A New Job For Montana

I (Montana) have been working for a residential concrete company for the last four years. It's been a really great job, and I've really enjoyed it. However, with the recent downturn in the housing market, the company has been hurting for a little while, and has had to cut back a few times. Most recently, they decided they were going to have to dissolve my entire department (there were only 4 of us left in the dept after a couple of rounds of lay-offs). Our boss let us know about it so we could prepare, and so I began the search for a new job.

Honestly, I admit now that I was overly confident when I first started looking. For some reason, I figured it wouldn't take more than a couple of weeks to find something new where I'd be wanted. I was wrong. The search took me almost two months! Because I had been so sure it would be quicker, I was starting to get worried. I had thought I'd easily find a new job before I was out of the current one, and now it was looking like that might not be the case. It seemed I might be unemployed for a while. Naturally, I was concerned. As a husband, and a new one at that, I didn't like the idea of being provided for by my wife. If only one of us is working, it's supposed to be me, right? Plus, it was hurting my ego (not necessarily a bad thing) that it was taking a while to find a place that wanted me. I would spend most of my evenings searching the internet for job ads, browsing web sites and sending my resume to everyone I thought might be remotely interested.

One of those companies was SRP. I had been tipped off by someone from our church that there may be an opportunity there. After making some calls and speaking with a couple of different people, I finally was set up with an interview for a Drafter position. At this point, I was praying hard. I really want to do whatever it is that God has for me, even if it's maybe not what I would want for myself. I want to provide for my wife. I want to do the right thing and trust in the Lord to provide whatever He knows I need. So I went in for the interview praying these things... ...and apparently they loved me. Only a few minutes after I left the interview, the guy who I'd been working with to setup my interview told me that they were making an offer! After praying about it, Aubrey and I decided I should take the offer and secure the new job.

So, this week is my last week at the old job, and next week I'll begin the new one at SRP as a full-time contract employee. I feel like I've made the right decision, and I'm still praying that God will direct my path as I continue in that direction. There are lots of reasons I'm excited about the new job: 1. It's only 2.5 miles from home (as opposed to 25 with the old job). 2. It's more stable, as it's not nearly as affected by the housing market. 3. I'll be making a little bit more than at my old job (wasn't expecting that). 4. It's a good company; everyone tells me so. 5. I don't have to continue stressing out about whether I'll have a job or not.

Poor Aubrey has had to put up with me being stressed out this month because of this and a couple of smaller things I had to deal with. Being newly married is tough enough, but having to search for a new job really added another challenge to the mix, because I was more stressed out than I normally am. Praise the Lord that I have a wife who loves me and supports me the way she does! I would have been a wreck without her encouragement. Normally I'm the one who is calm and not worried when things are hectic, but this time that was not the case, and I am so grateful she was able to fill that role.

So if you think about it, please pray for me as I start my new job (my first day is Apr 14). Pray for both of us, really. I am (we are) so grateful that the Lord has provided what looks like a great thing for me (us), and I really want to be faithful to the Lord and not take it for granted. I want to use my job however He wants me to, so that He will be glorified and magnified above all else.