It really does work.

[Tropical Wilds]

I applied for a work-at-home job in December of 2010, and I heard nothing from them. One year later, out of the blue, I was contacted for a job. It wasn't a great job (in fact, it's painfully boring and pretty thankless), and only would last until October, but it was a foot in the door and an extra $200 a week.

It allowed us to go to Disney World for 4 days. That trip inspired me to start writing a blog, and that blog took off and started providing income.

In May, my son became ill and was not allowed to go to a daycare without an RN. We couldn't afford that, but between the income for the blog and that job that was a backup, I could ramp up my hours and leave my daytime job. The loss of income ended up only being what I was paying in sitters anyway, so I was able to stay home and care for my son and have a not too noticeable loss of income. Shortly after, the length of the job was stretched out until January, giving us almost a year of working out his medical issues.

Increasing my hours at my crummy job put me from just a part-time worker to somebody who put in 40 hours a week, when people weren't even making the minimum of 15. That performance set me above others, so when another opening came that gave day and evening hours, instead of only the evening hours I was getting, I got it. Now instead of working 7pm to midnight, I can work 7am until noon and be done for the day if I choose, or I can work more when it fits at the spur of the moment, and I can still keep my other contract and make even more money. That job I got on top of the other one, isn't for a term, it's a job with no end date, not a contract, and entirely from home. It's a dream come true.

Meantime, my blog, my silly hobby that I thought I was investing empty hours into, has exploded. From that I got my own business and have a free trip to Disney that I'm taking in 20 days to tour a new part of the park that nobody has even seen before. Not only is the trip free, I'm being paid to do it.

The moral of the story? Don't be afraid to use your hands to pray, but don't forget to use those hands to work. God helped, no doubt, in making sure things came about in their own time and in their own way just as I needed them to, but in the end, even if God led me to the site to apply, even if he led the offer to me, I needed to take steps on my own too. And it's easy to worry, it's easy to keep score, it's easy to see others get and you not, and I know I sat here more than once and fixated on how I didn't know how I was going to afford some various, surprise bill while others I knew who live on welfare and foodstamps still manage to afford smartphones and see every movie opening weekend and take weeklong vacations while I work 12 hour days that start at 7 and finish at midnight 6 days a week with a sick 2 year old... It didn't seem fair that they get rewarded for not working while I struggle working so hard. I had to bite my tongue when I heard a friend who said that getting EBT freed her up to afford an I Phone and it's nice to not have to pay for food and diapers... But I kept my eyes forward and focused, and I worked. Eventually, through what was provided and what I earned, have carved out something really lasting for the family and by the end of the year we'll have a more than modest savings.

So pray, pray, pray, but work as hard as you pray. Worry less, see less what others have that you don't, and more what you have and how to make the most of it. Go with the flow as much as you plan.

 

[Romanseight2005]

I applied for a work-at-home job in December of 2010, and I heard nothing from them. One year later, out of the blue, I was contacted for a job. It wasn't a great job (in fact, it's painfully boring and pretty thankless), and only would last until October, but it was a foot in the door and an extra $200 a week.

It allowed us to go to Disney World for 4 days. That trip inspired me to start writing a blog, and that blog took off and started providing income.

In May, my son became ill and was not allowed to go to a daycare without an RN. We couldn't afford that, but between the income for the blog and that job that was a backup, I could ramp up my hours and leave my daytime job. The loss of income ended up only being what I was paying in sitters anyway, so I was able to stay home and care for my son and have a not too noticeable loss of income. Shortly after, the length of the job was stretched out until January, giving us almost a year of working out his medical issues.

Increasing my hours at my crummy job put me from just a part-time worker to somebody who put in 40 hours a week, when people weren't even making the minimum of 15. That performance set me above others, so when another opening came that gave day and evening hours, instead of only the evening hours I was getting, I got it. Now instead of working 7pm to midnight, I can work 7am until noon and be done for the day if I choose, or I can work more when it fits at the spur of the moment, and I can still keep my other contract and make even more money. That job I got on top of the other one, isn't for a term, it's a job with no end date, not a contract, and entirely from home. It's a dream come true.

Meantime, my blog, my silly hobby that I thought I was investing empty hours into, has exploded. From that I got my own business and have a free trip to Disney that I'm taking in 20 days to tour a new part of the park that nobody has even seen before. Not only is the trip free, I'm being paid to do it.

The moral of the story? Don't be afraid to use your hands to pray, but don't forget to use those hands to work. God helped, no doubt, in making sure things came about in their own time and in their own way just as I needed them to, but in the end, even if God led me to the site to apply, even if he led the offer to me, I needed to take steps on my own too. And it's easy to worry, it's easy to keep score, it's easy to see others get and you not, and I know I sat here more than once and fixated on how I didn't know how I was going to afford some various, surprise bill while others I knew who live on welfare and foodstamps still manage to afford smartphones and see every movie opening weekend and take weeklong vacations while I work 12 hour days that start at 7 and finish at midnight 6 days a week with a sick 2 year old... It didn't seem fair that they get rewarded for not working while I struggle working so hard. I had to bite my tongue when I heard a friend who said that getting EBT freed her up to afford an I Phone and it's nice to not have to pay for food and diapers... But I kept my eyes forward and focused, and I worked. Eventually, through what was provided and what I earned, have carved out something really lasting for the family and by the end of the year we'll have a more than modest savings.

So pray, pray, pray, but work as hard as you pray. Worry less, see less what others have that you don't, and more what you have and how to make the most of it. Go with the flow as much as you plan.

This is so cool! This is incredibly inspirational!