How Great Is Thy Thankfulness?

Last week my husband’s pay check was what I consider to be a substantial one due to receiving a bonus.  I was sitting on my patio enjoying a few moments of warm sunshine when it suddenly occurred to me the amount I would have to write the check for to pay our tithes this week.  I could almost sense the Lord laughing as He asked, “Oh, how great is thy thankfulness now? Would you prefer I provide Steve a job earning less income so you wouldn’t have to write such sizeable checks?” I laughed and replied, “Oh Lord, not really, not yet!”

For so long writing the checks in order to pay our tithes to the church often meant having to cut back on our spending for things we felt we needed.  Granted, we have never really gone without our needs being met but so often it was painful to give.  Leviticus 27:30 tells us a tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord.  Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.  But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ “In tithes and offerings.” Proverbs 3:9-10 says to “Honor the Lord with your capital and sufficiency and with the firstfruits of all your income; so shall your storage places be filled with plenty, and your vats shall be overflowing with new wine.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 says “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  There are so many different opinions regarding tithing to the church now.   I personally recognize the fact that it's from God's mercy and grace that I recieve anything.  Therefore, I feel I should give 10% of everything He provides me.  When it was painful for us to give it was difficult to give cheerfully. For so long we did not pay our tithes because we didn’t feel we could afford to and we continued to struggle financially.  When we did pay them we gave not with a joyful heart but because we felt it was required of us even when it was painful to do so.  Deuteronomy 15:10 says “Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to.”

Yesterday I could not wait to write that check and place it in the offering plate.  Why?  Because I am so extremely grateful for the blessings He has provided us enabling us to write a check for that amount and give with a joyful heart.  I can’t praise Him and thank Him enough for His blessings.  How great is thy thankfulness?  My thankfulness is off the charts!  Please don't feel that my intentions are to bragg about our  blessings.  It is my intention only to share with you how thankful I am for His blessings and a joyful heart.

Mercy House

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God Is The One Waiting

My husband, Steve and I are in the midst of making some choices and decisions in our lives regarding our future.  Though I recognize how extremely critical it is that we seek the Lord’s guidance in making the decisions we are faced with making, I did not realize until this morning just how critical the process of making these decisions is.

If you have read my story you know I do not have a history of making very wise choices and decisions throughout the course of my life.  I have made so many unwise choices that recently I have felt paralyzed with fear of making the wrong choices.  I know that fear is not of the Lord.  Fear represents doubt and distrust which is not of the Lord.

Yesterday, in my post “A Letter to My DCC Family” I shared with you the fact Steve and I have grown weary of being apart.  We want so much for him to find a job stateside allowing him to be at home with his family.  However, as much as we desire to be together, we desire the Lord’s will more and pray for His will, His purpose and His plan for our lives.  We know the Lord’s plan for our lives will provide the best outcome, an outcome greater than we could ever hope for.

I also shared with you yesterday that though this lifestyle provides its benefits, it also requires a great deal of sacrifice and suffering. If it is the Lord’s will for Steve to remain in Afghanistan, we pray He will make that the desire of our hearts and provide us peace and contentment with it.

In a conversation with my mother last night, I shared with her my reluctance to accept the fact that it may be the Lord’s will for Steve to remain in Afghanistan.  I also shared with her that I realized my reluctance may be because it is difficult for sacrifice and suffering to be your heart’s desire.

In an email from my husband last night he presented another possible option that would allow us to eventually be together but would require him to remain in Afghanistan awhile longer.  He said it would require more sacrifice and suffering but with our love for each other, God’s strength and help we could get through it.  We agreed this morning to pray about it and discuss what each of us feel the Lord is leading us to do.

This morning at church Pastor Chase preached on deception, disobedience, God’s goodness and remaining in His will and purpose for our lives.  Sometimes I honestly wonder if anyone else is getting anything from Pastor Chase’s messages because I feel as though he is talking directly to me.  He addresses my thoughts, feelings, concerns, lessons learned all while opening my eyes and teaching me so much.

This morning I realized that I am in the Lord’s will for my life right now at this moment and it is such a wonderful feeling.  I know I am in His will because I see Him working.  I see Him moving.  I see Him teaching and revealing things to me.  I know that in order to remain in His will and purpose I must meditate on His Word, His promises and His truth in order to not be deceived by doubt and mistrust.  I will focus on the liberties He has provided me and not the restrictions.

It is my desire to remain in His will for my life fulfilling the purpose and plans He has for me.  Nothing good comes from outside of God’s will.  Anything outside of His will for us will only lead to sorrow and I have experienced enough of that in my life.

In regard to desiring sacrifice and suffering, Hebrews 5:7-8 tells us that even Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered.  Desire sacrifice and suffering?  That is not an easy task at all.  However, to learn obedience through suffering and sacrifice seems more tolerable if it is our desire to be obedient.  Who am I that I should not have to sacrifice and suffer in order to learn obedience when Jesus himself did?

Pastor Chase left me with this: “Temptation often precedes the point of provision.  Hold on even if you have to suffer awhile longer.”  Please pray with me that Steve and I will not lose our focus and be deceived.  Please pray with me that we will recognize God’s leading and remain in His will for our lives.

On the way home from church I laughed because the Lord revealed to me that all this time I thought I have been waiting for Him.  However, He instead has been the One waiting for me.  He has been waiting for me to get my priorities in order and open the eyes He has given me to see and the ears He has given me to hear.  My first priority is to be obedient to the Lord.  As long as that is my heart’s desire, everything else will fall into its perfect place.  Are you waiting for God or is He waiting for you today?  God Bless!