God Knows, He Cares, and He Provides

Luke 12:24-26  Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?


The picture on the right is our Blessing Box. At the beginning of our unem- ployment last year, Kathy had the idea, when the first unexpected blessing came, to keep a record of all the things that God might do for us. In one sense it was a record, and in another sense, because we started it with the very first blessing, either we were very presumptive that God would help us, or we simply believed His Word, and counted on His promises being true. The latter was true for us. When we were first married, we had a few months of very tight financial times. God provided for us throughout that period, so we knew God's promises were true. It had been quite awhile, however, since that time. In the mid 80s, we had an experience of God's provision that still amazes us when we talk about it. We wanted to buy a house in South Carolina, near the PTL Television Network, because Kathy and I were both working long and erratic hours. We had lost all our equity in our previous house because of a housing recession in the Northwest, so we borrowed money from both of our parents for a down payment. We agreed to pay them back over a 3 or 4 year period. (foggy memory) The incredible thing is that we paid this money back in 1 year. To this day, we have never really figured out how that came about. All we know is that God helped us, blessed us and showed Himself real to us. Now, fast forward to last October.


October 2011 began a period of no income. I had been given 4.5 months of severance pay and health insurance. 4.5 months for 9 years of service seems fair, and is based on a formula that many businesses use. The only difference is that for most employees, after severance pay, unemployment pay begins. The US government has extended some benefits to 99 months. Churches are exempt from paying into the unemploy- ment insurance program, and therefore, church employees are not eligible. And, in addition to having our pay end, I was now responsible for paying our health insurance premium, another $1,500 monthly addition to a family budget with no income. That is when the miracles started to happen. Wonderful friends committed to helping us with our mortgage payment, other friends helped us at key times, when bills needed to be paid. We learned how to live much more frugally, and conserve the funds we did have. Going to the mailbox became an adventure as we were sent gift cards for grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, fast food places and even an Oberweiss gift card! We received a wonderful ham for Christmas, groceries dropped off at our doorstep, shopping trips to Sam's and many other blessings. Our little glass box began to fill up as we experienced incredible blessings from God, via our friends and sometimes, people we did not know. Just like our experience in the 80s, I can't tell you exactly how it happened, but after 13 months of unemployment and under-employment, all our bills are paid and they have been paid on time. We have accumulated a little credit card debt, but once we have a regular paycheck, we can take care of that. We have been humbled, and awed by what God has done. Luke 12:24-26 has indeed been real for us.


We have one more hurdle to jump. This month we transferred the last of our savings into our checking account. In the beginning, we had a 4 month *Dave Ramsey emergency fund in savings. Amazingly, it lasted 10 months! As we move to Tucson, Arizona to begin a new pastoral position, we will have a rent payment and a mortgage payment, deposits, some moving costs and one more health insurance payment. For the first time in 10 months, the well is dry. Concerned, yes, worried, no. God has met us too many times in these past months for us to worry or panic. If we start to worry, all we have to do is pull out some of the pieces of paper in our Blessing Box. God is good... (*Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University program)