Brace yourself for a longer than normal post. I had to stop now and then in the middle of writing to jump up and down with excitement, so it took me a little while to get through this. :)
We never really know what God is going to do in our life in any given season. If there’s anything I’ve learned during the past few years of changes and challenges, it’s that God’s ways are best no matter if they are painful to go through or joyful.
This newest change in our lives? Oh so completely joyful.
And born out of some pain and challenges.
Which is what makes this change so joyful.
Want me to tell you about it? Oh good, I would love to.
My husband Matt is very “visionary” as in…he is a guy full of great business and ministry ideas. Constantly. All the time. One of his ideas a few years ago was to look into opening a restaurant. He had loads of business ideas for a restaurant and knew that it would be a great way to be with and serve people in the community.
Then last year, someone offered him a position as assistant manager of a brand new restaurant opening up in town. It was a perfect opportunity to try out his restaurant dream without having a huge financial investment. He would be working for a fellow church member and we would have a steady income. We went for it!
Within the past fifteen months as Matt has worked out at Southside Grille, we’ve appreciated so many aspects about the job. We’ve been so thankful for the consistent pay check, for the chance for Matt to be out in the community visiting with people, for the opportunity to pursue a dream. God has been so good to give us that. And yet…
Our family time has really been suffering. Matt’s schedule has been a tough one, which has caused his life to feel unbalanced. He found that week after week as he helped figure out the work schedule that he’d have to choose between missing a church event or a family event. How’s a guy supposed to choose between going to a mid-week Bible study or going to his son’s soccer game?
Little by little we recognized that this lifestyle and job didn’t match up with the desires and spiritual goals we have for our family, and there didn’t seem to be any relief in sight. We aren’t quitters, and yet, we began to see that for Matt to stay with this job would mean that he would continue to miss out on and neglect so many of the things we feel are most important.
Three or four months ago we began to talk about and pray about the possibility of Matt doing something else. He was continuing to miss time with us that he didn’t want to miss any more. At the end of each day (and at the end of his life), he wanted to have “no regrets about how he spent his time”.
And so.
Four weeks ago, Matt resigned from his job at Southside Grille, effective December 18.
Can I just say, we are so full of joy and peace over this decision and the possibilities it presents that we are bouncing off walls and doing back flips?!! God has given us this opportunity and we can not wait to see what He has in mind for our family.
So, the question many people around here have, and one I would assume you are wondering as well is: What is Matt going to do now?
We aren’t able to put our finger on any one thing, because there truly isn’t just one thing. We plan to go back to being exclusively self-employed and have multiple streams of income as there are many things we are interested in doing. Most of them involve working togther as a couple and often will include the kids. In addition, we own and rent out storage units, which are now paid off and creating income. Matt has had a snow removal business for the past three years that he’ll continue to grow – although this particular business tends to be quite slow in the summertime. :) He plans to join forces even more than he already does here at Heavenly Homemakers, working some of the business and marketing end of things so that I can focus more on writing.
And…we plan to dream together.
My visionary husband is going to keep dreaming and pursuing some new dreams. I am so, so excited for him.
We’ll be “doing teamwork” while we homeschool and train our boys. We’ll be pursuing some of the ministries that are on our hearts but that have been on the back burner for a while.
Yes indeed. We get to be a team. I mean, we’ve always been a team. But now, we get to work together almost constantly, getting the boys more involved with some of Matt’s business ideas and work.
In case you’re concerned or wondering, we’ve been financially planning for this life change and would not be making this move if we were not prepared. That alone has been a wonderful lesson for our boys to learn.
I’ll continue to share during the next few weeks more about some of the goals we’re setting and give you an idea of how all of this is going to work for us. I will tell you right now though that one book that’s been a huge help as we’ve worked to take this leap of faith is 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. It is an EXCELLENT book that encourages us all to find where God has gifted us and find work that will utilize those gifts and provide for your family at the same time. We recommend this book wholeheartedly as it has been quite instrumental in changing the focus of our lives.
While we don’t have an ultimate picture of what our lives are about to look like, without a doubt, we see clearly that this is what God wants us to do. And we know with full peace and confidence that He is going to provide everything we need while we work hard for Him…as a team.
