Comments and Letters
Dear LAF:
I noticed in a posted response to the article, “What God Says Do, And Let Him Take Care of the Rest,” that most if not all of the responders were ladies. I am the husband of a wonderful wife with seven children and would like to pass along to you a response on this article from a man’s perspective (really experience).
After the birth of our third child it became apparent that a lifestyle change was needed in our home. We had just completed a not-so-good experience in a private school with our two oldest daughters and God was patiently and deliberately moving us toward home schooling. That was quite a change for me in both thinking and practice, and it meant not only bringing the children home but also providing a means of educating them (I hadn’t learned yet that I needed to be that means in both direction and practice). I’m thankful that God moves us at a pace that does not break us and that in our case, he moved in my heart as well as my wife’s heart in regards to this, which was, by the way, just a first step in a multitude of changes God was instituting in our family.
When I began to understand what the Bible teaches concerning the functional differences between men and women, and to be obedient to that I would have to shoulder all of the provision responsibilities of the home I was in somewhat of a quandary. My wife provided a small but significant amount of financial resources to the home. What was going to happen when this income disappeared? How could we manage without it? Well, we couldn’t, that’s the point. God had us right where He wanted us to be, dependent on Him.
I knew what the proper response was to this problem, but I did not want to do it. I struggled with this for some time, knowing what was right vs. what was convenient (or maybe pragmatic). Thankfully, God enabled me to do what was right. Now why do I say “me” when it was my wife who was working? Because as head of the family, the responsibility was mine. The buck stopped with me (literally). So the decision was made, appropriate notifications made, and my wife came home (I found out later that she was waiting the whole time for me to make the right decision and being patient to let me make it). We were now about to have financial shortages. But I made a decision to obey God first and let Him work out the details second.
Not a month later my boss called me into his office. “James,” he said, “We’ve been reviewing your current salary based on the type work you are doing and have discovered that you being underpaid. We’re going to have to give you an equity bump to get you up to the target level which matches your grade level and work responsibilities.”
Not only was I shocked at this unexpected turn of events, but when the amount was handed to me it matched the exact amount of shortage per month we were about to see due to my wife not working. Now when I say it matched, I’m not exaggerating. I’m a CPA and I know numbers and how to use them. It was not only the exact amount to the dollar but to the cent. I was amazed then and I am still amazed. What a great God, who not only accomplished this but cared enough to do it for me.
The Lord is able to work in the lives of his people to both give them the desire to obey and provide the means. How thankful I am that He did this for my family and that He continues to do so. And He will do this for all those who truly love and obey Him.
God bless your ministry in its encouragement to women (and men) to hold the scriptures as the standard of authority in both belief and practice.
James Spangler
Family Building Workshop
Wow! What a blessing to receive such an encouraging e-mail. God is faithful, and what a delight to hear testimonies like these. Praise the Lord! ~ Mrs. Chancey
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