You know the Story of Job. If not, then I'll sum it up for you. Job was a man back in the old testament who was faithful to God. One day the devil says to God, I bet that if he got nothing but bad stuff happen to him, he'd not be so faithful. To which God said, wanna bet? And so the Devil tested him. And big time. Job lost all of his flocks and when his friends said, dude, that sucks- Job proved faithful to God. Then Job lost his fields and his friends again told him that sucks big time, why don't you just curse God and die? And yet Job remained faithful. This went on until he even lost his children, causing more and more remarks of suckage and curse god and die remarks. Even so, Job remained faithful to God. The Devil cursed this man big time and each time he did, Job still remained faithful to God. Eventually the Devil had to admit defeat and God once again made the devil his bitch. Once the tests were over, God rewarded Job his faithfulness by making him far wealthier than he had ever before been and Job died many years later fully blessed and quite happy.
Which brings me to the Story of Mark.
Mark is not a man of faith but he's learning and yet he seems to be tested. This is also a story of Emily, a girl who knew that things were going to be hard and still elected to leave a better circumstance to be with him. She is a woman of faith and always has been. And they are being tested. At least it feels that way.
My previous post was about faith and it seems as if we need it now as things are going from bad to worse.
In the last 3 years Mark's had an amazing run of luck in not finding a job despite diligently sending out applications, his luck has, so far, proven unbroken. Sometime after the new year, he informed the housing benefits people that I had moved in with him, that I was an international student. Nothing more was done. Until this last week.
Last Monday he gets a call asking him if he could come in at 1:30 for a 2:00 start time to work at a factory doing temporary work. He said yes. Of course he did, it's money in the bank. He returned Wednesday and was offered a time for thursday. But this isn't allowed. Work too much and he has to sign off, loosing all of his benefits package... which barely pays the rent yet alone anything else.
He then finds out that working those 15.5 hours was enough to reduce his job seekers by 15.5 hours... fine that's fair. But those few hours might have meant he might also lose his housing as well. So, by working, he can lose everything? And this for a job that's hardly permanent, might not be available the following week? Oh boy, where can we sign on the dotted line?
And today he gets a letter in the mail thanking him for informing him that his partner is living with him and because of that, they've suspended all housing benefits until further notice. Further notice being proof of my eligibility to be in the UK, how much money my loans have brought/ are bringing in, and my National Insurance Number. If I don't have one, I must get one. All before they can decide if he's still due housing benefits. So I call to get one and it'll take 7-10 days for the NIN application to arrive. And then they wanted to know if he's made sure to tell job seekers about me. Joy.
And then he calls the factory company to see if there're any positions and he is told we'll call you if something opens up. Oh yeah... this is going to work great.
And right now, it's pretty hard to see the silver light at the end of the tunnel. The only thing we can do is hope that he can sell some avon to bring in a few shekels to make our payments.
So how much does it cost to live a month?
Rent: £425 ($666)
Water: £30 ($47)
Phone/Internet: £45 ($70)
Gas: £10 ($15)
Electricity: £20 ($31)
Council Tax: £?
TV Tax: £12 ($18)
Mobile Phones: £30 for both ($47)
RCN membership: £4 ($6)
Car Insurance: £162 ($253)
Petrol: £20 ($31)
Food & pet stuff: £60 ($94) (barest, barest, barest essentials)
for a grand total of £818 pounds, give or take a few. So we'll round it up to about £830 (about $1300) we need to survive a month. And that is without the thrills of say, diet coke or anything that isn't bread, & meat, or cat food.
So I have to ask, where's the silver lining? Is this a test of faith? It's very easy to wonder if one's faith is being tested when it seems as if God is ignoring every single prayer. Please Lord, let Mark get this job... a no answer sounds very similar to not yet. In fact, it's much easier to infer a NO when one gets nothing, no indication that one is being heard.
And I know there are those of you out there telling me that I'm being stupid, that there is no God and luck is what we make of it. I know there are those of you who are saying, dude, that really sucks, I'll keep sending you good vibes (which is prayer, isn't it?). And I'm sure there are even some of you who are out there saying, man, why don't you curse god and die?
But if this is a test of my faith then I shall be true to the Lord and I though I shall worry and cry and get sick in frustration and anger, I still shall, each day arise and bless the Lord for the gifts He's given me. Such as Mark.