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Wow Laura! This is awesome news! Congratulations! God is good!
How exciting for your family! Praise God for His guidance and opportunity!
This is wonderful. I am happy for your family. My husband and I are also self employed Me the finacial and him the laborer in our small company just the two of us and I love knowing that when there is something planned with the family he does not have anyone telling him he can’t be there. I think it is a blessing to teach your children as a couple it gives a great example on what love and marriage should be and in these times our children can only get those things from us the parents.
So excited for all of you, how fun are the holidays going to be with dad around 24/7, Yeah!
Oh Laura, I so loved and needed this post. Thank you. My husband is facing his 2nd lay off (thankfully he got in a full year at his present employer) and he does not have a job lined up- and in fact would really really love to work for himself at home. I own a little business making baby and maternity clothes, but with the economy, it has slowed. Thank the Lord, it is still chugging along though. I tend to stress about hubby not having a job come Jan 1st- we certainly can’t afford it, and there are no designer jobs here in the NW right now. I am going to go check out that book you mentioned tomorrow. And put a new faith in God that He will lead us in the right direction.
bless you,
KImberly
that is so beyond awesome you guys are doing that. We are struggling with making that leap of faith for just me – we both want me to be home but need to figure out some more of the financial implications first. What an encouragement.
Laura;
Thank you for the faith lesson today. I desperately needed that. Love you honey and congratulations to all of you.
God bless you in with what the future holds.
Our pastor preached last week that until there is a leap, there really isn’t faith.
Hallee
Laura, i just want to bless both of you in this new adventure. We went from a steady paycheck and financial security with my husband in corporate America, in a job he LOVED, to living on a small farm, milking a herd of organic jerseys, raising grass fed beef and dreaming of making our own raw artisan cheese. The reason? My man said he has never heard anyone say they wish they wouldn’t have spent so much time with their children, but instead, we hear all the time that people regret not spending more time with their flesh and blood. My man said he has the rest of his life to spend in corporate America, but only a few short years to be with his 7 (so far) children. It’s been exciting and brutal all at the same time. So exciting to see our young boys growing and maturing, learning responsibility and good work ethic, and of course to spend time together as a family every day is UNBELIEVABLE! I won’t pretend there hasn’t been times of much faith stretching, to go from a solid paycheck to a not so solid milk check, and to never having a day off of milking, but it’s been worth every faith stretching leap. God is so GOOD and like your husband, mine has many dreams and gifts, but the greatest dream he has is to raise a godly family. By the grace of God………..
So may God go with you while you take that glorious leap of faith!!!!!
~Darla (manyweavers.blogspot.com)
GIGATTAATTGIG! God has formed and fashioned you and Matt into a great TEAM! May He heap blessings on top of blessings on you and your family as the two of you work with your boys for His glory!
So excited to read about what the future holds for you & your family!
I’m praising God with you! It’s amazing how He gives us exactly what we need when we need it. What a blessing for your entire family!
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! So happy for you and your family! It seems that God has designed us to work in partnership – and that many of us are discovering how to make this work in the face of corporate America (or Canada, in my case!). Four months ago, we left our jobs in western Canada to return to our family and roots on the East Coast. My husband is currently working on his first cd and plans to start a music ministry of some kind. While the details are fuzzy at this point, we’re so excited about what God will do! And it just feels so right to be working together to educate and train our boys (we’re in our 1st year of homeschooling and loving it!) and pursue God’s vision for us as a family. May God richly bless you as you seek His will in all things! Thank you for continually inspiring and encouraging me by sharing your life with your readers.
Have you read this blog, http://smallnotebook.org/, same idea, but they are heading to Italy and he is totally not working for a year.
Have a wonderful holiday season and thanks for the encouragement that you bring every day!
Laura, that is wonderful news. I am looking forward to hearing more details about how you got to this place and I will definitely be checking out that book you mentioned. My husband is in a similar position. He has very regular hous, but the job takes so much out of him that he has very little energy and time to do the things he wants and needs to do at home. I have been praying that God would lead him into a different line of work and hoping it would be a business of our own. Maybe your story will have some insight for us. Anyway, it is encouraging to hear about this great leap of faith you are making!
