Modesto, CA

It is our desire and goal in life to able to serve our Lord to the best of our ability. We want to have the freedom, in regards to finances and skills, to go wherever the Lord will use us, maybe even to a mission field.

After realistically looking at our current situation, we came to the conclusion that we might be able to fulfill our goals in L.A., but it would take a very long time at the rate that we are going. A couple weeks back, we brainstormed about how to best accomplish our goals and prepare ourselves for a rapidly approaching future.

We looked at Sam getting a second job or Nicki getting a full time or part time job. We considered when we want to have kids and how that would affect our lives. We looked at our cost of living to see if we could reduce any of it. We looked at our opportunities for ministry in Los Angeles. We weighed up the pros and cons of living in L.A. and going to Grace with living in a cheaper part of the country. We weighed the friendships and relationships that we have in L.A. with the possibility of new ones in another area.

After searching and pursuing numerous options in the L.A. area, we decided to open up our search to other areas outside of L.A. and California. The Lord opened doors and closed some doors. Last Thursday (the 23rd), Sam was offered a job in Modesto, CA. The job is a managing position for a landscaping company that does commercial maintenance and installation. It is a very similar job to what he is already doing, except that he will be working for someone else rather than himself.

One of the benefits of working for a licensed contractor is that after three years Sam can get his own contractor’s license, which is what he has been pursuing for the last few years. The other way to get the contractor’s license, which is the way that Sam has been pursuing, is for him to finish his bachelor’s degree. Cal State Stanislaus has the same program that Sam was pursing here in L.A. This will also be a benefit for us as Sam will only have a 20 mile commute rather than the 120 mile commute that he made last semester.

Another benefit of moving to Modesto is the cheaper cost of living. Renting alone is about half of what it is in L.A. This will free us up to pay off debt, save for the future, and have the flexibility to be generous with the resources the Lord gives us.