Well, its official. God just totally provided a way for us to pay off one of our debts!!! We are so excited!!! This is another of the miracles that I spoke about in an earlier post. For years we have been in a downward spiral of debt. I know so many can sympathize with us because you too are there as well. When we decided to go on the road in obedience, it was not easy. We certainly didn't know how it was all going to work out. We were getting more and more involved in the church that we have always felt as our church home. We were growing spiritually, both individually and together as a family. We were just down the road from family and able to spend time with them on a regular basis. We were also making some really good friends. However, we were floundering financially and having to use our credit cards to buy groceries. Yep, heading down the spiral again. Well, God gave us a view of how our lives could be lived and let me tell you, its amazing! We want that and that is why we are following in submission. Here is what God showed us...
Can you imagine becoming aware of a major need somewhere, say a friend has no way to buy groceries one month or you know some missionaries who need something, but can't afford it or you have an opportunity to send someone on a mission trip or make a huge difference in someone's life and all it takes is money. You know money that actually all belongs to God anyway. The stuff He can give even if you don't know how or when, but it just shows up all of a sudden? Well, what God showed us is we can be conduits for God moving His money around in this manner. No matter what amount of money we make, its all God's anyway. When we are good stewards of what God has already given us, i.e. getting and staying out of debt (Being in debt is being a slave to that money. Money is using you not the other way around and God's plan for you gets stalled because you are enslaved elsewhere!) giving your tithe not only willingly, but joyfully and helping God's kingdom prosper by giving to His missionaries, sewing seeds of hope where there was none like Angel Tree kids, orphanages, pastors and their families, etc.
Even though, on paper, when we first started doing this, we shouldn't have been able to, God totally provided the means and direction. Its amazing!! Not only has He provided for the extra money to go to His ministries, He's provided more money for us to begin paying off our debts. Eventually, we want to be able to have enough money to provide for our family. Not excessive amounts or anything. We're not looking for super nice vehicles or houses or things. We want to have a house that has enough room for us to be generous with the space and at least one possibly two dependable vehicles and there are some other things we desire for our family which I will explain in future posts. The excess money, which will be a good chunk of change when we get out of debt and live well below our means, will go to missions, churches, supporting new pastors in countries where Christianity is not supported, going on missions trips ourselves to provide our particular gifts God has given us where they are most needed...the possibilities are endless!!!
Isaiah 55:2 - Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
Matthew 25:14-28 - Parable of the Talents - "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.
More verses to look up:
1 Timothy 6:3-10
Deuteronomy 8:11-20
Proverbs 13:11
Proverbs 22:1, 4, 7, 9 and 16
Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
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