But I really do, seriously wish that the Lord would start opening doors instead of closing them. In fact, I'm ready for some small sign that the Lord has found some favor in us.
And all the people said?
Which brings me to the Story of Mark.
Mark is not a man of faith but he's learning and yet he seems to be tested. This is also a story of Emily, a girl who knew that things were going to be hard and still elected to leave a better circumstance to be with him. She is a woman of faith and always has been. And they are being tested. At least it feels that way.
My previous post was about faith and it seems as if we need it now as things are going from bad to worse.
In the last 3 years Mark's had an amazing run of luck in not finding a job despite diligently sending out applications, his luck has, so far, proven unbroken. Sometime after the new year, he informed the housing benefits people that I had moved in with him, that I was an international student. Nothing more was done. Until this last week.
Last Monday he gets a call asking him if he could come in at 1:30 for a 2:00 start time to work at a factory doing temporary work. He said yes. Of course he did, it's money in the bank. He returned Wednesday and was offered a time for thursday. But this isn't allowed. Work too much and he has to sign off, loosing all of his benefits package... which barely pays the rent yet alone anything else.
He then finds out that working those 15.5 hours was enough to reduce his job seekers by 15.5 hours... fine that's fair. But those few hours might have meant he might also lose his housing as well. So, by working, he can lose everything? And this for a job that's hardly permanent, might not be available the following week? Oh boy, where can we sign on the dotted line?
And today he gets a letter in the mail thanking him for informing him that his partner is living with him and because of that, they've suspended all housing benefits until further notice. Further notice being proof of my eligibility to be in the UK, how much money my loans have brought/ are bringing in, and my National Insurance Number. If I don't have one, I must get one. All before they can decide if he's still due housing benefits. So I call to get one and it'll take 7-10 days for the NIN application to arrive. And then they wanted to know if he's made sure to tell job seekers about me. Joy.
And then he calls the factory company to see if there're any positions and he is told we'll call you if something opens up. Oh yeah... this is going to work great.
And right now, it's pretty hard to see the silver light at the end of the tunnel. The only thing we can do is hope that he can sell some avon to bring in a few shekels to make our payments.
So how much does it cost to live a month?
Rent: £425 ($666)
Water: £30 ($47)
Phone/Internet: £45 ($70)
Gas: £10 ($15)
Electricity: £20 ($31)
Council Tax: £?
TV Tax: £12 ($18)
Mobile Phones: £30 for both ($47)
RCN membership: £4 ($6)
Car Insurance: £162 ($253)
Petrol: £20 ($31)
Food & pet stuff: £60 ($94) (barest, barest, barest essentials)
for a grand total of £818 pounds, give or take a few. So we'll round it up to about £830 (about $1300) we need to survive a month. And that is without the thrills of say, diet coke or anything that isn't bread, & meat, or cat food.
So I have to ask, where's the silver lining? Is this a test of faith? It's very easy to wonder if one's faith is being tested when it seems as if God is ignoring every single prayer. Please Lord, let Mark get this job... a no answer sounds very similar to not yet. In fact, it's much easier to infer a NO when one gets nothing, no indication that one is being heard.
And I know there are those of you out there telling me that I'm being stupid, that there is no God and luck is what we make of it. I know there are those of you who are saying, dude, that really sucks, I'll keep sending you good vibes (which is prayer, isn't it?). And I'm sure there are even some of you who are out there saying, man, why don't you curse god and die?
But if this is a test of my faith then I shall be true to the Lord and I though I shall worry and cry and get sick in frustration and anger, I still shall, each day arise and bless the Lord for the gifts He's given me. Such as Mark.
But I really do, seriously wish that the Lord would start opening doors instead of closing them. In fact, I'm ready for some small sign that the Lord has found some favor in us.
And all the people said?
2 comments:
All the people said "Amen"
I couldn't think of a quote that spoke directly to this situation, but I'm posting one that this reminded me of...
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:11-12
You will get your reward my dear, I'm quite sure of it.
All the people said "Amen"
I couldn't think of a quote that spoke directly to this situation, but I'm posting one that this reminded me of...
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:11-12
You will get your reward my dear, I'm quite sure of it.
Post a Comment