What most people didn't know is how much we were struggling financially. We got married at a young age and were still in college, so we hadn't established careers for ourselves in any form or fashion. We knew if we kept God first in our marriage as best we could, even if it was difficult, we would make it together. We found out we were having a baby less than a year into marriage. It was the best news, but nonetheless, a major surprise! I was still working on my degree, Jason was taking a break from school and working full time, and (as I'm sure y'all know) life is expensive! I was graduating in August, the baby was coming in November, and we were hardly getting by as it was. The only thing that kept us able to cover any bills was Jason's hard work, extra income from Nerium, and most of all, tithing. God is so faithful and stood in the (financial) gap for us that first year and a half of marriage. We still weren't financially thriving by any means, and we knew that we didn't want to continue barely getting by, and that God had way more in mind for us as well. The day I gave birth to Lola, Jason got a call from a friend at church with a possible job opportunity. Jason told me that he had been praying and asking God for a way to provide for our growing family the whole time I was pregnant. He said he was even wondering when he would get an answer as Lola's due date was quickly approaching. That phone call was a gift from God and in His perfect timing!
One thing I always told Jason is that if we ever had to relocate anywhere for a job, it would have to be Oklahoma for me to go! I said it jokingly, but I was so serious. I loved my little DFW bubble. Well, our God has such a sense of humor, doesn't he? Sure enough, this job opportunity would require us to move to Lawton, Oklahoma. I guess I should have been more specific and said I would only move to Norman, Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner!!). Not only was he going to get a significant pay-raise, but he would be provided with a car, cell phone, laptop, and more. We prayed about it and knew we had to pursue this, even if it meant sacrificing by moving away and out of our comfort zone. So, we loaded up our two fur-children and newborn baby and moved right outside of Lawton, to Geronimo. One of the first signs that God had His hand on us in this moving process was getting approved for the perfect house for our family, and then finding out once we had moved in that we had the sweetest God-loving neighbors! Once we were all moved in, our family and friends who had come to help drove home, and reality set in. It was just the five of us.
Jason's new job requires some traveling. I'm a pretty independent individual, but it's so different when you're a new mom in a new place with a little baby and two dogs to take care of. Thankfully, a few of the times he has been gone, my mom has come up to help me (and of course she gets to see her first grandchild!), and my dad just came up recently to help me nurse our big baby of a german shepherd back to health after he had surgery. It's been two months here, and even though I have had some help, I am handling it a lot better than I thought. A lot of people have asked me if I'm homesick at all or if I miss it back home. I do miss my family and friends back home, but I don't think I feel homesick. I have thought that I would have had a breakdown by now. I LOVE Texas and all of the people and things that come with it. I am truly a fish out of water here in Oklahoma. Honestly, I know I have way more joy and contentment right now than I did before moving. I also know that it's absolutely, positively because of the time I have been spending with God and trying to keep my focus on Him! Although I'm still not great at sitting down and getting into the Word everyday as I know I could be, I am putting more of a conscious effort into my relationship with Him than I have in a while. I am trying to learn to "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) because I know that is the only way that I can enjoy a joyful and blessed life regardless of circumstances! It's something that I will have to continue to learn to do. It's not easy, and it goes against our human nature and the nature of this world.
When Chief, our dog, was sick, it was really serious. We literally thought we were going to lose him. Jason was in New York City at the time (and still is), and we were trying to fight back tears on the phone together. We love our dogs like family and weren't prepared for something like this to happen. I kept thinking about what would happen if he passed, how much worse it would be if it happened with Jason gone in New York, and it was really hard to stop thinking like that. It's human nature. I had a night where I just had to cry it out because I had held all the emotions in for so long, and I just kept praying out loud that God would heal him, and it wouldn't turn out to be cancer or anything else life-threatening. He didn't recover from surgery well at first and wouldn't eat right away, but within a few days, he got his appetite and energy back and returned to the fun-loving dog he has always been! As small as this may seem to other people, it feels like a miracle in our world! God knows the desires of our hearts and He cares about what we care about. It's only been a week since all of this happened, and I can look back and pinpoint the times I should have had more faith. I'm grateful that God is already turning that rough patch into an opportunity for my growth.
My mom just left today after helping me with Lola the last couple days. This little girl is so precious and adorable... but let me tell you, she has has some lungs on her. She has been crying a lot more than usual, and it's been a challenge even for the two of us! After my mom left, one of her crying episodes began. I tried to go down the list of things that usually make her stop crying, and just like the last few days, they didn't work. I literally got to the point that I just didn't know what else to do. I finally just laid my hand on her (felt called to put it on her left ear?) and prayed that if she was experiencing any pain or if there was anything else that was causing this crying, that it would be gone and healed in the name of Jesus. She stopped crying immediately! It was seriously the coolest thing. There's so much power in the name of Jesus! She looked so confused and as if she didn't know what to do with herself because she had been crying so long. She started to act like she was going to cry again, and I said, "Don't cry! You're healed!" And she stopped and smiled. I kept thinking that it was too good to be true. She had been fighting her sleep all day, so I was nervous if I put her down, she would start crying again. "O ye of little faith" (Matthew 8:26) is what came to mind as I thought she would surely start crying if I put her down for a nap. So, I put her down, and she looked around for a little bit, and then fell asleep. That is the easiest she's gone down for a nap in probably a week or two. If you're not a mom, it may hard to understand this. But... it's a miracle! A miracle this mommy needed. This was another learning experience for me as I am now thinking... "Why didn't I try this sooner?!" God's power is the same today as it was yesterday. We just don't know it until we have the faith to call on it!
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xoxo Shelby
P.S.-To my Texans out there... Turns out God loves Oklahoma too! ;)
