Pray for us please!

[Shofarblower]

Hi all,

I have posted about our situation in the past and want to send out a dire need for prayer.

I have been out of a job for 18 months and we were a single income family before. My unemployment has been used up for 2 months now and I still can't find work. I have several applications in and haven't heard back in weeks.

I have had to swallow my pride several times in the past year and am currently learning the meaning of humility. We are facing either a short sell or forclosure on our home and have nowhere to go if that happens. There are a few people in our church that have offered temporary housing if we need it.

I don't know what to do except ask for prayer. The job market seems to be looking up in our area but there are so many people out of work, it is very hard to be THE one people want.

My wife is still dealing with some issues with her illness she had earlier last year and we have a lot of responsibility at the church. I don't want to step down as Pastor, but with the congregation being a 45 min drive one way, we don't have the money for gas.

We haven't been in a situation like this ever before and only know how to pray and ask for prayer.

Please help us pray for answers.

Blessings

Kevin

[Red]

 

[mjwolfe]

I'm praying for you and your family in this trial.

[Tracer Burnout]

I'm praying buddy.  Is there anything I can do?

[Prof Underwood]

I will also pray for you and your family.

[Korunks]

Praying for you. 

[BubbleBoy]

That sounds rough. I'm praying for you.

BTW, what is your career field?

[Shofarblower]

I have been a Carpenter for the last 11 years, but also have training as a machine operator and graphic artist. I have done sales and other jobs as well. Most on the boards know this but for those who don't, I am a Bi-Vocational Pastor of a Messianic Congregation that meets on Saturday. Because of that, many retail and sales Jobs are out of the question.

An update - We have found a possible buyer for the house (and it isn't even on the market officially yet). If we go this route, we will have a damage to our credit for a couple of years and will have to rent. Also, if we sell, I need a job to be able to rent anything. I have a couple more job applications in, but again, no offers yet.

Thank you for all your prayers.

I will continue with the updates.

Also, I am not one to do marketing on a board like this but, we are desperate. My screen name isn't just tied to my beliefs. I also make Shofars (ram's horn trumpets like at Jericho) and sell them. If anyone is interested in one P.M. me and I will make the best deal I can for you guys as you are all considered family.

Baruch B'shem Yeshua
(Blessings in the name of Jesus)

Kevin

[Shofarblower]

*UPDATE*

I had a very promising interview today and should know about the job by the weekend (at the earliest). We would still have to move for the job to be any help at all (45 minute drive from where we live now and 1/2 my old salary). I just thank God for any work at all right now.

Thank you for your prayers and please don't stop!

[honryu]

God will see you thru this cuz im unemployed and i live with my parents and my dad was laid a while ago and now he is working a temp assignment making less than what he was making and the house payment has been lowered permanently. so like i said God will see you thru.

[alpal455]

I will be praying and I know how hard it is to get far with out a job.

[Shofarblower]

I haven't wanted to say much until I found out how this would work out, but. I started my new job on Monday. I am not very happy with it but it is work. I had to take a 45% pay cut from my old job. I have held out for a job that would allow me to keep my beliefs regarding Sabbath (Saturday) and this job was advertised as Mon-Fri. This is only my first week and I have to work tomorrow. I am hearing that I will probably have to work every Saturday during the Summer as well. I don't want to quit the Job but also dont want to be discarded after one turn (left handed reference to "Sabbath Breaker" card) either. I feel very strongly about the Sabbath and my heart is literally and physically aching right now at the though of working tomorrow. It is mandatory and they stood over me and made me sign that I would do it or lose my job. I know that we all have to do things we don't like in these times but I don't understand why God would allow this.

Sorry for the tirade.

Please keep praying that I get answers about this.

Thank you

Kevin

[Red]

me and you have diffent belifs on the sabbath but i understand your convictions on it so i'm praying for you.

[drb1200]

I will pray, as that is a very hard situation to be in and I understand (especially since I share the same beliefs about the Sabbath).

YHWH Bless,
drb1200

[Prof Underwood]

this job was advertised as Mon-Fri.

I also don't share your convictions about working on Saturdays.  However, I have similar convictions about working on Sunday, so I can put myself in your position.  I would have refused to sign the paper saying that you would work on that day.  And since that moment has passed, I would be forced to quit at this point.  I know that you really need the job and the money, but I really don't think that this is God's answer to your problems.  It is more likely a "half-answer" that is meant to suck you in and cause you to miss the real plan that God has for you.

Any business that says that a job is Mon-Fri and then makes you work consistently on Sat can't be trusted.  And working for a dishonest company will only lead to pain.

[TechnoEthicist]

Isn't it actually against the law to FORCE you to work or quit for working on a religious holiday? I am fuzzy with the particulars...

[Shofarblower]

Well, I can't say that they are consistantly forcing working on Saturdays as I have only been there one week. I am currently disinclined to quit as I have spent the last 18 months searching (unsuccessfuly) for work. If I see that this will be an every week thing, I will most likely turn in my resignation. As for the legality of it all, North Carolina has a law that an employer cannot make overtime mandatory unless they give you more than 24 hours notice. So, basically, if they tell me before 6:00 a.m. on Friday, they can do whatever they want. I have already let my supervisor know that I am very dissatisfied with working on Saturday, he actually looked kind of scared and came up after his boss left to make sure I was alright. It was at that point that I explained my situation and he felt a little better (guess he was happy I wouldn't bring an assault rifle or something on Saturday).

Thanks for your prayers and advice.

BTW on the Sabbath issue. I only think we need to agree on one thing Jesus (Yeshua) and Him crucified. The rest is details. I respect and am grateful for you all.

Blessings

Kevin

[Shofarblower]

Update (and Praise report):

After only 4 days of people praying, (if my supervisor is right) it looks like weekend overtime is off the menu at work. Lowes Hardware had ordered 21,000 sills from us and we were looking at months of overtime. Now we are actually ahead and the cutlists are down from 7-10 pages to 4-7 pages each day. They assure us that we are not hurting for work so no job cuts are planned but, if we keep this pace up, we will stay in the lead on orders. We have 1500 Lowes sills in stock and have run half of their order of the 21000. so we are in good shape and (as of right now) I don't have to work on Saturdays.

Thank you all.

I will keep you posted on the move and my play status for online gaming (the only kind that seems to exist in NC)