Our mentor pastor suggested we would find it easier to manage financially if I found some work. I told him we had deliberately tried to avoid that as we felt we were more effective as a team. However, I said to God, "If you want me to work, you will need to find me a job." I then dismissed the matter from my mind and got on with working alongside my husband.
Two days later, I received a phone call from a church member. He asked me if I had a resume and told me to bring it to his workplace. They were looking for someone to fill a casual position and he had thought of me.
We had just moved house and we had boxes everywhere. I went into the study and looked at the pile of boxes, wondering where I should start in order to unearth my resume. But when I opened the first box, there it was, sitting right on the top. I submitted my resume and was appointed to the position almost immediately. I settled into the workplace and was quickly made to feel a welcome member of the team.
This job commenced as casual and was advertised as a full-time temporary position a few weeks later. I submitted my application and waited to be advised of an interview. A short time later, I was called into the payroll manager's office where I was confronted by my three superiors.
I wondered what I had done to warrant such a summons when the finance manager said, "We've called you in to offer you the job without an interview. What do you think?"
I never cease to be amazed by the way God works things out. I continued in the position for the remainder of the year. The job lasted exactly the right length of time and provided us with income for the rest of the year--from March to December--until we made the move to attend Avondale College. where we decided we could become better equipped to serve in the Lord's work. I rightly reckoned that I wouldn't have the job without God,
so I paid a double tithe. Out of the second tithe, I paid offerings, purchased children's Sabbath-school supplies and paid for other outreach expenses. The eight-tenths I had left more than serviced our needs and, at the end of the year, we had considerable savings. We can't out-give God. Luke 6:38 tells us, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
Now having completed our two years at Avondale, I have been blessed with work for the entire time we have been here and, over the past 18 months, I have been employed in a full-time permanent position. This is something rare for a student's wife in this area, where employers prefer long-term commitment.
At the time of writing, we don't know what we will be doing or where we will be going next. Even so, we have made ourselves wholly available to the Lord's work and know there is a niche somewhere out there. There we will help fulfil the gospel commission on behalf of our Creator, our Saviour, our Provider, and our true and faithful Friend. There is no need to fear for the future when working for the Lord. He has promised to provide and He is true to His promises.
So I tell you, don't worry about everyday life--whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Matthew 6:25, 26.
Aileen Sforcina now lives in Byron Bay, New South Wales, where her husband works as a Bible worker.