This year Joel and I made it a priority to GIVE in ways that we have never done before...the coolest thing about it? Well, in reality we never really sat down and had a conversation about it! It was more like the Lord laid it on each of our hearts individually that we needed to be people of giving. There were no stressful "what if" conversations about money or "can we afford that"? We just DID IT!
It has honestly been THE best Holiday Season for us so far in our 16 years of marriage! It began before Thanksgiving with the preparation of Operation Christmas Child boxes. In the past we have done 2 boxes - one for a girl and one for a boy. This year we did 7 boxes of our own and were also able to help with the purchasing of items for other boxes put together by our church!
It continued after thanksgiving with the purchase of formula to go to an orphanage in Uganda and the helping of presents for a family of 6 whose daughter is battling a rare form of cancer! We also bought groceries for our local benevolence ministry!!! In addition, we were able to give our regular tithe AND contribute to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. We also gave to Salvation Army at several stores - never once hesitating like we have in the past!
In the grand scheme of things, this may not appear as much; however for our family that is usually just able to make it pay check to pay check and even then it's a balancing act - it was HUGE! Yet God was so faithful - He said give, we did, the resources were there....
As the first of December crept up, I began to wonder....would there be enough for our kids to have Christmas? Would the kids get why we had given to so many others? Where would it all come from?
"'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this" says the Lord God Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.'" Malachi 3: 10
We have truly witnessed this verse come to life! Our pantry is full, as you can see from the Christmas Tree above our kids are having a GREAT Christmas, our bills are paid and our car has gas! Did I mention that GOD ALMIGHTY did this with only ONE income??? Is not God so good?
I don't write this to brag and say "Look what we did". I write it as an encouragement to say that God does EXACTLY what He says He will do! I have had trouble trusting and believing God in the past (sometimes still do). Yet, God in all His Faithfulness has held true to His promise...IF we will bring the tithe and offerings that He calls us to bring - then HE WILL bring about so many blessings that you will not have room for it!!!
My challenge to each of you this Season - Give when God calls you to give; whether your tithe at church, food for the needy, gifts for a single mom or dad, gas for a stranger traveling, etc. Whatever God calls you to do - Do it and YOU WILL BE BLESSED!
4 comments:
amen!!! I am thankful to be blessed so much by God. Every need has been provided for. We may not have all the glam and glitz of this world, but we are content and so grateful for what we do have.
Merry Christmas!
Praise God! He is true to His Word...a Man of His Word...isn't He? I love when He does that!!!
The Lord laid the same on our hearts this year
And with the new baby coming, etc. I wondered a couple times, well, what about... But you are so right, the Lord has provided abundantly. He is so faithful. Praise him for his work!
Thank you so so much for your sweet words and prayers!
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