God's got me.

The other day I was reminded just how far I've come in the last couple of years.

I recently celebrated my two year anniversary at my current workplace. Prior to this I had several 11-month stints on my resume but seemed to be unable to hit even the one year mark.

February 2, 2009, I accepted a possition as a receptionist. I was so desperate for health insurance I would have taken a job sweeping floors and cleaning potties. Penn State degree or not. I was willing to do just about anything.

Once on the job I realized my salary wasn't going to stretch very far. I had to keep my job bartending. Soon I found out I needed to pick up a third job as well. I was struggling to pay my bills. There wasn't any money left over to buy groceries. I found myself working three jobs all while going to grad school part time. Looking back, I really don't know how I did that. I know that I couldn't have done it if God hadn't been right by my side.

There were a couple of months where I had $40 for groceries. That's only $1.33 a day. But I did not go hungry. I had food. I had real food. Three meals a day. God. And a lot of dollar store pasta.

By September of 2009, a possition was created for me in the finance department and I was promoted to Assistant Financial Anaylist. And given a 30% pay raise. I was making so little to start with that it really didn't add up to much more. But, I was able to quit bartending and only wait tables on weekends. I was down to two jobs and grad school part time. But somehow the bills were now getting paid, credit card balances were decreasing at steady rates, and I had money to eat. I was even saving a little.

February 2010 I bought my house. I bought a house making $13.25/hour. And my mortgage ended up being 2/3 of what I had been paying in rent. God. Totally God. Totally and amazingly God. Because I'm not house poor. I live in a 4 bedroom/1.5 bath cape cod with a large yard and a detached garage. That I can afford. Making what most would consider absolutely no money.

I had many friends tell me that they wouldn't do the work I did for the money I made. I went to Penn State for crying out loud. And then I bought my house. And they said they didn't know how I did it. And told me they still wouldn't work for what I was making. And all I could think to myself was, if I wasn't doing this, I'd be living at home with mom and dad without a job. In northern Pennsylvania where there are no jobs to be had. Like many of my friends had for quite a while after graduation. Because they wouldn't work for what I was making.

January 1, 2011, I was promoted to Financial Analyst. And finally received a decent salary. A 36% raise.

In two years with this company I've received two promotions and two raises at larger percentages than most people ever see. That does not happen. God made that happen. Because I've prayed. And I've tythed. And I've worked my bum off. And I've cried. And I've been frustrated. And I've continued to pray. And continued to give thanks. And continued to work hard.

I'm still underpaid. But I have more than most who make twice what I have. Because God taught me humility. And He taught me frugality. And he taught me the value of hard work. Even if that hard work means three jobs and grad school.

God's got me. He's working on me. And the blessings are amazing. My cup runneth over.