Living on Faith

Often throughout my adult life I have heard amazing stories of men and women of God who followed the leading of the Lord and that created a situation where their income was far below what was necessary to pay the bills. There are always amazing stories of sitting down to dinner with the family when there was no food on the table or in the house, and just believing God for provision.

I grew up in an upper middle class family where the lack of at least 2 high end cuts of steak was tantamount to impending doom. It wasn't always like that.. or so my parents tell me. I know that there were some lean years, but I was too young to have any sort of memory of that time. So for as long as I can recall, there has never been cause for alarm. We always felt secure at home, that we would be provided for. Even into my young adult years I would often "grocery shop" from my mother's fridge if the need required it.

So when I hear stories of living on faith with a family along, I am torn. I am torn between the prayers of "God I don't think that I could handle that" and "God, it would be so cool to know your faithfulness to that level..... please don't ever ask me to do that... but it would be cool!" I have friends who are missionaries and every penny that comes into their home and ministry is from donations. I have seen God's faithfulness to them all through that time.

This last year has been quite an adventure. It has been a journey of evolving faith and trust in God's ability and willingness to take care of me. Although I haven't quite gotten to the point of setting a table with no food in the house, I have come pretty close to it. God has allowed the systems of the world, and divine timing to work together to provide for me. There are so many things that I have learned, but that is for later.

I recently was offered a contract overseas. It begins in July and lasts for 6 months. Awesome... I am pumped.... except that all outside sources of income stopped at the end of April, and one of my tenants moved out (they were paying the mortgage!). In order to go overseas, there are quite naturally some things that need to be purchased... so I was thinking that there wasn't going to be enough to make it through the 2 months income-free.

BUT GOD..... has other plans...

I got a call about a part-time job... some residual income from a contract that I had... and when I add everything together.... take out 2 month's expenses-including record gas prices!- THERE IS $40.00 LEFT OVER!!!! How is it possible???? God.

I have a sneaking suspicion that God is raising my faith level for some purpose down the road... and like the kind Father that He is, He is easing me in slowly. If I had been asked this time last year to be in this situation, I would have FREAKED out!!! Today though, I am backed far enough against a wall that I have no choice but to trust God!