Congrats Laura!! This is soooo exciting for your family! I pray that the Lord would bless your family abundantly!! I can’t wait to see what He does in your lives!
Laura, What a wonderful opportunity for your family! I pray that the Lord will lead you both right to where he wants you. We are in a similar situation. Currently my hubby is a co owner of a business but the debt we incurred to buy in has been such a burden. He is negotiating right now to sell his portion and look in the next year about starting his own business. What a step of faith this is but the joy is wonderful!
You and your family must be so thrilled. Thank you for sharing as you give me encouragement. My husband has a “very good” job with a steady income but it is not in line with our biblical goals and we’d love for him to pursue something that is family integrated and feels more Christian. But we don’t know what that should be or where to begin so he continues to keep his job and our family remains in this holding pattern. I will definitely check out the book you recommended and will continue to pray. God bless your family!
Oh, what an amazing opportunity to be even more team-oriented in your family!
Congrats and may He continue to bless you as you seek to please Him!
Counting the days with you!
It’s wonderful and inspiring to see your journey! God truly has a plan and it will be awesome to see it unfold. You are such a blessing to your children and to the rest of us! God Bless!
What a blessing. I rejoice w/ you. Will Matt still be coaching the women’s soccer team?
We really do have to get creative to have a God/Family/Church centered lifestyle these days. It’s a testimony that you guys are making it work. Thanks for being a Godly example, Laura. It’s not what particular thing you and Matt choose to do, it’s that you hold Godly things in priority and God then provides the means to be obedient. I love that! He helps us to even do the right things. Happy Tuesday!
Yes, because of his restaurant work schedule this year, he barely had time to be a part of the soccer program, so he’s hoping to make that happen again in the fall. He missed it SO much!
I am SO happy for you!! God bless you for stepping out in faith to do what is best for your family(especially spiritually)!!
Linda
what a wonderful testimony of faith! your story has blessed my heart this morning.
What a wonderful time in your lives and such a beautiful Christmas gift to your entire family. I am so happy for you.
That is excellent, Laura. And something we have always wanted to do. We are self employed. But at this point, the business requires my husband to be away from home everyday. We are hoping that will change as the economy improves and we are able to hire back for the positions that used to be filled. The downturn really messed us up, as we had to lay people off three years ago and have been picking up whatever slack there has been ourselves.
The restaurant business is very difficult and not family friendly unless you all practically LIVE there. You have made a good decision!
Blessings!
Wow! I am so happy for you and your family! I am sure whatever you both do will be a great success!!
So excited for all of you! You are not only taking this leap of faith and showing your boys and so many others the importance of relying on God and making choices to help your family be together more and being able to work together more. May God continue to bless you in the future as He has done in the past.
Congrats Laura! The only concern with me and my husband leaving our jobs would be health care.
I am so excited for your family! Congrats!!
Great news!! We are praying God’s continued direction and favor on your family and on your business as you step into this new season of blessing!!
My husband lost his job while we were pregnant with our 5th boy (Aug. ’09). I had the crazy idea to rehab a house at this same time. After much prayer, we moved ahead and trusted what He was telling us. We’ve been “un/self-employed” since and life has never felt more free. Truly free to follow God. Plus, this just forces us to spend more time with Him and seek after what He wants for us, not what we want for us. I can say honestly, after all the jobs my husband has had, God has been our best employer:)! I’m so truly excited for your new adventure. Journey on!
Very exciting!!! I’m glad you’re able to be in this together. Craig & I are workind toward something very similar. :) I’m excited to see how God will use you as an even stronger team. God bless.
I’m so excited for you! Being married to a visionary myself I know it can be a struggle to crave the security of a 9-5, but want to support your husband’s dreams. It’s wonderful when you can catch his vision–it transforms the family dynamic!
YEAH!!! Congratulations to you and your husband for listening to your hearts! We are self-employed with a small janitorial company, and I wouldn’t change it for the world! The Lord gifted my husband as an Evangelist, and there is nothing that brings him more joy than sharing the Gospel with the lost. By having our own company, my husband is “freed up” in order to dedicate more of his time and energy to the work of the Lord (of course, to his family first!). I know the Lord will provide for your family ABUNDANTLY because He is MORE than faithful! I will pray for you both in this time of transition, and I am excited for you!
