2 Days ago got a call from a friend saying there were 3 families in need. Was told they basically had the clothes on their backs & nothing else. We did not even think about it, Teresa, the kids & I went through the house, dishes, pillows, bedding, clothes (some were given as gifts, new & had not been worn yet), 2 of our new nice floor fans & more.
When we hear of people in need & give others every time say "Wow, I was not expecting you guys to be so generous. Bless you guys." We say to them that in Mongolia we used to give to those in need all the time. This is what used to be our norm. We are blessed. God has given us much & know that he requires that we give much.
True Giving:
41 Jesus sat near the Temple money box and watched the people put in their money. Many rich people gave large sums of money. 42 Then a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which were only worth a few cents.
43 Calling his followers to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 44 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on.” Mark 12:41-44 CEV
God has been challenging & pushing me to places I have never imagined possible in many places in my life, finances being one of them.
We as a family have always held everything we have in front of us with an open hand & say "God if there is someone who needs what we have more than us, please take what we have." Stuff, we all can easily give & money we have always easily given to others, but it has been out of the extra from our very basic living. This has changed.
God is taking us/me to the place the above verses talk about & it is hard. The quiet small voice keeps encouraging me, "Trust, trust, I am with you. I am your all in all, your everything."
Each day I spend time with God I keep opening my Bible & am directed to verses that focus on giving, trust, peace, prayer & provision. I feel I am slowing able to live in peace trusting God literally with everything. I still have days when panic thoughts come & I have to shake my head because the struggle is so hard. But, more days now I end up in a place of peace.
"“I leave you peace; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world does. So don’t let your hearts be troubled or afraid." John 14:27 CEV
God is faithful & knows I need to keep growing deeper in my trust of him & come to a place of his peace. Blessings have come. They are enough to show me that he has answered our prayers, but have not been enough to bring me to the place of comfort. I can say that is a good thing.
