My favorite illustration of what faith is comes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. You probably expected me to write about a great Biblical character like Abraham, David or Moses. But, it’s Indiana who is my main man when it comes to visualizing faith (not that he lived a more faithful life than those Biblical giants, it’s just my warped view).

Toward the end of the movie, Indy’s hot on the trail of the Holy Grail and he comes to a huge gorge. There’s no way he can jump it, the Nazis are quickly approaching and his guidebook says to take a step of faith! Indy closes his eyes, sticks his right leg out, and then lets it fall! But instead of plummeting to his death, he lands on an invisible bridge. He throws gravel to the other side of the gorge and you see a bridge that was always there, but he just couldn’t see it. That’s how I think my faith in God works. God always has a bridge ready for me to cross, I usually just don’t see it, but I simply need to take that step of faith . . .

After learning that my daughters’ scholarship wasn’t going to be renewed on the same day I lost my pilates job, the only thing I could do was have faith that God had a bridge. I often lose sight of that, and I’ll look anywhere for something I can tangibly see instead of just taking that STEP. But as Garth Brooks so eloquently stated, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Because my ways usually end up with me falling down that gorge . . . I wish I was exaggerating!

This story is no different. The first thing learned, that is probably a no-brainer to you, is that having Tuesday nights off is so nice! I get up at 5:30 every morning to workout and have prayer time, before getting the girls to school, going to work as an editor, and then onto whatever “thing” I have schedule that night—I usually don’t stop moving until bedtime. I’m someone whom you literally have to cut my legs off to stop sometimes— I definitely need a Tonya Harding whap to my knees at times. This was one of them!

An employee at my girls’ school encouraged me to appeal for a little more financial aid, especially in the light of losing my pilates job. So, I did—not expecting to really get anything because of the current economy. But yesterday I was blessed with additional aid that is more than what I would’ve made in a year of teaching that pilates class! Tuition will still be a financial burden, but every bit of lightening is exponentially greater than its sum value!

Lastly, I actually negotiated a salary on one of my other part-time jobs that will cover the rest—as long as they pay me . . . sad to say that’s not always a given in this industry. But, I negotiated! I’m usually the girl who gives her work away for free just because I honestly get a lot of satisfaction in simply helping people—but that’s not necessarily a good attribute for a single mom who receives no support. (Actually, anyone who knows me, knows that God divinely negotiated that salary because I am the WORST businesswoman on the face of the planet! If I went into detail on all the times I’ve worked—not even counting my volunteering, I’m talking about working—for free this blog would never end!)

So, thank you God for once again showing me quite visually what Indiana experienced physically on his way to Holy Grail!