My 40 day
fast ends in two days and as always… God is faithful.
He has
absolutely given direction and how grateful I am for some new irons in the
fire! As with many transitions there are
bittersweet aspects but I am so ready for a new season…bring it! But first… as promised; MIRACLES HAPPEN.
So my bestie
from Kona is getting married. She lives
in Canada and as I have mentioned a gazillion-jiggabilllion times I have not
been in the most money making season of my life, hehe. But my bestie asked me to be IN the party and
even if she didn’t- of course- I want to go!!
So how would I EVER be able to afford it? I asked for a miracle.
I’m not sure
if you guys believe in God’s economy.
The whole tithing and gifts thing.
But I DO. His word is perfectly
clear on the matter. Nowhere in the New
Testament are we commanded to tithe but it is a principle of faith. It’s a discipline that is meant to teach us
and contribute to developing our character.
It’s the only place in the bible that God actually says, “Test me in
this!” Malachi 3:10, “Bring the whole
tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in
this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the
floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room
enough to store it.” I don’t know about
ya’ll… but… I could stand for the floodgates of heaven to be poured out in my
direction, right?!! Granted, He is talking about food…the ‘first fruits’ of the
crops and harvest so that everyone will have enough. In that not all of us are farmers, the ‘first
fruits’ of our culture tends to be money. So even when things are painfully
tight… I choose to exercise what I know to be true. You cannot out give God. I have
tested Him in this…and He never fails to give it back to me. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying there haven’t been times where
I was so hurting that I cried out, “Lord!
I know You see me. I know You see
this situation. Have I not tithed? Have I not been faithful? Please!! Open the
floodgates already!” NOT that He needs
my reminders but His timing is not always as I would prefer it. And the blessing doesn’t always come back in
money. Favor is favor. (Not to say I am trying to pay for His favor…good
heavens, no.) At any rate… I asked for a
miracle.
Even in my
poverty someone said to me, “You know… I know God understands when you are that
broke that you don’t give the full tithe.”
And it’s true. He does
understand. But 10% is only a lot when
you are giving it. It really isn’t that
much when you are applying it to all the everyday stuff. It’s called Sacrifice for a reason. I’m sorry… I feel myself making this about
tithing and it is SO NOT. As a matter of
fact, tithing is a VERY personal thing and people come to it…or don’t… at
different times. Again…it’s a principle of faith.
The point is…
the floodgates of heaven have been poured out upon me and… I have to give Him
GLORY!!!
I have a
friend who lives in Norway. I met her in
Kona as well. We actually only got
together like 2 or 3 times before she left.
We barely had time to deepen the connection we both felt. She messaged me recently saying that she was
coming to Las Vegas for a wedding and how close was it to me? ugh.
So close and yet so far away. I
can’t afford to drive to Vegas. I can’t
afford to take the time off of work and even if I did I wouldn’t have the gas
money or extra for accommodations and food.
So I had to break it to her that I couldn’t afford it, how sorry I was,
and that I was praying for a miracle to make it to a wedding myself this
summer.
A couple of
days later she messages me that she is not coming to Vegas after all…but ‘there
is no reason why one us of shouldn’t make it to our wedding this summer. How much did I need to comfortably make it?’ My American, hard-working, prideful initial
response was to say, ‘Noooooo.’ But… I had asked for a miracle. You can’t ask God to rescue you and then not
accept it. (Like the old joke about the guy on the roof in a flood, right?) So…
I told her how much tickets were (about $600.) and that ‘I would never expect
her to give that much and thank you for the consideration.’ She responds, “It’s
just really clear to me that I don’t own anything. It is all God’s and how He chooses to take
care of His children, is really up to Him.
So, I try to obey even if awkward, hoping it will be less awkward over
time, because it is really wonderful to feel Him taking care of us with the
material stuff as well as the spiritual.”
She continued, “I asked Him about how much and I felt Him saying
$1000. But I was like, ‘what if that’s
not enough? What if she needs $1500?...
$1000. it is.”
$1000.???!!!!! DOLLARS?!!!!!! I would call that a miracle,
boys and girls. Flat out. She wrote, “I don’t think it is a coincidence
that I reached out at this moment, and the funny part is that I was considering
spending money on a wedding…Little did I know God was planning for me to spend
the money on a wedding, just not the one I had in mind.”
How absolutely
humbling it is to receive. I never, ever
get over how abundant God is and how generous people can be. It is the hardest thing to receive such
gifts- but the truth is- if I had it go give, I so would!! And the blessing that the giver receives is
abundant also. To know that without your
gift they would not be able…is a feeling like no other. To be used by God in His orchestration. #priceless.
So, MIRACLES
HAPPEN. They truly do. Thank you, my dearest Norwegian
Friend!!! I have no words; but trust
that God in His glorious riches will convey the magnitude of my emotions and
gratitude in ways that He alone can. I
pray His richest blessings upon you and grant you favor. I thank you, my bestie thanks you, everyone
who will be inspired by your faith and obedience thank you! You, sister, are the real deal. (((HUG)))
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
This girl is
Canada bound.
