Joel 2 25 26

Life was full of changes.

I had the green light to move forward in life as a single lady.  Letting go of my ten year marriage was difficult but I knew that the Lord had released me from that covenant.  I will write about that another time.

Love it but I want a life.

Now how was I going to get out of the job which I loved but was tired of having no life because of.  I had spent 18 months living in hotels working in 9 different Sylvan Learning Centers.  I was ready for a life again.  Where would that life be? As I prayed and searched the Lord for answers all I knew was that big change was coming.

I know it is time to move on but where, how?

After months of praying and even sending my resume to a ministry organization in another state, I still did not know what was going to happen; I just knew my life was not going to look anything like it did now after this transition.  Then the decision was made to close a Sylvan Learning Center in a small town in Kansas, 4 hours from home, which I had been helping run.

I knew the decision made logical sense but my heart was broke for those families.

Nudges from the Spirit

Then the first nudge happened.  The director of that location which was moving out of the country said to me, you should buy this center.  I laughed and went on with preparing the location to close.

A week or so later my dad and I were visiting about how I felt about the center closing.  He said, “Do you know how much it would cost because I would love to buy it for you, you would do a great job of running it yourself?”  I laughed him off.

Less than a week later my direct supervisor asked me if I had ever thought of owning my own Sylvan Center.  I told her no not really.  She said I needed to pray about it because she really thought that the center we were closing would be a perfect start for me.

Like Peter hearing the cock crow I realized I had heard that same message 3 times…… could it be the Lord trying to get my attention in the middle of my frantic prayers for direction?

Hello Rayna, are you listening for my voice?

After spending some time in prayer I began to think that it was.  I went back to my dad and asked him if he was serious.  He was.  Less than 3 months later we were partners and owners of a Sylvan Learning Center…

The move

We packed up all my belongings, moved me into a duplex in a small town where I only knew the 15 employees in my new business.  As my dad drove away I thought, OK Lord what have you gotten me into this time.

He whispered to my heart….welcome to your promised land.

I had wondered so long waiting to see if my marriage would be saved and if the life I had dreamed of with my ex-husband would become what I knew it could be.

When I was released and told I could move on.  The new business, in the new town, with just my Lord, I knew it was a land of milk and honey….. a land of provision I never even knew to dream of.

Life is hard in many ways but the Lord is always there.  Take Heart, He is always walking along side of you, willing to restore what the locus has eaten.


 

“Then I will make up to you for the years That the swarming locust has eaten, The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust, My great army which I sent among you. “You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied And praise the name of the LORD your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; Then My people will never be put to shame. “

Joel 2:25-6

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