Sunday, October 17, 2010

Empty Gas Tanks and Divine Appointments

I am having a difficult time writing this. You cannot really put into words how God works in the lives of His people. On October 2, Rich and I sat down and cut up every single credit card we own. We are finding ourselves in a lot of debt and that is not honoring God. So, we decided that the first step would be to completely rid ourselves of the temptation to use the cards. That means we live strictly by faith that support for the ministry would come through God's people. This has been a tremendous faith walk for me.
Anyway, I have a job and I am getting paid but it just isn't enough to pay the debt and keep the household going so we pray our way through the month. This past week, on Monday morning, I found myself with an empty gas tank. Rich used the mower gas to put gas in my car to get me to work. That mower gas lasted through Wednesday. But on Thursday, there wasn't any more gas and there was $100 in the ministry checkbook. So, Rich took me to school in Blue Thunder (code for the Dodge Shadow) and he was going to get gas in my car and come back to get me. On Thursday afternoon, I was walking to the school office to meet Rich and checked my mail box at school. There was a card from a pastor friend of Rich's and in the card was a $100 bill, a $100 gift card to Kroger, and a $50 VISA gift card. Rich had spoken previously to this pastor and he wanted to bless us. Yay!
But that isn't all. While I was waiting on Rich, a co-worker was also in the office and he had been wanting to get together with Rich for some talking time about marriage, life, etc. At that same time, Rich walked into the office and they were able to speak briefly and set up a time to talk together on Friday. We left and went home. I went to tutor my Thursday tutor people and returned home around 6:30. I checked the mailbox and found an envelope from Carolina Farm Credit. This is a company we used to have our real estate with. I ripped it open and found a check for $241. Yay!
I also sell Pampered Chef and have nothing on the calendar for October. My neighbor saw me at the mailbox and asked for a catalog so that she could get some orders for a catalog show. Yay!
As I ran back in from delivering her catalog, Rich said, "Louanne, you did not open this envelope all the way." Behind the $241 check was another check for $451! Yay!
But that isn't all. On Friday, I came home from school and had an envelope in the mail for $200 for some quilts I had made for a friend. Yay!
So, if you can add, the total so far in this story has reached over $1,000 in less than 48 hours. Plus several checks came to the ministry. Yay!
But, that isn't all. The most important thing is that Rich was able to meet with my co-worker and give him the one thing necessary for a healthy marriage: the love of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit.
What does this have to do with an empty gas tank? If I had used a credit card to buy gas, then Rich would have not had been at school that day and not spoken to my co-worker. If I had not had an empty gas tank, Rich would not have had the opportunity to share Christ with that particular person at that particular moment.
We will be fine - some of you are worried because I didn't have gas money - God is definitely showing up and definitely caring for us. But sometimes He does it when you are in a most interesting predicament.

No comments: