What's next?

One exciting thing did happen today. After finishing lunch with some friends here, we are in the parking lot of a local establishment when a car pulls in...this car I recognize as one familiar to me from my days in La Grande. However, I think, "nah, it can't be." I lock eyes with the driver to find out that yes if fact it is, my old pastor from Island City Foursquare, Pastor Ted Davis. Pastor Ted is an amazing man of faith, he is a Veteran as well. Served in the US Navy. Pastor Ted was a very important and dear person to me during my time in La Grande. But what was so exciting was the fact that it was not just P.T. waving back at me, but everyone else in the car! Along with P.T. was the youth pastor from Faith Center, an old friend from high school days, but mainly from my days in Campus Life, Pastor Jeremy. Alongside Pastor J, was his new wife, Kaliee she too was an old friend from my days in Pendleton. It was so great to see everyone and have a brief encounter with people from my past that made me feel so grateful for the friendships I have, even after I have come and gone from a place. You wanna check out a great and adorable couple check them out.
Another day of job searching is done...well at least the going around town and looking part is. I wish there was someone to send a bill of all the time I spend searching for work. I now spend more hours away from home (and my dog) then I ever did when I had my quote/unquote "dream job." I think I am at the point now that any job would be a "dream job" anything would be better than being unemployed.

What's worse is that I am also trying to find a new place to live, and I am sure I don't have to tell you that finding a new place to live while being unemployed is not an easy task. You have no way of proving that you can afford the monthly rent, so therefore you automatically don't qualify for the place, especially here in Central Oregon where they require the household to make 2-3 times the cost of monthly rent...not an easy task in this market even if you do have a job.
I do have a couple weeks still before Portia and I officially become unemployed and homeless. The promising part is that I do have some income I will be working for this week, the employment agency I have been using has found a job for me on Friday and Saturday, banquet server at the Riverhouse. I have no idea what I am going to be doing exactly or for how long...but I worked at Denny's for years so I am sure I can handle it and hey at this point money is money.
Not having a job is straining me beyond the financial and mental capacity as well. Physically I can feel the strain inside and out. There have been several panic attacks that have left me in cold sweats, racing heart, headaches, backaches, etc,. Maybe if I was in better shape I would be taking this better, who knows. I am trying to at least walk my dog in the evenings and go for extended bike rides in the mornings. But this whole process is draining me on so many levels.

Thank God for my church, Sunday services have been a major source of strength for me lately. Pastor Randy just finished a series on reframing your world view. That series was a good one. He finished the series by speaking on the application of how we should live our lives each day when we know Christ is in us. He listed 8 steps to living because Christ is in us:

1. Live with Integrity or wholeness; If you are filled with light, with no dark parts, then your whole life will be radiant. Luke 11:36
2. Live with Humility or dependency on God. Pastor went onto so say that humility in our lives is measured by the level of stress in each of our lives. Stress is caused by depending on our own strength to overcome obstacles. A humble person relies on God's strength to overcome. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29
3. Live with Sensitivity or awareness to those around us. Let each of us please our neighbors for their good, to help them be stronger in faith. Even Christ did not live to please himself. Romans 15:2-3
4. Live with Simplicity. Don't complicate your life with stuff and things. How do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul in the process? Is anything worth more than your soul? Matthew 16:26
5. Live with Clarity or discernment. This for some reason used to come far more naturally to me then it seems to now, and it definitely is one area I would like to improve upon. Don't be nitpickers, but use your head and heart to discern what is right to test what is authentically truth. John 7:24
6. Live with Generosity. The young adult group I attend on Sunday nights has truly helped me in this area. We collect items each week for a local homeless shelter. Most recently we have been collecting warm socks from winter. I have been trying to make a point to spend what I can (and sometimes what I can't) to purchase a couple pairs of wool socks from the local box mart. USE your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. In this way, your generosity stores up a reward for you in heaven. Luke 16:9
7. Live with Priority or first things first. This point hit me hard, especially with all that is going on in my life right now. This is to live life by looking at the whole picture and how you fit into that picture right now, today. The verse hit me especially hard: Only people who don't know God are always worrying...Your Father knows what you need. But put God's work first, and these other things will be yours as well. Luke 12:30-31. Lord, I do pray that I will not be a man who spends all his time worrying. It is hard though, give me the strength, courage, and wisdom to rely on you instead of worrying.
8. Live with Possibility or faith. No, this isn't like Rev. Osteen and the if you have enough faith all things are possible and you will live with health, wealth, and abundant happiness with no worries or fears. No, this is about learning to rely on God to the point where you know without His help life is a whole heck of a lot harder. With God everything is possible. Matthew 19:26 Everything is possible for him who believes Mark 9:23.

This, I hope will be an outline that I continue to use to everyday as a reminder of how I need to be living my life, no matter where I live, work, or play. I really pray that God will help me to make the changes were they are needed in order to live this way, oh, and that I can find a job and a place here in Bend, cause I think Pastor's new series is going to be a good one for me.