Day 9: Working

One of the great debates of the 21st century among women is the debate of "at home" vs. "working outside the home." I do not really want to engage in that fight, because I've been on both sides. I've been an at-home mom and a full-time (and part-time) work-outside-the-home mom, and in my experience there are pros and cons to both places. My "sweet spot" is wherever I feel that God has led me, doing what I believe in my heart the work He has for me to do.

I'm a firm believer in seasons in life. During the season I taught full-time outside our home, my husband worked either from church or from home (and at that church, his office was literally four steps across the yard) and was able to keep the baby with him. The next teaching job I had following that one was half-time. When our children needed care during the day, we were blessed with women within our churches who had in-home daycare, where the girls were cared for in love and by familiar faces. In the season I was at home, I strugged greatly with a loss of identity in my job, found some healing, but also weathered not a few storms.

Now that the girls are older, and I am too, we aren't in need of daycare. I'm also happy to work part-time once again. This season of life brings many challenges, and the past 18 months have wrought so much change it sometimes feels like my head might literally start spinning if I think about it all.

But when I consider my new job in our new location, I realize once again it's the "sweet spot" that God gave me, wherein I am able to build a career that will help us save money for the girls' college educations, as well as help make a dent in the dance and orthodontist expenses. More than that, I have the opportunity each week to minister to my students.

I've spoken with many women over the years who struggle with this working issue. The important thing for us to remember, in my opinion, is that each woman must answer to God and her husband (or if she is not married, to God alone), not to each other. And when in doubt, extend grace rather than condemnation or judgment.