I can remember days when my husband and I really struggled to pay the bills. We were overwhelmed with credit card debt and medical bills. It frustrated me. I hated being tied to the $633.84 that came in each week. It was a stretch to pay the house payment, car payments, school tuition, utilities, groceries and have anything left in our account. Often, we were headed into the next month with bills unpaid. Birthdays and Christmas were a burden. Savings was none existence. I despised those days. Yet looking back, it was a time of refining.
Refining as I had to evaluate what got us there in the first place. Improper planning, overspending, no budget were at the beginning of the list. Unexpected expenses, unforeseen medical bills could be added as well. I had stopped working full time when we started having children, and we hadn't prepared to go down to a single income.
We spent a long time digging our way out. It was painful. It was hard. It was often a time of tension between Mike & I. Financial pressure is one of top reasons for divorce these days. Several years back, we tuned into Dave Ramsey on the radio, attended a seminar at church and hooked up with a financial planner in the area. Looking at the numbers was difficult. It didn't add up. Even with a plan in place, things didn't change over night, but with a concerted effort to get out of debt, we did it! Its been over five years since we payed off all our debt. I am happy to say we are in a much better place financially in our lives.
It took some honest evaluation about what we could afford. New cars, nope! Leases not that either! We now both drive used vehicles. Credit cards gone! We couldn't handle the temptation. I say this all not to brag but if you are that place like we were, there is hope. Take small steps toward change, and you will see the fruit of your labor. This isn't the actual topic of my blog but a step towards speaking about living a life of generosity.
Generosity is defined as the virtue of not being tied down by concerns of one's possessions It can also be spending time, money or labor for others without being rewarded in return. When Mike & I were in a difficult time financially, it was hard to think about being generous. If you are anything like me, we always said we would be generous if we had lots to give, but when finances are tight or we had little, we often put generosity on the back burner. Generosity is not based on the amount we give but on how we live our lives.
It brings me back to a place when I remember being challenged by God with the question "What's in your hand?" We had heard about a family in our church that had no food. Their fridge, freezer and pantry were empty, and there were many mouths to feed. I was saddened by this news and wanted to help, but at the time I thought I had nothing to give. Its then that the Lord asked me "What's in your hand?" "In my hand?" I thought. "Nothing was in my hand", but it wasn't true. I had just done a huge shop for my family. Our fridge was stocked. Our freezer was full. Our pantry was filled! I indeed had something to give. So, I began to sort through all the groceries and bring it down to just enough to get through until the next paycheck. If I had two paper towels, I gave one. If I had 4 bags of frozen vegetables, I gave 2. If I had 2 loaves of bread, I gave 1. You see, I did have something to give. I had narrowed my scope to monetarily and couldn't see beyond our own struggle.
We filled those bags up and delivered a sizable donation that would bring temporary relief. That my friend is generosity. I say this not to pat ourselves on the back but to bring understanding that we all have something in our hand. Generosity can occur when we give a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement, a ride to someone without transportation, groceries, a gift card we haven't spent….the list could go on. Generosity is defined by what we have in our hand, and we all have something.
I believe most people want to be generous but when presented let their own life circumstances effect their generosity. Just as I gave an example of meeting a need, I can tell you also we have missed it. A couple years back, we felt moved to give a car to a single mom in the church. We must of had the conversation a million times as we drove up to church that we needed to step out and do it, but because we didn't think we could afford to and in our human minds couldn't figure out how to make it work, we delayed our giving. Time went by and someone else blessed this person with transportation. Though we rejoiced the need had been met, it was bittersweet because we knew we hadn't been obedient to do what God had impressed upon us. We repented and asked God for forgiveness. We asked for another opportunity, and He was faithful to provide. We stepped out the next time and were quick to give instead of waiting for it to make sense.
I now have become very sensitive to step out when I feel the Lord is calling me to action. If He asks, I have to believe He will give me understanding on how to meet the need. He is a supernatural God, right? As I mentioned earlier, we just finished a financial series at church. Our pastor spoke of a young missionary in Mexico who was in desperate need of transportation. I knew I had to get involved. So, I contacted this young man. Here's Daniel's story:
I'm a missionary in Tijuana, Mexico, teaching and showing the kids and teens God's love in many ways: through a kids' program on Saturdays, through two soccer teams every Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday, through a teens small group every Thursday, and various events that I do for them throughout the year. For a lot of these events, I go and pick up the kids from their houses for the distance and safety in a truck that someone lets me borrow, but that truck has recently gone out of commission, and I'm really in need of a new vehicle. It was really hard transporting 16 kids in that 1996 Ford Explorer, which only had five actual seats and the small flatbed. I'm looking for something bigger, like this 2006 Nissan Urvan, which would be perfect to take the kids in. It's definitely big enough for all of the kids to safely fit into, and it's in great condition. We also need a vehicle to transport the 20 teens to the small group and other events that we have for them, like camp that is coming up in a month, and this would be the perfect thing to do just that.
Forgive me as it may seem like an ulterior motive for my blog writing. It is. I believe the Lord has used my writing to inspire and encourage others. I know that many of you upon reading will hear the need and want to partner with us. So I ask that you would prayerfully consider what is in your hand. Can you give a $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, $1,000.? Perhaps you have friends that would help? Share this blog. If you can't give, pray. Pray that Lord would show us how to get these funds for Daniel and bless his ministry. I want to see this need met by the end of the summer.
Remember its takes stepping out of the ordinary for the extraordinary to happen. We all have something to give. We all have something in our hand. So, again I ask "What's in your hand?" I close with a few verses to inspire us all to live a life of generosity. May our ordinary days be marked with generosity to do extraordinary things for others.
Luke 6:38
Give, and it will given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
Proverbs 11:24-25
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
If you wish to partner with us in providing a car for Daniel, please click on the link below:
