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Mother's Day Testimony May 11, 2009 By Cara Davis When I had my
baby, the desire of my heart was to stay at home, but we needed
the additional income my work provides if we wanted to keep our
house. Plus, I really enjoy what I do, and wanted to continue doing
it professionally. When my employer
denied my request to work a couple of days from home, an opportunity
landed in my lap to do the same type of work, but from home for
a different company in another state. I was anxious to polish up
my resume and my portfolio to apply for the position and hopefully
land an interview, but was informed that I came highly recommended,
and that if I wanted the job, it was mine. I was floored. It was
clearly the favor of God. I began working
for this company as a freelance contractor just three months after
my baby was born. Not only was I being paid a monthly retainer equivalent
to a full-time salary, I was working a fraction of the hours that
I had been working previously. This allowed me to care for and nurture
my newborn freely, and hire help for the short amount of time that
I needed it. Thrilled & Apprehensive Although I was
thrilled at the opportunity, I felt apprehensive. As a freelancer,
my contract could end at any time with just a month's notice. The
situation was surely too good to be true. As I often do, I doubted
God's goodness toward me. Yet, He kept blessing me. So I decided
I would take each day as it came and thank God for the opportunity--however
long it lasted. Working from
home on my own schedule also freed me up to visit my family back
home. This seemed providential, as my Dad was diagnosed with cancer
several months later. Because of my schedule, I was able to travel
and be with him at least a week out of every month until he passed,
and then to be with my mom in the months that followed. I could
never accurately describe my thankfulness for the opportunity to
do that. Those moments could never be replaced, and I was so grateful
for the chance to seize them. The Insomnia of Doubt While this job
was clearly an example of “him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20), my fear and
anxiety continued. I thought maybe this was just for a season--perhaps
it was just so I could be with my dad in his final moments. When news of
the recession hit, I braced for the worst--and was yet again surprised
at God's faithfulness. When the company's budget was cut by millions,
each staffer and contractor retained their jobs. And just two weeks
ago, I got a call about renewing my contract. I have now officially
set up my business as an LLC, and new opportunities for business
consistently show up. What I thought
would last a few months has lasted a year and a half, with no end
in sight. And although I took a pay cut to accept this particular
job, our tax return showed that I actually made more money
by freelancing last year than I did the previous year working for
my former employer. I have a flexible schedule that allows me to
enjoy my time at home and better meet the needs of my family. I realize that
some moms want to work, some have to work, and some
want to stay at home. I'm a combination of all those, and for some
reason, God has seen fit to outrageously bless me with the desires
of my heart. This Mother's Day, I'm incredibly thankful for not
only becoming a mother, but for serving a God who meets all my “need
according to His riches in glory” (Philippians 4:19). © 2009, Cara
Davis ----- Cara Davis is a writer, editor and web designer. She lives in Orlando with her husband Jeff, daughter Madilyn and dog Macey and attends the Pentecostals of Apopka. Her book, Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot: How to Plan a Church Wedding for Less Than $5,000, was published in 2006.
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