God's Great Provisions!
I must take time this Saturday morning to praise our God for His great love for us! As many of you know Nick and I are going through a somewhat rough financial time right now, but so are billions around the world. So, we are by no means calling for a pity party. I am however sharing this so you might understand how much I have to thank God for!
Nick as you know is a pretty big guy and he likes to eat a lot. I also really love to eat, all day long! We also really love to have people over and share meals with them, we believe this is mandatory for sharing God's love.
The combination of these two thoughts create a very tight food budget. In fact, we only have $100 a month for the two of us and those that join us. This $100 includes paying for medicine, Clorox, and various other household needs.
Here is the exciting part. Monday, while Nick was working, he found around 10 cans of food that a renter had left behind. He is allowed to bring those kinds of things home. God provided around 8 cans of beans and corn for us and 3 giant costco size cans of fruit and applesauce for us to share with our church family the next three weeks:) Then, Thursday I found out we are 90% accepted to be a part of a ministry that for only $50 a month will provide our weekly groceries along with several other services!!!!! This won't start until near the end of November so we've got to keep it tight until then but no worries! THEN today, I was planning to go get the ads to save big time with the coupons and found in the mail $9 in rebates to our local grocery store!!!! So, normally I would only get to spend $25 on groceries this week but now I get to spend $34 which will fully be enough for this week:)
I can hardly contain myself, ahhh we are so blessed. This only is the tip of the iceberg, I cannot even put into words how God has been providing beyond our grocery bill these last few weeks. I now only pray I don't loose sight of His faithfulness those evening when we are exhausted from working with out pay, sitting down to work out a new budget for lack of cash flow, or those evening when a cold settles deeply in the chest. God provides time, money, and health. I need to pray more, read more, and love on others more deeply.
God forgive me for my lack of faith. Forgive me from my selfishness. Give me a humble and grateful heart.
God doesn't answer my prayer for humbleness with a sudden change in heart, He answers it by creating opportunity to be humble. So, as tough as times can be for me and so many I love, the reward of humbleness and a change of heart is worth every bit of it....
God make me humble.
Nick as you know is a pretty big guy and he likes to eat a lot. I also really love to eat, all day long! We also really love to have people over and share meals with them, we believe this is mandatory for sharing God's love.
The combination of these two thoughts create a very tight food budget. In fact, we only have $100 a month for the two of us and those that join us. This $100 includes paying for medicine, Clorox, and various other household needs.
Here is the exciting part. Monday, while Nick was working, he found around 10 cans of food that a renter had left behind. He is allowed to bring those kinds of things home. God provided around 8 cans of beans and corn for us and 3 giant costco size cans of fruit and applesauce for us to share with our church family the next three weeks:) Then, Thursday I found out we are 90% accepted to be a part of a ministry that for only $50 a month will provide our weekly groceries along with several other services!!!!! This won't start until near the end of November so we've got to keep it tight until then but no worries! THEN today, I was planning to go get the ads to save big time with the coupons and found in the mail $9 in rebates to our local grocery store!!!! So, normally I would only get to spend $25 on groceries this week but now I get to spend $34 which will fully be enough for this week:)
I can hardly contain myself, ahhh we are so blessed. This only is the tip of the iceberg, I cannot even put into words how God has been providing beyond our grocery bill these last few weeks. I now only pray I don't loose sight of His faithfulness those evening when we are exhausted from working with out pay, sitting down to work out a new budget for lack of cash flow, or those evening when a cold settles deeply in the chest. God provides time, money, and health. I need to pray more, read more, and love on others more deeply.
God forgive me for my lack of faith. Forgive me from my selfishness. Give me a humble and grateful heart.
God doesn't answer my prayer for humbleness with a sudden change in heart, He answers it by creating opportunity to be humble. So, as tough as times can be for me and so many I love, the reward of humbleness and a change of heart is worth every bit of it....
God make me humble.
November 7, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Oh Mandy. This is wonderful. When we first went to Michigan, we were the poorest we'd ever been--I remember Solomon asking for a banana, and walking to the grocery store with 11 cents, hoping it was enough. (It was). I'd never been through such an experience of absolute reliance upon God for his material provisions. It was so hard! BUT we were NEVER hungry. Bags of groceries would appear on our door, food in the cupboards would stretch and stretch, and eventually we got hooked up with some awesome ministries that served seminary students such as us. Now, just a few years later, we find ourselves in the opposite situations-- with plenty, and an ability to share.
God is very, very, tangibly faithful--I praise him for these experiences he's taking you through! =)
I loved reading this post. Thank you for sharing.
November 14, 2009 at 7:17 AM
November 18, 2009 at 3:48 PM
Mandy, Thanks for sharing both your need and God's provision. Do you get your food from a grocery store or from a food pantry? Does the church that planted you still support you and Nick? I guess I don't know exactally how this is working for you. Blessing,
Ronda