Personal Challenges - a new chapter

This has been an eventful week for us personally. Something worthwhile to share.

For the first time in my life, at 54 years old, I find myself without a regular income from outside sources.  If you recall, we have been building hte farm while I am still employed part time with an out of state company. That situation has come to and end now, somewhat but not totally unexpectedly, and I am technically unemployed except for the farm.

It is a challenge, as the farm has not grown yet to a size that replaces the outside income... which leaves us personally in a bit of a bind.  All of the retirement funds and investments have been routed into the farm to get it going and keep it going through the last several years, so cash flow is tight!

I dont consider this an "emergency" because, at the end of the day, God is in control.  There comes a time when you have to demonstrate the "I trust in God" claims, and this seems to be our day.  I look at this as more of a "chapter change" than anything.. time to turn the page.

The farm is not expected to change, if anything we will be pouring more energy into it in the immediate future, to increase the income as much as possible.

I recall a part in one of Joel Salatin's books talking about how they started... when he and his wife had to make the choice to end their day jobs and go full time on the farm. It is a scary, dangerous, but necessary choice. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to build a farm to be a full time income, without full time labor put into it.  I can fully relate to this.  The trick though, is doing this at the right time. Too soon and the cash flow wont be there, spelling disaster.  Too late and you miss the window of opportunity.  Just right, and it is a painful but short lived period.

Is this our time to make the switch? I dont know yet. The next few weeks will tell.  At this point we are exploring options and waiting to see which doors God opens to us.

We ask for your prayers for wisdom as we forge through these unfamiliar waters... that our steps are guided by holy providence and we end up in a place meant to be.