so….i have, what i think to be, a pretty awesome story.
the money in my world race account had been sitting at a stand still for awhile and a ‘support goal’ of $4000 by June 14th came and went while i was about $1000 under. i was a little worried about not meeting that goal and i expressed that to one of my roommates who kindly reminded me I had about $1800 in cash hiding in my bedroom. she told me i should just deposit that into the World Race account and then I’d be right on track.
well…that was my stash. the cash was all to be used for the World Race, but i need money for while i’m there, and what about my plane ticket to the lauch site and my shots? …depositing that money was not an option.
i told another girlfriend about being under the goal. oddly, she also suggested depositing the cash that was hiding in my bedroom. she said it’d be a step of faith, showing the Lord that i trust Him to provide for me.
…but still, that was my stash. it needed to stay in my bedroom. plus…i liked counting it.
a few days later i was sitting in my room doing …something (probably counting the large bundle of cash i had…) and a sermon by Bill Johnson came on my iTunes. it was a sermon about healing, but for some reason he was talking about the ‘poverity spirit’, saying that it always holds onto whatever it gets because it doesn’t trust the Lord to provide what it needs. also, the poverty spirit can never have enough…it’s always in lack.
interesting.
however…that’s not me. and this was my stash.
then my uncle took me out to coffee. somehow…he brings up the spirit of poverty and living with a poverty mentality.
i guess i couldn’t ignore it anymore.
my heart started beating fast.
palms started sweating.
i needed to deposit that cash.
i spent sometime in prayer about it. because…i mean…i wouldn’t want to deposit that money without the Lord’s leading. (you gotta be sure about these things you know)
as i was praying the Lord was revealing to me that i was trusting in that money to provide for my needs instead of trusting in Him. He told me to deposit the money and then to watch as He becomes my security…as He becomes my hidden stash.
for some reason i was still freaking out. thankfully this revelation (and decision to obey) came on a sunday and banks aren’t open….
…but monday came.
i went to the bank.
deposited my nice bundle of cash.
wrote a check for $1880 to Adventures in Missions.
put it in the mail.
deep breathe in. deep breathe out.
i went home and looked at my World Race support account.
no way would the money be in there…i just dropped the check in the mail.
but i still wanted to look.
well…
the $1880 wasn’t there (surprise)
but
a check for $540 was…from friends of mine who have already given nearly $800; also a $50 check, a $25 check and a $75 check.
haha.
faithfulness.
i have officially broken the $4000 mark.
still have a ways to go…but, well…i’m not really worried about it anymore.
oh, also, a customer at the coffee shop i work at gave me a beautiful card with $20 in it today. cash. 🙂 to start my stash back up. ha.
my Daddy.
i’m just in awe.
my devotional for today (july 1–two months before i leave) says:
“we can depend on God to fulfill His promise, even when all the roads leading to it are closed. ‘for no matter how many promises God has made, they are “yes” in Christ. And so through him the “amen” [so be it] is spoken by us to the glory of God”
praise you my Jesus! ha. i just don’t even have any words for you tonight. forgive me for forgetting your faitfulness…forgive me for looking to other things (cash…) as my security or my provision. Lord, i don’t want that. thank you Jesus! thank you thank you thank you for being so infinitely good and wise and kind…and patient with me! keep me from forgetting Lord.
bless those who read this papa…with the assurance of your goodness and your provision. you see them and their need and you will meet them where they are. you never leave us alone–we’re more important than the birds…and you provide wonderfully for them 🙂
praise you Jesus!
nightnight.
