I’m in the swimming pool industry and have been since the early 90s.  1990s not 1890s.  I currently work for a manufacturing company where we’ve been one of the fortunate ones, in that during COVID, we’ve absolutely exploded.  I was also self-employed in the pool business in 2008 when the housing market crashed where we lost 90% of our income in a single year.

During the crash of 2008, we didn’t know how we were going to pay bills.  We sold almost everything we had of value, including my wife’s wedding ring, just to keep from going under.  Our next step was to sell our furniture, but by God’s grace we didn’t get there.  We were also joyful.  Not perfectly, but we were joyful.

This time is harder for me.  I think it’s because I’m somewhat of a people pleaser and things are so crazy busy that it’s hard to keep up with everything.  Not just in work, but in life.  It’s really easy for me to get discouraged and lose focus. 

I’ve totally related to Solomon when he wrote in Ecclesiastes-

1:3 What advantage does man have in all his work which he does under the sun?

5:10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. 

When my focus gets off who God is and His great love for me, I struggle.  We are to be salt and light to a dying world.  I’ve realized that I haven’t been joyful when I’m interacting with most who are very stressed in the pool industry.  It probably bleeds into everyday life as well.  In the hecticness of this season of my life I’m grateful that God has convicted me of this and has shown me my sin.  I want to represent Jesus well.  Because of my time in the Word, I have a fresh perspective simply by being reminded of who God is. 

This is my prayer for myself and us as a church.

Psalm 16:11 
You will make known to me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.

May we rest in Him and have the fullness of joy that only comes from His presence.

-Greg Huber