What a pleasant story you had to tell today!! Congratulations to all of you!! May GOD BLESS you and meet your every need.
I am so glad I found your blog. I would really love to meet you in person and have a sit down heart to heart w/ you and your hubby, Matt. I’m going to have my husband read this post when he gets home tonight. He, too, is such a visionary but has yet to step out on his own. He’s a visionary who’s risk averse (doesn’t make the most productive combination). ;) I, however, am a risk taker, but admittedly get anxious about what running his own business(es) would do to his stress and time, which is the main thing we are looking to gain more of…time, not stress, just to clarify. ;)
Anyway, I am most spurred on by your example in how enthusiastically you are supporting your husband and cheering him on. I definitely need to grow in this area. God is glorified by your joyful,enthusiastic submission to your husband. I’m sure many other women are spurred on by this, too.
Very exciting! We’re heading towards our dreams but aren’t there yet. Hubby still has to work a hard labor job for another few years but we have hope that we can say something similar to this in coming years. :)
Praise the Lord! What an encouraging message you wrote. To work as a team, what a blessing! I’m going to look into getting that book for my husband for Christmas, he too is a visionary. Looking forward to your updates on this situation.
Proverbs 3: 5-8
Praise be! I hope that having him home will give you the opportunity to take life just a little bit slower, your life sounds so hectic sometimes. I’m sure having him around will ease the burden on your own shoulders a bit too.
A great reminder that God is in control. My family is going through a test right now. My oldest daughter is due to have my first grandchild on Jan. 4th. But on Monday at her regular appointment, the baby’s heartbeat was WAY too fast. They monitored it for awhile, then sent her home, with another appointment for the next day. So, on Tuesday, after monitoring it again, they decided she should go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (they live in Wisconsin) They are there right now, and I haven’t heard anything yet. Laura, I know that you are full of the Word and full of faith, so I would appreciate your agreement in prayer that my grandson will be okay. I am confident that God is bigger than anything the devil can throw at us. I just wish I could be with them right now, but I live 900 miles away in Tennessee.
God is big and he is so good, and yet, what you’re going through is scary. I am praying for you and want to pass along to you that a friend of mine JUST went through this with her pregnancy. It may not be the exact same situation, but their baby’s heart rate was WAY too fast and they had to monitor it daily. I won’t go in to all of it because we’re talking about YOUR grandbaby, not this baby…but I will let you know that all is well with this baby, he was born about three weeks ago and his heart rate is now evening out. Prayers for peace for you and for your daughter now.
What a wonderful opportunity for your family, Laura! So happy for you!
That is fantastic Laura!!!! What a blessing for your entire family.
Dr. Laura
Thanks for starting off my day with such good news. May you continue to be blessed.
Laura-
Just wanted to share that my husband did the same thing 2 years ago. We diligently prepared beforehand. The first year was tough financially as he established himself. God always has a plan and we have never regretted taking that leap of faith. It has been enriching beyond measure. My husband lost his mom this year. If he had been at his old job he would have missed out on some precious time with her. Now he works alongside his dad as they both work through the mourning process. And his business? Amazing. He does custom farm work, which means other people hire him to do farm related jobs that they don’t have the time or equipment for. He loves it. No two days are alike and our kids get to help and learn valuable lessons and work ethics. Best wishes to you all! I’m guessing it will be an amazing and wonderful adventure.
Wonderful! I pray God’s rich blessings on your family. My husband worked from home for a season, and although it was financially lean for us, it was great to have him around. He is now back at a regular job, and although we appreciate the steady income & benefits, we all miss having him at home. I am excited to see what God has in store for you!
Laura, congrats! I’m sure it will all work according to God’s plan. I am a stay at home mom and my husband works from home. He is able to work more hours this way since he doesn’t have to travel and yet we spend lots of time together. Eating together has always been something that’s important to our family and we eat all 3 meals together, which means so much to me. I am able to spend a little time here and there helping him in his business too which benefits us both. I’m sure you will love this new venture!
Wow! God is GREAT! Praise Him for giving your family more time together!! Is Matt good in the kitchen? Maybe instead of a restaurant you could open a Heavenly Bakery. Just a thought! :)