Conviction, Stepping out in Faith

Thirteen years ago I got a strong conviction as I worked in a job that required I wear pants so I took a huge leap of faith trusting God with everything in me. I gave my 30 day notice with no job lined up; my coworkers were telling me you’re crazy you’re going to lose your house and car.

Because the state could not accommodate my religious belief I filed for unemployment despite the fact that I had quit my employment. The State fought me on it and we had to go before an unemployment Judge to hear our case. The Judge had never heard of a religious conviction so I explained it to him. The Bible gives specific details/instruction about our attire as women, we are to obey it because it’s a serious matter to God, I believe the Word to be true and I hold to its commands. I quoted, Deuteronomy 22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God. The state representative didn’t show to the hearing but the Judge told me there argument was that I had quit for a personal reason not a religious conviction. He said wait for my response in 2-3 weeks in the mail. I began to pray!

Meanwhile everyone at church was talking about going to West Coast Conference we had never been and I really wanted to go so out of faith I began to iron my son’s clothes and pack them in suitcases. Sal would walk up to me and tell me, 'Mom this is crazy we don't have money to go or a reliable car how are we going to go?' I don't know Papas but I'm trusting God. WCC was one week away and I went to go check my mail the Judges response was here so I ran inside the house to read it!

There was a three thousand dollar check and a letter the Judge siding with me on the case I began to weep and thank God, when my sons got home that afternoon I told them Look what God did...we are leaving early to WCC this week. My sons were like...Wow Mom they could hardly believe, I rented a car and we left a week early to WCC since my Sister lives in Fresno we picked her and her daughter went to visit several sites in California.

Thank God we live in a nation where an amendment of freedom of religion is in place, we can exercise it, it protected me in my belief but the greatest fact was that God was my advocate. If we honor and obey His Word he will fight the battle.

I was unemployed for the next 8 months I didn’t lose my home or my car. My divorced had just finalized it was impacting one of my sons very hard that he was starting to spin out of control so through all these 8 months is where I started to developed a more consistent prayer life I was on my knees for my family daily several times of the day. It’s sometimes takes circumstances like mine for God to start working in a person, whether it be your faith, prayer life, reading the Word or simply church attendance. Can't say I knew how to pray there were times that all I could do is just cry and scream my desperation, insecurities, fear to God...but God was faithful He kept his hand on us. In that time I was able to go to all my sons’ field trips, school activities, pick/drop them off at school, have their snacks ready after school and help with their homework.

Divorce is extremely hard for most kids, their stability in their home/lives is turned upside down, God orchestrated those 8 months off for me to be there with them, for me to draw nearer to Him in prayer. I can't thank God enough! The week before unemployment ended God provided me my next job at an HIV/AIDS clinic...that is another roller coaster story for another day ;-) !
Recently in prayer the Lord is impressing me that very soon I will be taking another huge leap of faith in my life, only this time I will be taking that step alone...:-(
Just me and the Lord...