Have you ever trusted God to answer a REALLY big prayer? Not just any prayer...but one that really aligned with His will. Maybe to restore a broken marriage, heal a severed relationship with a friend, family member or brother/sister in Christ, or maybe to get you out of the pit financially. God says that we don't have b/c we don't ask.
For the past year and a half I have had the wonderful privilege of being a SAHM. Along with the joy of seeing my kids grow up and being there to teach and nurture them, we have known the struggle of living on one income in world that begs for two incomes to live comfortably. BUT this past year things really got hard. We just couldn't make ends meet. We cut. We budgeted. We pretty much didn't spend a penny on anything that wasn't a basic need. It has been frustrating, but good b/c we have spent many nights on our knees begging God to provide. And He has, but we couldn't dig ourselves out of the financial abyss. I knew I had to get a job, so I quickly applied to sub. The fingerprinting process took over 2 months - again frustrating! It just seemed that we were cursed! And we realized we were. When we do not RETURN to God what is His, our finances are cursed. Wow, was that eye opening.
A couple months ago, God began laying a sermon series on Tithing on Adam's heart. The only problem was that we weren't tithing due to needing every last dime to live on. But Adam and I knew that he could not ask the church to do something we weren't ourselves doing. Thus, the tithe challenge. Adam challenged our church to take the 4 month Tithe Challenge and see what God would do in their lives.
Adam and I stepped up to it, despite the fact that it seems impossible. We have committed to bring our whole tithe into the storehouse. God says"Test me in This!" So we are.
It seems insane, but just making this commitment has already made such a difference. God says that we will see Him open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not even have room for it. I look forward to these blessings for us and for FBC Pharr, as others also take the challenge.
Already we feel the curse being lifted. We were able to cancel our pricey insurance for a much better option. We were given a couple of giftcards that allowed us to celebrate my birthday by eating out :) My parents and Adam's parents have blessed us with some things for the kids that they needed (shoes and socks). Etc. I don't want to ignore these things, b/c they are clearly God's blessings and all good things are from Him.
So, I encourage you to ask God for something big in 2010. If it aligns with His will, then you know it will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I am trusting Him to provide and to restore what the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25). What will you ask? What will you believe our God to do in your life? Please share, so I can add you to my prayers.
