The Beauty of the Miraculous and the Mundane

As some of you know, I went to East West College, a massage school, and graduated at the end of 2006. Afterwards, I earned my National Certification in California and practiced massage in Chiropractic offices for 3 and a half years and then in a day spa in Redding, California for over a year.

Our time in Redding (at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry) was financially very tight. Every day we learned to look at each struggle as an opportunity for God to work a miracle and do something amazing. He did just that. Although we were poor, we managed to live in a beautiful townhouse with amazing roommates, watch school be paid for, travel, have food always on the table and witness God doing something very foundational in our hearts.

 At the end of our time in Redding, my National Massage License was close to expiring. I was able to pay for some continuing education, but I was not able to pay for all of it, or my license renewal fee. Therefore, my license expired.

As we have been back in Oregon for over 2 years now (wow, time has flown!) I have been back and forth with the idea of getting my Oregon Massage License. But am at the place now, where it's looking more like it will be worth studying, and saving up for taking the tests and working towards getting Oregon licensed.

I am going to be honest with you guys... Jason and I have not been the best financial stewards over the course of our marriage. We have so desired to be in control of our money, but have never seemed to get in the groove with keeping a budget or saving money. This is something we have felt a lot of shame and disappointment in. 

While this new year was approaching, we felt more than ever a drive to change this. We don’t want to be dishonest by giving you the half-truth and saying “things are tight right now”, when truthfully, they have been unnecessarily “tight” for much too long. Right now, we are working to take baby steps toward financial freedom. We have lots of dreams, that we believe God will provide and make the way, but we feel Him calling us up to a higher standard of co-laboring with Him, and watch God work a miracle in and through us with finances as we pursue God's best for us.

No more of the far too often paycheck-to-paycheck living. It time to rise up, own our shortcomings, and DO something about it! It’s time to change and embrace the new us; the people that steward what the Lord gives us. To make an impact on our family, others around us and our future.

I wont say that this doesn’t scare me. It scares me to death. But one thing I am confident in – God’s faithfulness to take care of His kids and fulfill His promises.

~Cierra