I Mst Tell my Family Here
I've been sitting here rather depressed today. No real reason, just the cold, the holidays, no job or anything worthwhile to do all combined. I have really been worried about money since filing Bk. As you know from my other posts, I will prob. lose my "outside income" of about $13,000 a year and my medical disability will either go down from $24,000 a year to $16,000 a year or be terminated entirely after April.
Most of you do not know that I am a minister. The church I was at was very ugly for the last 3 years or so and the stress got to me. Well, it usually takes 6 months to a year to find a position and then a move. My wife loves her job, grew up in this area and her parents (83 and 81) live nearby.
I prepared my papers for circulation around the nation and spoke with the regional people. The regional minister told me that there was a church looking for an interim while they decided whether to close or stay open as they only had about 11 families, but had some income from a trust from a farm. He told me that they could only afford about $20,000 a year total package (pension, car expense, etc.) I asked if they had a parsonage and he said that they had a very nice one. They were only looking for someone to work 2 1/2 days a week. Decided that I was interested and e-mailed him so.
He just phoned back and they are very interested in talking to me. Now here's where it gets really interesting. Turns out to be 11-15 families and they are more looking at ways to reach out and survive than to closing down. Package is $25,000 a year rather than $20,000 and if we are "willing" live in the parsonage they will throw in another $5000 for utilities.
It's not near what I was making before, but with Bk and the IRS off of my back, it would mean that we could stay in this area and survive. Wife would have about a 20 minute drive to work. The parsonage would save us about $8000 a year and utilities now cost us about $4000 a year.
Not to offend anyone, but I really feel that this is God working in my life. I am so excited right now that I can hardly stand it. Position would probably start on Feb. 1st.
All told, it would mean about $10,000 a year more, a house instead of an apartment, staying close enough so that my wife can keep her job and be around friends and family and feeling like I was doing something with my life, plus low stress and time to take care of my health and stay with all of our established Dr's (Between DW and myself, there are quite a few of them.)
I was feeling so discouraged because I couldn't possibly see how it would all work out, then got interested in this little country church (900 people in the town, but 15 miles from out city of 100,000 w/ 3 colleges). Told God I didn't know how I could afford it, but would go ahead and apply for it, since I felt he was leading that way. Then today, got the call that they were "very excited" about talking to me and that there was a $10,000 bump in the compensation.
Had to tell someone. Thanks for listening and keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Art
Most of you do not know that I am a minister. The church I was at was very ugly for the last 3 years or so and the stress got to me. Well, it usually takes 6 months to a year to find a position and then a move. My wife loves her job, grew up in this area and her parents (83 and 81) live nearby.
I prepared my papers for circulation around the nation and spoke with the regional people. The regional minister told me that there was a church looking for an interim while they decided whether to close or stay open as they only had about 11 families, but had some income from a trust from a farm. He told me that they could only afford about $20,000 a year total package (pension, car expense, etc.) I asked if they had a parsonage and he said that they had a very nice one. They were only looking for someone to work 2 1/2 days a week. Decided that I was interested and e-mailed him so.
He just phoned back and they are very interested in talking to me. Now here's where it gets really interesting. Turns out to be 11-15 families and they are more looking at ways to reach out and survive than to closing down. Package is $25,000 a year rather than $20,000 and if we are "willing" live in the parsonage they will throw in another $5000 for utilities.
It's not near what I was making before, but with Bk and the IRS off of my back, it would mean that we could stay in this area and survive. Wife would have about a 20 minute drive to work. The parsonage would save us about $8000 a year and utilities now cost us about $4000 a year.
Not to offend anyone, but I really feel that this is God working in my life. I am so excited right now that I can hardly stand it. Position would probably start on Feb. 1st.
All told, it would mean about $10,000 a year more, a house instead of an apartment, staying close enough so that my wife can keep her job and be around friends and family and feeling like I was doing something with my life, plus low stress and time to take care of my health and stay with all of our established Dr's (Between DW and myself, there are quite a few of them.)
I was feeling so discouraged because I couldn't possibly see how it would all work out, then got interested in this little country church (900 people in the town, but 15 miles from out city of 100,000 w/ 3 colleges). Told God I didn't know how I could afford it, but would go ahead and apply for it, since I felt he was leading that way. Then today, got the call that they were "very excited" about talking to me and that there was a $10,000 bump in the compensation.
Had to tell someone. Thanks for listening and keep us in your thoughts and prayers. Art
I'll be watching, you may never know when or how, but I'll be there. I am there now....
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