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Part 5: Maria Long - Losing It All
Jen G: After you two were married, God called your husband to seminary which meant not only a meant a change in states, but also career wise for you. You went from being a teacher to working at a buffet. Why do you think God decided to reconstruct your life from the bottom up?
Maria Long I think God humbles those He loves and He definitely humbled me.
I had always felt very confident that God had a plan for my life, but sometimes God tries our faith. So that we can try His faithfulness, I needed more faith. I think He allowed me to experience that because now so many people I encounter are experiencing that and they don't know how to deal with it. Just like I didn't at first but God really worked on me
you know. I needed it!
I went from a job where everyone respected and pretty much adored me to people looking at me like you have no life and you’re a loser. Like I had no value.
At that point I wasn't getting my value from God and He knew that. I think that's why He humbled me, so that I could realize that none of those things mattered.
My 10 year reunion, what people thought of me none of that is as important as what God thinks of me. That's what matters and it seemed like once I figured that out everything changed!
Jen G: That mirror image makes you want work on yourself!
I know I look in the mirror and sometimes I want to duck out of view.
Maria Long I know the feeling.
Jen G: I think that's why God gives us the right person to hold us up in that time, in your case your husband...why do you believe in a time of not only financial hardships, but also an emotional change of position of doing what you love to doing something you didn’t caused you to draw nearer to not only draw nearer to God, but was used as a means to strengthen your marriage all the more...
Maria Long Maybe because God was preparing me for a time like this when I would need a strong marriage. Being gone on trips is hard on any marriage. We keep things in perspective and we maintain balance. I do not like to be gone more than 12 days from Ryan. We really started praying during those times together I mean we were so broke.
Jen G: That's good that you love him that much. Now during that trial in your life you began to study the people of the Bible. Was there any particular account that really ministered to your heart, any person or triumph that you held onto until God took you out of that place?
Maria Long Yes! Moses and Joseph, how he was in jail for something he didn't even do.
And then God made Him a ruler. God was preparing Him and testing His faith.
I couldn't even imagine a trial like that for years! 2 years I think, but he remained faithful to God. He depended on God for everything and look how God changed His life!
Jen G: Yeah, that is inspiring!
Part 6 - Maria Long: The Mission of the Heart
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