by Roger Bruner
On July 8th, God’s Provision in Tough Times released from Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. Over the next few weeks, join us as we meet some of the 25 authors of this fantastic book about overcoming financial hardships in the era of a down economy. The book is filled with stories of hope and is sure to lift your spirits.
Up sixth is Roger Bruner:
I believe God’s working behind the scenes;
He’s helping me in ways I can’t see.
God understands all my problems;
He knows my best efforts are not enough to solve them.*
So begin the lyrics of a song I wrote in October of 2003. One month after I turned fifty-seven. . .
Unemployed for the first time in my adult life, I was old enough to know I couldn’t keep up with the fast-paced and never-ending changes in information technology. But I was too young to retire.
What did I want to do—regardless of whether I was qualified to do it? And what did God want me to do?
Those questions had plagued me ever since the downsizing in June of that year. After twelve months of struggling with a job assignment I failed to catch on to—my only career failure in thirty-five years—I could only say what I didn’t want to do.
I met weekly with a small group of fellow job seekers. As Christian brethren, we prayed for and uplifted one another. I wrote the song “Working Behind the Scenes” for them as well as for myself.
God was indeed working in ways I couldn’t see. First, He led me to an administrative assistant position I could do at home. I even received a complete, licensed copy of Microsoft Office (I’m still using that one) as one of my benefits.
Then when my employer ran out of work herself, God moved me to a Christmas job at Target. It ended up lasting three years.
During my time at Target, God proved Himself in the most unexpected of ways. I’d always wanted to write a novel, but I’d never had the time or a suitable idea. Part-time hours at Target removed the first of those obstacles, and God provided the story idea I needed.
While I can’t say I’ve yet published a breakout novel, God has enabled me to have two books published by a recognized publisher, a contract with a different publisher for another book, and one pending for still another. He also worked things out so I could retire at sixty-two to write full-time, even without any assurance of writing income.
Has God been working behind the scenes in my life? You’d better believe it!
*A free lead sheet for “Working Behind the Scenes” is available at RogerBruner.com. You may play a recording of it by selecting “Working Behind the Scenes” from the drop-down box labeled “home recordings” at RogerBruner.com.
Photo Courtesy of Alycia Morales
Roger Bruner worked as a teacher, job counselor, and programmer analyst before retiring to pursue his dream of writing Christian fiction full-time. A guitarist and songwriter, he is active in his church choir, plays bass on the praise team, and plays guitar at the weekly nursing home ministry. Roger also enjoys reading, web design, mission trips, photography, and spending time with his wonderful wife, Kathleen. Roger has two published Young Adult novels, Found in Translation and Lost in Dreams, and a mid-life romance called Impractically Yours is under contract for publication, hopefully in 2013.
