When my ex first left me with 3 young children in diapers (1,2,3), I told the Lord I was not putting my babies in daycare and going to work full-time. I told the Lord I would work 2 days a week and He would have to make ends meet with that (my in-laws and parents took turns keeping the kids for me). Afterall, I was their mother and God had given them to ME to raise - not some stranger in a daycare. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning anyone who puts their kids in daycare - this was just where I was in my journey of faith. I got a job working as a legal assistant 2 days per week. I did this type of work before my children were born so I was experienced. I sat down and did the math and found that I would actually be better off financially working part-time. My oldest has cerebral palsy and I receive a Social Security check for him (SSI). I immediately applied for food stamps & Medicaid as my ex quit his job and we lost our health insurance. I also received a nice earned income credit from the IRS when doing my taxes each year. During this time, a friend and her young son moved in with me because she was also going through a divorce. We shared expenses which was helpful. I lasted one year at that part-time job before my employer decided to let me go. I was actually relieved because it was a stressful job. I started collecting unemployment and the Lord began speaking to me in my spirit that He would take care of me and my children if I would trust Him. I signed up with a legal temp agency which was wonderful because I could pick and choose who I worked for and when I worked. It was great for me, my kids and my emotional health.
Eventually, my friend moved out and I took 2 years off to home school my kids. I don't know how I made ends meet during those 2 years except to say that GOD DID IT! One month I was $150 short on my mortgage payment and so I prayed and asked the Lord to meet that need. I walked out to my mailbox and there was an anonymous money order for $50 - I was excited and told the Lord, "Ok, now I still need $100 more." While running errands with my daughter, I stopped at Taco Bell and a woman walked up to me and handed me a check for $100! She told me God had told her to give it to me. Wow! What a lesson for me to see how God provides if you turn it over to Him (Matthew 6:24-34).
Since moving to Ohio from Florida one year ago, I have been self-employed working as a freelance legal assistant. The first 5 months I was here, I didn't work at all but God always came through and blessed me and my children over and above what we expected (Ephesians 3:20). It's really important for me to be home when my oldest (he's 13) gets home from school. Because of his cerebral palsy, he sometimes has seizures and functions at the level of a much younger child. I will wind this up by saying that the Lord was reminding me just the other day of His faithfulness to me and my children and that I needed to trust Him and believe Him!
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Married in 1987 - Divorced in 1999
3 children - Oliver(11) Lydia(12) Spencer(14)*
*Has cerebral palsy
Psalm 34:18 - The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart
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