Based on the title alone I’m sure you have figured out what the end goal of this post is about. I want to assure you that it’s about more than that. The past six months have been nothing short of amazing, terrifying, frustrating, plain sad and uber gnarly. Weird combo I know, but truthful. It pains me that I have to leave the ministry but I have a wife, son and another little boy on the way soon(coming end of November) that I need to take care of first. I have loved my time with JSAW and Help Boardshop. God has truly done a lot with me since I have been here and has challenged me in ways at work and in my personal life that I had not experienced in my short 28+ years of life on this place we call earth. 2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” I have comfort and confirmation in this verse as my wife and I have had some rough times financially, emotionally and in our relationship with those close to us and each other. It is tough being a father/husband who works 55+ hours a week every week and still cannot afford rent or sometimes to feed everyone in the house. We are grateful that we have had a place to stay but as a man, it beats you down when you feel as though you are doing all you can to support your family and it’s still not enough. It has been tough on my wife as she has been stuck at home with our son unable to get work because anything she does would go straight to paying childcare for our son. Through all of this she has been my rock and I am truly blessed that God has given me such a good gift in my wife. It was hard to see sometimes that this was the right move, bringing my family up from 10 hours south in Illinois, where I had a salary job and we had our own place and an amazing Christian community. But I know he has a plan and we just needed to be patient, because “he who begins a good thing in you will see it through to completion.” So, me transitioning from full-time to volunteer with Help Boardshop is sad but it’s just a fork in the road that will still allow me to speak life into the boarders that come to Help while being able to support my family with a full time job. (By the way, I will be a Recruitment Manager at Crown College).
To change gears a bit and end this lengthy and poorly written article about my last day, I will say that I have loved my time here as an employee, all the people/connections I’ve made and the guys that have come to the shop for Bible study on Wednesday nights (homies, I will miss you the most). But know that this is not good-bye, I’m going to keep working/volunteering and obviously skating with you all. I just won’t be an employee anymore. I love all of you dearly and I am excited about this new chapter in my young family’s life and that my new job will still allow (actually encourage me) to stay involved with the ministry. So, for now, I’m chucking up the deuces. Peace, homies. – Noah