Another Amazing Week

Okay, the week has just begun, but it is already amazing! I won't go into boring details about some little things we were needing,but once again, we were thinking about whether we should spend money on some things. (That can be the most exhausting part of our situation... just trying to make good decisions about spending the money we do have... cause we can't see into the future and don't know how long we are going to be without Mark's income.) Sunday night, a dear couple at church gave us a gift and we knew that we could go ahead with what we were needing, plus it gave us some grocery money. What a blessing!

So, today my son and I went to the grocery store and as I was walking down one aisle another dear woman I know came up and said, "I just bought you some chicken for dinner!!" She plopped it in my cart with the receipt so that I could show it was paid for and went on her way.

The people of the Lord are simply amazing!

Lest you think every prayer we pray is answered in this way, it isn't always so. We have been praying about an appliance that needs a repair this week and so far the Lord hasn't seen fit to fix it. But, we are alright with that. HE is the master of our moments, the Lord of all there is to know... if we truly needed it fixed He would see to it that it were done or give us peace about spending money on fixing it. So far we are living with it the way it is and it is just fine!

Those who know your name will trust in you,
for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Ps. 9:10

Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity

Mark and I "dog sat" for a few days and I babysat for some friends today... they both insisted on paying, although I didn't want them to. But later I realized that the timing points to it being more of God's provision towards winter clothes for the kids. So, I should praise God for it!

When God provided the ram for Abraham's sacrifice in Gen. 22, Abraham called the place "Jehovah-Jireh", meaning God provides.... then that verse says, "In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen". When doing a study on the names of God I read that phrase is an expression meaning, "Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity". It is so true... kind of similar to the scripture that says that God's power is perfected in our weaknesses.

Our Flour and Oil STILL Remain UNEmpty

As the weather turned cold, the kids have some needs... you know, last year's winter clothes don't fit, last year's shoes have holes or don't fit. It is always kind of stressful deciding what to spend money on and looking for ways to get what you need *cheap*! I was praying over these needs last week, asking for wisdom as to what to spend and what and where to buy, and for His continued provision. Then out of the blue on Sunday dear friends gave us some cards/gifts that I feel is God's answer for that particular need. It just amazes me that every time the needs grow the provisions grow. I'm almost embarrassed to report how good God is being to us! And, there is always a pride factor involved in accepting gifts from friends... but God keeps reminding me of Acts 2 .... it is the sign of a healthy church when it functions in this way. And, some day we will be in the position to again help others.

A little over a week ago, my cell phone fell into the kitchen sink (I don't know how, except I know that someone called while I was washing dishes and so I set it near the sink when I finished... so somehow it got knocked in after that). The sink was not full of water, but I think some water was ran over it because the phone functioned but the screen wouldn't. Last week I found out that it is very hard to use your cell phone without a screen! I tried taking the phone apart and letting it air out for 2 days. Still didn't work. I tried baking it in the oven on low heat for several hours (a solution found on the internet) but that didn't work. We looked on Ebay for used Cingular phones, but they were expensive. Paul's phone is having some problems, too, and we decided to go to Cingular to see if we could get new free phones with a renewal on our contract. But, there were no free phones. Then, Mark says, "Did you pray about the phones?" Duh. Maybe God would direct us to a solution.

Guess what? My phone's screen suddenly started functioning again yesterday! PTL!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus."
Phil. 4:6

Things to be Thankful for!

Answers to prayer!

About two weeks ago I started looking on craigslist.com for a computer. The kids have a lot of their school lessons and writing assignments to do on the computer, Mark needs to do his job searching and real estate work on it, and I have work and school records to do. Everyone is having a hard time getting all their computer work done! I found a couple of used computers on craigslist for $75-100, but while talking with the kids about the need for another computer I said, "You know, we should pray about this first and see if God provides one or gives me peace about spending some money on one." Fast foward to this week... Mark's grandma called said that she is going to be getting a low-end computer from her phone company (as a reward)... she doesn't need it and asked if we could use it.

The kids have a youth trip this weekend and I was concerned about providing them spending money. But, the Lord provided some paying work for each of them, allowing them to earn and save up enough to use on the trip.

A friend asked Mark to do some work for him a few weeks ago, and in exchange he'd keep track of how much he worked and give us credit for any future auto repairs we might need. The same month we had to get our van inspected for our license renewal... and we needed new brakes! God put the method to pay for the repairs in place before we knew we needed them!

"...for those who trust Him wholly, find Him wholly true."

God is good

You might wonder about the last several day's silence here! We've been on a mission trip! It is good to be able to give!! We went to help a church that had their main building destroyed by a tornado. It was a good trip, lots accomplished. I thought I'd share from some Bible studies we had while we were there:

1) The Pastor used the story of Moses having his hands held up by Aaron and Hur (from Ex. 17:8-15) to describe what our mission team was doing for them. Thinking about that later, I realized that is much what you, our friends and family, are doing for us... in holding us up in prayer and sharing with us from what you have. Many times I grow weary with all that is on my mind and in trying to make what we have stretch... and then someone comes along and supports my arms with prayer or a gift or encouraging words.

2) At their Wednesday prayer service, we were studying a chapter in 1 Peter and it was very applicable to our situation and I'm sure to any of you who are also enduring a trial. So, I thought I'd close by sharing the scripture with you today in hopes that it might also be an encouragement to others:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

1 Peter 5:6-10

God's Prompting

We attended a youth ministry meeting this Sunday and found out that between now and Christmas there were many youth events that have costs attached. The Wednesday night Bible study the youth are beginning was $10 a book. There is a youth conference the youth are attending later this month, which is somewhere around $45 per student, plus another $30-40 or more that we need to send for meals... and that doesn't even include any spending money for miscellaneous things. Then the Dare2Share student conference is coming up, and they want us to pay for it now... it is also around the same cost. As you can see, it adds up quickly, and then we have to take it times 3 (because we have 3 youth).... that's a lot of money.

The kids can work and raise some money on their own, but their being able to make that much money so quickly was doubtful. For Mark and I, it is hard to know what to do.... even if we have the money to pay for the trip in our checking, we don't know how long Mark will be unemployed, and that causes to think the money we do have in our checking should only be used for house payment, insurance, food.... We doubt whether we should be spending money on youth trips, yet the youth trips are an important part of their spiritual growth. It's hard to know the right thing to do. I left the youth meeting with a knot in my stomach. I told no one but God about my concerns. No more than an hour later a woman came up to me and pressed some money in my hand and said, "Use this how you want, but it should be enough to send your kids on the next youth trip and pay for the Bible study materials".

It still amazes me when this happens. One of the most incredible things is knowing that God must nudge a person's heart, and they respond immediately to that prompting. It is such an example to me, as to how I should respond when God prompts me to do something. How many times have I failed to do what God asked me to do and miss out on blessing someone? It really sickens me to think that there may have been someone praying about an issue and God prompted me to do something.... and I didn't react immediately, then ended up forgetting about it... Did God have to go to another beliver to answer that prayer because I failed? I truly pray that I will never, ever allow that to happen.

In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets—some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to his guests for their blessing. (2 Timothy 2:20-21 The Message)