I landed in the states about a month ago now and the most frequently asked question has been, “What’s next?”
Although this has not been my most favorite question to answer, as I have prayed through it and asked God the same thing I feel that I have finally received an answer. So, here’s for those of you I was not able to answer in full, or for those of you who are still curious as to what is indeed, next:
I suppose I cannot stay on this side of the world for very long, because last week I found myself in line at the Chinese Consulate in Houston to apply for yet another visa. I was given clear and precise instructions on every document and sheet of paper that I would be asked for by my mom and sister who had already gone through the tedious process. I felt prepared, but also freed myself from expectations that I wouldn’t have to return.
I arrived early and I was standing in line reading, but got caught up in all that was going on around me so I put my book down to soak it all in. Then, it was my turn to step up to the window and slip my paperwork beneath the glass with hope. The woman on the other side of the glass kept nodding and I was feeling encouraged. Then she asked for a copy of my passport, so I handed it over with confidence. But.. she said it was too small and needed to be printed on a full-sized sheet of paper. However, there was a copy machine in that very room and she said I could go make a full copy and bring it right back. I was relieved and made my way to the other side of the crowded room.
There was a young girl who I assume had found herself in the same predicament and was already at work attempting to make a copy of her passport. After standing there a little while, it was pretty clear that she was having some trouble, so I asked her how it was going. She explained that the copy machine wasn’t cooperating and wouldn’t take her bills and would only accept coins, but she didn’t have enough. “Oh, I have some!” I responded immediately while pulling out my wallet. I stuck a quarter in her hand and she thanked me profusely.
I quickly realized that I hadn’t bothered to see how much change I had left, so I started digging in my wallet and pulled out two more quarters. 50 cents. I had just enough.
The machine started making a racket and seemed to be suddenly working. It spit out a copy of her passport along with even more change than she had put in. She turned around, gave me a pleasantly confused look, and placed the extra quarters in my hand, grabbed her copy, and walked away while wishing me luck.
I started at work and began having the same trouble with the evidently difunctional machine. I put in my two quarters and pushed a few buttons, and after some time, it finally made my copy and then, the machine spit out even more quarters.
I turned around and realized that during my difficulty a line had formed behind me. There was a man waiting to use the copy machine, and then another woman behind him. I offered a bit of advice and informed the man that the bill acceptor was not working and asked him if he had any coins. He only had a dollar bill so I gave him two of the coins that had multiplied in my hand. Then I gave the woman behind him the last 50 cents. They both tried waving their bills at me in return, but I wouldn’t accept. Couldn’t they see how much joy I was receiving in my giving?
And there was just enough.
I found my way back to the window, didn’t even have to stand in line again, slipped my copy beneath the glass and the kind woman told me that was it. I could pick up my visa on Thursday.
I was suddenly completely overwhelmed and ran out of the consulate and to my car and burst into tears. I felt the Spirit surrounding me in that moment and the Lord spoke to me about what he had just done. While standing at a machine with the sole purpose of multiplying, thats exactly what happened.
Multiplication.
I willingly gave away what I didn’t know I had enough of, only to receive even more in return. Then, the coins multiplied once again so that I had enough for the copies that were waiting to be created behind me. And that’s what he wanted me to hear.
“Grace, I’m multiplying.”
Sooo… what’s next? Well the answer is truly that I just don’t know. However, what I do know is what the Father is asking me to rest in. He’s multiplying.
I have had the honor of witnessing many wonders across the globe in the last year, and even still, he is multiplying what he has already revealed. Because there is always, always enough. And always, always more.
