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A Test of Faith
by Steve Stoner
 He had been out of work for over a year. To keep his family afloat and to keep life as normal as possible for his three children, he and his wife decided to use all of their savings including their 401k. All of their reserves were now depleted and they were facing dire circumstances if something didn't happen soon. They continued to serve in their local church and have regular family devotions at home. He and his wife prayed for God's provision and direction. They knew that this was a test of their faith and were expectant about how the Lord would work. Hebrews 13:5 became their anchor verse during this extended season. But there was the reality that the part-time jobs he had were simply not enough to maintain their standard of living. The earnings from those jobs helped with food and utilities but the mortgage, car payments and insurance premiums were simply too big for the meager money he earned delivering pizzas and working the counter at a local dry cleaner three days a week.
And then it happened. He received a call from a national recruiting firm telling him that his profile was exactly what one of their clients was looking for and could he fly to Chicago in the morning for a face to face interview. He and his wife were ecstatic. The prospect of having a job once again in his career field and with income commensurate with his education and experience was overwhelming. It wasn't a done deal but it was the most promising opportunity that had come along in over six months. They even splurged a bit and the family went out to a local Italian restaurant for spaghetti. Not extravagant by any means but it was their way of celebrating this ray of sunshine that now brought them such hope and expectation. Perhaps the days of watching their resources slowly vanish were behind them and they could once again begin building their nest egg.
The next morning, he flew to Chicago and met with several members of the executive team and as the day progressed he was feeling more and more confident that this was going to end well and that he would be able to return home with great news to share with his family. At the end of the day, he was invited into the executive conference room for one final meeting. And it was there that he was presented with an offer of employment. A smile came to his face as he quickly scanned the piece of paper before him. The offer was very generous. Not only was the salary 25% more than he had earned with his previous company but there were stock options, fully paid health care for him and his family, retirement benefits, a car allowance and even membership in a local health club. He silently prayed: "Thank you, Lord" and felt that his trust in the Lord had been rewarded and that he and his family would now, finally, be able to get back on track. continue reading ...
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The Rewards of Leading
 featuring Small Group Leader Rick McLaughlin
Leading a BLE small group may not be for everyone, but BLE small group leader Rick McLaughlin says, "Leading is a bigger commitment but also a greater reward. When you lead you find yourself looking deeper in God's word and being blessed in the process."
Rick began with BLE as a group member and soon after became a small group leader. His small group meets on Wednesday mornings at 6:00 am and is made up of men in various industries who each have a desire to learn how to reflect Christ in their daily work and home lives.
While Rick admits, "Getting up early and then just staying committed by being prepared for the next meeting" can be a challenge, he also recognizes the need to connect with others while being reminded of God's gifts of mercy and grace.
"All of us praise God for the group itself. For some, this is our only spiritual connection." continue reading ...
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