Justbecause5
Disciple of Prayer
Beginning in December 2022, I pleaded with God to open up a door for me to move from Texas back to Alaska. My family was there. My wife had done some very mean, hateful things to me. Moving to Alaska is not easy. One needs to have a sizable amount of money, or friends and family already in Alaska to help with transportation and a place to stay. I endured a lot. God opened up many doors to make provision for me. Finally, while working a temporary job in California, a school in Alaska offered me a position on July 28, 2024. The company I work for flew me to Alaska on August 19, 2024. I flew first class but at 12:15 AM in the morning on August 20, I was homeless with no car. I was walking by faith and not by sight. I was strong most of the way to Alaska, but fearful the last 200 miles of the flight as I had nowhere to go. I had contacted the shelter but could not get an approval from anyone. Thankfully, they admitted me and I stayed there for 4 1/2 months. I am thankful for the shelter, but it was not the greatest place to be. I was made to feel like less of a man or human as a result of being there. I finally got a beater with a heater (2006 Toyota van) in September 2024. Next week I will pay it off and it will be mine completely. Before the van, I used Uber to work or walked. 3.4 miles each way. On November 20, 2024, I found out I had lost my job at the school, teaching sites and coaching basketball due to no fault of my own. I was very sad, especially about my basketball team as we were 5-1. I loved those young men working with them and playing basketball with them. I was confident that God was doing something. In my past, when something sudden happens like that; it made me sure that God was working. I could not imagine God moving me all the way back up here just to allow me to lose my job at the school. Psalm 139 says to us that God knows all things nothing is hidden from his sight. A few weeks later, I learned that the school would pay my salary until the end of April. I was so thankful to God for that news. So I DoorDash a lot and at the end of December, I contacted the company that I had previously worked for in California. It just so happened. She had a position that needed someone right here in the area. I agreed to take the position and I’ve been working at ever since. I think it’s been about six weeks. I feel like I could write a book about all of this. I know when you’re going through bad things reading about answered prayers is very helpful. One can see from my story, the hand of God. I think about all the things that God did for me to provide income. I started walking 10,000 steps a day plus reading the psalms faithfully. I read the psalms like 16-17 times. Now, I am reading the psalms once per month. They have blessed me tremendously. A few days ago, I learned that layoffs at my job would begin soon. They already laid off two people and will probably layoff one or two people each week till the end of March. We all knew that the job would end at the end of March. I just didn’t realize it would be done this way. So, they put a paper out requesting people to volunteer to be laid off in the coming weeks. I have not put my name on there yet, but I will. I’ve been praying about it. Almost immediately, I learned of a rural post office delivery job. When I was in Alaska before, I helped a cancer lady deliver mail. It was her route and she needed someone to help her while she was doing chemo and other medical visits. So she trained me and I worked for her. So on Monday at 7:00 am, I will interview for the position which is not too far from my house. I have some reservations because it’s a six day a week job, but it is an open door and I feel that I must consider it. I am convinced that we pray, and God hears us (1 John 5:14). We then wait for an open door. There may appear to be a door open however, after following through one finds out, it’s not God‘s way. However, maybe it was an act of faith to go through that door. Then suddenly, God opens up another door. I think I would rather do DoorDash than postal delivery, but there’s something to be said about a real job that is there every day. I know I ask for a lot of prayers. I have been through a lot of pain and a lot of times that pain has been almost unbearable. Such as the case last night and this morning. I was in so much pain. I miss my family so much. Psalm 139 says God knows all. He knows when we sit down and rise up and walk and talk and think. Nothing is hidden from his sight. He knows that I’ve been in intense pain. This morning, I really did not feel like going to work. At around noon I got a text from my boss and he said they would not need me today because they did not have enough cars. So, I got the day off. I’m glad I can relax here at the house all the day. I appreciate all of your prayers. Thank you so much for taking my name in my situation before the throne room of God. I feel God is answering the prayer of Christians. I imagined all the Christians that faithfully prayed, God, please end abortion, please overturn Roe. God did. Our country was a disaster and headed towards the wrath of God no doubt (Rom 1:18), Now there seems to be a new direction in this country. Let us pray for our country in our leaders that they will have great wisdom, but courage to make the decisions that will help truly this country turn from wicked ways and things.