt like the old days when all the kids were home and we’d have jovial Sunday nights together.

Fifth, we have been delivered by God from bondage. My new favorite scripture I discovered today reminded me of that.

My current favorite scripture is this, from Alma 58:11:

“Yea, and it came to pass that the Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our ^adeliverance in him.”

Today as I did my Come, Follow Me study with my children and husband I noticed this scripture, after one of us read it aloud. I’ve read it dozens of times but it has new meaning for me now.

“I just felt that!” I thought. I shared with my family that I remembered that the Lord has visited me just in the past few months “with assurances” that He would “deliver us.” God indeed did “speak peace” to my soul and did grant me “great faith,” and “did cause” that I “should hope for our deliverance in him.”

The day before Thanksgiving, last fall, my husband lost his job. Thus began a quest for him to find new employment. I’m rejoicing that after an 8 month long roller coaster ride of searching, applying, and interviewing, he has a new job! In Utah! So we are moving back, after being in southern AZ for almost 5 years. This is such an amazing blessing for us! Wahooo!!!!

With unemployment on top of the pandemic, this past year has been interesting, to say the least. It’s been hard. What kept me going was my absolute faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ. I showed this faith with daily habits of personal scripture study and prayers and our family scripture study and prayers.

Many a night I would kneel in prayer, after everyone else was asleep. I poured out my stress, frustration and disappointment, after hearing my husband tell me he got another “no.” I was so tired of getting my hopes up for a job, and then plummeting down because of the “no.”

Around May or June, I experienced a sweet assurance after one of my many tearful prayers. I felt the Holy Spirit come to me and assure me that by Sept. 1, my husband would have a job. I felt peace. I felt hope. I knew I could go on. Things would change.

And yes. It finally happened! My husband got a job and we have been delivered from his underemployment. We’ve been delivered from that limbo state of not knowing where he’d be working, where we would be living, or how we were ever going to have more income than what was coming from his temporary job at Walmart, so that we can keep doing the Dave Ramsey Baby Steps. I’m so grateful!

So…if you feel yourself stuck, if you feel lost in a state of limbo, even if you feel you are in bondage, I testify that God can deliver you. Not only that, but however far away that deliverance is, in the meantime you can rest in the assurance that it IS coming.