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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Memory (07/10/08)
    Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, And I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and merciful; Slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works. (Psalm 145:6-9 NAS)
I used to work as a helpdesk support engineer for a big software corporation that paid me a tidy sum each month, enough to support a small family, spend on personal and family indulgence sparingly, and still be able to save some money.

Then one day, the corporation announced it would be moving its helpdesk operations to another country, so I started to look for another job, and by God's grace found one that paid even higher, but with added responsibilities as an information technology project manager. After a year in the company, however, I had to quit because I was overly stressed.

While still serving notice for my resignation, I fell ill and underwent a surgery for appendicitis. During the three weeks of medical leave, my perspective of life changed completely as I spent more time with the Lord. I realized then how weak and frail human life could be and learnt dependency – dependency on God to live on, and dependency on others to take care of me. That period of solitude was apparently God's way of preparing me to face something bigger.

After working in another company as a technical consultant for six months, I was informed that my service was no longer required because there was not enough business in the regional countries I was serving in. That was the beginning of difficult times for me and my family. In that year, the technology industry slumbered and did not bounce back until some five years later. Staff hiring as a result froze. During the five years of waiting, I worked hard to look for alternative jobs but found none, so I took up freelance work as a technical consultant and writer. These occasional works however did not provide sufficiently to sustain my small family, so I had to use my savings. In the midst of all these, I was also pursuing my part-time degree to upgrade myself, which fee also took up a substantial amount of my savings.

All through the years of waiting, I sought the Lord for sustenance, and God never failed to provide sufficiently. Every time when there was a fee or a necessity I had to pay, the Lord would grant me a job that will cover sufficiently for that time of need. Nearing the end of my savings, I looked to the Lord and sought Him earnestly, knowing in my heart that God will never fail to provide for me or my family. I asked of the Lord specifically to grant me a job that will be according to His will, using the talent He has given me in writing, yet without wasting my years of work experience in the information technology industry. Within the next month after I requested of the Lord, He granted me my prayer request and gave me a job as a technical writer in the information technology industry, fulfilling my desire to write, yet without sacrificing my past experience.

Today, although I no longer can afford to spend on personal or family indulgence because I am now only receiving nearly half as much as I used to receive as a project manager, my family and I are living each day happily and sufficiently, by the grace of God.

Therefore, I shall eagerly utter the memory of God's abundant goodness and shout joyfully of His righteousness, for the Lord is gracious and merciful, great in lovingkindness.
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This article has been read 1633 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Sara Harricharan
07/18/08
This could be significantly expanded and possibly turned into a devotional. I liked it, you did well. Thanks for sharing! ^_^
Fiona Dorothy Stevenson
07/20/08
A worthwhile testimony - well written. Thank you and God bless you.
Chely Roach
07/21/08
I loved the honesty of this testimony...I can completely relate to relying on God's grace finacially. To others, I my family appears to be drowning, but by His provision, our heads remain above water...He is our buoy in the storms. We survive from His daily miracles. Thanks for sharing this personal story from your heart.
LINDA GERMAIN 
07/22/08
Very nice witness to answered prayer and God's never-ending provision. Well done.
Marlene Austin
07/22/08
Thank you for sharing this very personal piece. A few grammatical and tense errors, which did not interfere with the passionate feeling behind the words. The last paragraph was a good tie-in with the Psalm at the beginning. Nice job. :)
Joshua Janoski
07/24/08
First of all, I didn't realize that you were in the same line of work as me. That's very cool. :)

Second, I too have seen God provide time and time again when I didn't think I was going to be able to make it. Your testimony is an encouragement to all, and I appreciate you sharing it.
Tim Pickl
07/26/08
Recalling God's goodness are memorials we need to visit and re-visit, because we forget sometimes. You have the gift of faith, and as you encourage others, Jesus shines through you.
+++
You have a God-given Gift -- check it out: http://www.faithwriters.com/article-details.php?id=84043
Rhonda Clark
07/28/08
I think this is great. I really understood what you were saying.