Since you've asked...

We've got a lot of kind friends.  We are so grateful for the words of encouragement and the prayers that so many of you have been offering for us.  I know that it is because of your concern for us that many of you have been asking if we are ok financially.  The short answer is yes.

Though I may have been keeping quiet about the demise of the company that Brian worked for over this past year, it may help to know that we really have been expecting this lay-off.  We have been economizing over the last year, because it became very necessary last November.  That was when he and several other people in the company took pay decreases.  Lay-offs began shortly after. The company was hemorrhaging, and it became clear that drastic steps would need to be taken to try and save the company.  At first, the owners told the employees that investors were coming in to put cash into the business.   Rather than attempt to make excuses as to why the company failed, all I can really say for sure is that Brian stuck in there as long as he did because they asked him to help finish up the work that the company had in queue.  He was assisting in shutting down the company's operations right up until he was told that the company could no longer cover payroll.  By that point, we had been living on less for a long time.

Another thing that helped a lot was going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University in January 2009.  We paid off a lot of debt last year.  I wish I could say that we were debt free, but I can't.  However, we were socking away money and were attempting to make sure that in the event that Brian did not have a job to go to when the company finally closed its doors, that we would be able to get by for a while.

My going back to work has helped.  I got my first paycheck from subbing this week (Yay!). Unemployment has helped.  It would have been nice if the company had honored the severance agreement and had paid Brian the wages it owed him during his tenure.  It would have been tremendous if the company had repaid Brian what he was owed.  Alas, that has not happened.  At any rate, we are utilizing our savings right now.

It's nice to know that we have friends who are concerned for us, and I genuinely appreciate it.  Some of you have mentioned Christmas.  Thank you.  Truly, we appreciate it.  Psalm 11:5 says that God provides food for those who fear Him, and we continue to be amazed at how God has sustained us.  I know that His Word promises that God will take care of us and I am continuing to trust in that.

Many blessings,

Jennifer