Praise God

I realize that what I am doing is different. This is not the first time I am making this statement. As I share my lifestyle, job and faith with people I always hope that the response will be different, that people will understand. I know that my lifestyle goes against the culture we are brought up as apart of in America. Mostly from Christians I hope that they will understand what I am doing and embrace it. I know I can’t expect that though. Don’t get me wrong there are people in my life that embrace what I am doing other than the people I work with. This has come up because just in the last few days as I have shared I have had more people try to fix my life. Try telling me what I should do to fix my financial situation and how I could be living ‘better’. Better always equals having a steadier, more consistent financial situation. I realize that I am part of this conversation also and I have a reasonability to share the ways God has provided and has been so faithful. Sometimes this doesn’t even work but I know I must be sharing in the miracles that God is doing. So let me share lest you think that my life is not as it should be…

About two months ago I received in the mail this flier for Curves for Women. It was a promotion to come in for 9 workouts over 3 weeks for 30 minuets each. Back about 8 months ago God told me that I needed to workout. I had tried a few things and nothing was working. I don’t think that I need to lose a lot of weight but more just be healthier. So, I signed up for this promotion, I really enjoyed it. Because I participated in promo my joining fee went from $159 to $29. Felt that God was opening the door for this because I went in the first place. I don’t normally do promo things. I lost about 4 lbs. over the three weeks. I was able to out on some pants that I hadn’t worn in awhile. One of my friends noticed and we began talking about Curves and she asked about the monthly rate and joining fee and how I was liking it. The following day was a hard day with family and she called to leave a message telling me she and another friend wanted to take me out to dinner and also that she wanted to pay for the year membership at Curves for me! Praise God. So I have been working out, I still really enjoy it and I feel better about myself. It is wonderful.

Another friend of mine also wanted to pay for my year membership, I shared with her that someone else already did it. She said well I know I am supposed to do something. A few days later she came back and told me she was going to pay for December rent.

This past Friday we were at our Directors house having dinner after shoveling and snow blowing the Lazarus House and their house. A funny noise was coming from the basement. Ron went down stairs and there was water all over, the water heater blew. They simply said, “God knew and has it covered.” Sunday evening friends were over and Ron joked about the water heater. As they were leaving the man asked what the deal was with the water heater. Ron shared and without hesitation the man said, “Go to Sears tomorrow and get the best they have and have them install it, bill me.” On Tuesday a brand new state of the art water heater was reinstalled into their house.

The ministry has been tight money wise, to the point of not being able to pay bills. Our board was starting to get worried. Yesterday we received $2800 for bills and current needs. Earlier in the week we received $240 also for bills and ministry needs. In a few days God provided for all the bills and then some!
This week someone also wrote me and shared they would be supporting me on a monthly basis. It was a letter out of the blue and ever so encouraging.

God doesn’t only provide financially!

God has provided about 100 people to adopt kids to buy them Christmas presents. Almost all the families were home to share this news with them. It was so encouraging to the families. We will have a Christmas party this Saturday to collect the lists and share the Christmas story with these kids and hopefully parents.

We are receiving Christmas dinners for some of our families.

Aside form the Wish Lists for kids we are also getting about 100 shoe boxes full of personal need items and a few presents.

One family we delivered a turkey to them at Thanksgiving. Over the summer a member of the family had a heart attack and then was recently laid off from work. As a family they made a decision to not celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. They purchased a few presents and that was it. So, when we brought the turkey, it was a big deal they were so grateful. She shared the story and we found out that they weren’t going to have a Christmas tree either. We know someone who collects older artificial trees, ornaments, and lights. We called her and shared the need, on Tuesday she came and together some staff and she delivered it to this family. It was an amazing moment with the family! We plan to take one of the Christmas dinners to this family also.

God has been is so good.

Yet he (Abraham) did not waiver in unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith being fully persuaded that God will do what He had promised!
Rom 4:20-21