Most of our life is pretty predictable, but this week we received some news clear out of left field that has challenged us and also put us right where God wants us: total dependence on and trust in Him. At the end of last year, Jamie and his longtime business partner joined forces with a third person to expand our race timing business. Each partner owned 1/3 of a timing system, and this new partner specialized in developing large racing events throughout NC that we timed. Everybody was a winner! With these larger events, our profit margin went up significantly, and this new partner was now paying a timing company 1/3 less than he used to (because of his partial ownership in the system)! We have enjoyed this partnership so far and the opportunity it has afforded me to work part-time from home once our son is born.
Well, this week the deal started changing. Our newest partner backed out, then backed back in, changed terms and added stipulations. It's been ugly - we've been amazed at how business partners (and supposed friends) have treated each other with such little integrity and respect - but we've been determined to conduct ourselves in a way that honors God, even if we lose money. As part of that, we refused to borrow any money for the business. We don't believe that you can build debt and wealth at the same time (thanks to the wisdom of Dave Ramsey), so we refuse to have debt, even if it means that our business grows a little slower. We just sleep better at night that way. Unfortunately, these principles are not common in today's world, and so we're probably going to lose about 15% of our annual income when the partnership dissolves.
The awesome thing about all this, however, is the incredible peace that Jamie and I have both felt about how we have chosen to manage our resources. We feel that God is very much in the "timing" of this, and He has brought some information to light that has caused us to reconsider how we might have otherwise proceeded with this partnership. Furthermore, while this partnership has been a financial blessing to us these last few months, it did not exist a year ago, and something different, better and currently unknown to us could exist tomorrow. In the meantime, would you pray for us? Please pray that God will continue to provide for us as He has always done and that we would continue to make (sometimes tough) decisions for our family that honor Him.
In other news, we chose a special verse for Micah. I was reading 1 Samuel in my quiet time recently and really connected with something Hannah said when she birthed Samuel: I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord. - 1 Samuel 1:27-28
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