First of all, thank you for taking time to post all those wonderful verses in yesterday's post. Wow!
I was talking with my friend, Esther, the other day regarding these discussions about God's provision. She was so excited to share a recent experience she'd had at a Starbucks drive-thru.
When she got to the window, the barista informed her the person in front of her had paid for her coffee. Touched by this act of kindness, Esther decided to pass the blessing on to the person behind her.
And then that person did it for the next person.... who did it for the next person... who did it for the next person... who did it for the next person.
Esther is friends with the manager of that Starbucks who later told her 52 cars in a row kept the blessing going.
52 cars y'all!
A silver lining in the midst of tough economic times. And it's not the coffee they bought that encourages me. It's people's hearts made tender in the midst of brokenness.
Sometimes WE are God's provision.
So, how about this- look to say yes to His invitation this weekend.
Despite what you're going through.
Despite your own lack.
Despite your own distractions.
Say yes to God by giving someone else a little of your time, your emotion or your finances. Then watch God working through you and in you.
Wait... don't stress. You won't have to try to figure out or manipulate something into being with this. God will make all the arrangements. Just live this weekend in great expectation of experiencing Him.
Be His provision~
I was talking with my friend, Esther, the other day regarding these discussions about God's provision. She was so excited to share a recent experience she'd had at a Starbucks drive-thru.
When she got to the window, the barista informed her the person in front of her had paid for her coffee. Touched by this act of kindness, Esther decided to pass the blessing on to the person behind her.
And then that person did it for the next person.... who did it for the next person... who did it for the next person... who did it for the next person.
Esther is friends with the manager of that Starbucks who later told her 52 cars in a row kept the blessing going.
52 cars y'all!
A silver lining in the midst of tough economic times. And it's not the coffee they bought that encourages me. It's people's hearts made tender in the midst of brokenness.
Sometimes WE are God's provision.
So, how about this- look to say yes to His invitation this weekend.
Despite what you're going through.
Despite your own lack.
Despite your own distractions.
Say yes to God by giving someone else a little of your time, your emotion or your finances. Then watch God working through you and in you.
Wait... don't stress. You won't have to try to figure out or manipulate something into being with this. God will make all the arrangements. Just live this weekend in great expectation of experiencing Him.
Be His provision~
35 Comments:
Oh Lysa, God spoke to me within seconds of reading your words. I'm actually sitting her kind of shocked while at the same time God is saying to me "c'mon, you know I'm working in your life." Woo-hoo! So here it is:
My time: my younger sister who it almost seems cries out for time to be with me. I will give her a call this weekend.
My emotion: I've been struggling with communicating with my husband, I've felt a lot of hurt and I've been pulling back. I will put my heart on the line again and Give Love to my husband.
My finances: Someone owes me money that is struggling financially and I will tell her I don't want it repayed.
I always think it's interesting how God puts the same thing on people's hearts in seemingly unrelated ways all at the same time.
Like many people, things are tighter for us than they've been in a long time. It is sooo tempting to want to pull back, maybe not to the point of hoarding, but in a sense of 'self-preservation' nonetheless. Even so, God has been whispering to me lately that "you can't outgive God." I think of missionary friends who need our monthly support, and the lesson in giving that I want to teach my sons by sponsoring a child in another country. And smaller gestures closer to home; a meal for the family of one of DS's classmates with a new baby, an "I'm thinking of you" treat for a church-member having a skin cancer removed.
I appreciate these posts; it's so easy for me to have these thoughts cross my mind and then lose them in the clutter of a busy, noisy life. Thanks for the impetus to slow down and let them stick. I'll be talking to DH about it this weekend.
I am trying to be "His provision" for my Dad...but after 4 phone calls from the hospital yesterday, Dad so completely out of control and violent, the Dr's and nursing staff didn't feel it was wise for us to even see Dad the way he is right now, again I feel forsaken.
Honestly my friend, I am looking for God's provision...I am trying to be God's provision...but the attacks right now are fierce...my faith in God is being challenged like never before. We are caught in "days of Job", each one bringing more bad news. I feel lost and alone. Questions and pain are suffocating me. And, not only am I watching my Dad suffer, I'm watching my sweet little Mom have the life torn out of her.
I know God is real...I know the wonderful truths you are sharing are genuine...but I'm hanging on by a thread.
Heavenly Father, please, please, soften my heart. Take away this anger and the cynicism that arises as I read this post. Lord, the evil one has such a strong grip on our family right now...help me remember that Satan can arouse doubts, infuse anger, make us question, but he cannot, CANNOT claim our hearts, they belong to You. Oh for faith, to trust in You.
Through tears, "This is the day the Lord has made", oh Father please give me the strength to "rejoice and be glad in it".
"The LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you..." (Deut 4:31) Father, looking for Your provision today...and show me who You desire me to provide for in Your Name.
A surrendered heart,
Joy
Oh, how this resonates with what a friend and I were talking about this morning! We are the body of Christ! The BODY! We need to be taking care of one another. Not comparing, not competing, not judging, not ignoring...but taking care.
This is something I know I need to be reminded of. It is so easy to get caught up in your own little world.
I want to be His provision.
Send me, Lord. Send me.
(Brief note to self: The point of this post was NOT for me to go to Starbucks and hang out hoping someone buys me coffee.) hee hee :)
Lysa,
I've got "goosebumps" as I wait and see what the Lord has planned for me this weekend!!
hugs to you-be blessed!
Kim
First of all can I pass on to Joy that I will be praying for her and her family.
God is so awesome! I truly believe he wants us to test him in asking for his provisions but there are stipulations. Malachi 3 writes about this:
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. 12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.
My DH made a vow at the beginning of the year to tithe our 10% and even through his lay off we are being faithful to that. God is blessing us tremendously.
I believe that each of us have something we can give to God, it might not be money, but there is something. The challenge is finding out what it is and then giving it to Him.
Looking for more ways to bless people!
Terri Sue
Stories like this make me think about the 53rd person. What was there thought process. I can see myself thanking the barista, and leaving...and 20 minutes later realizing I should have paid it forward.
Like the song you posted a few weeks back, I need eyes to see like Jesus. So that my first response is the best one.
Lysa...every one of my family has received a precious Word from the Lord this morning. My sisters, my mom...all of us!
I'm so sorry for doubting. God IS providing...and you're right...not in the way our hearts are most hoping...but He is providing His Word and His presence to us.
Does this journey still stink? YES!!! But Lysa, God is here. Just wanted to give that update.
Hope deferred has been hastened.
Still standing, still searching, still seeking, still surrending,
Joy
How neat! Thanks to your friend Esther sharing this. I'm going to do it the next time I'm in a drive-thru. I won't know the results, but God will!!!
I'm going to post a link from my blog to your post here. We should all take part in this - what an easy way to bless somebody else - especially in these times. An act of humility (we don't know who started or who participated) and an act of service!Yes! Yes! Yes!
Thanks for sharing Lysa!
-Sanya
I am feeling prompted to post a noon prayer sign up for Joy's dad, & for Joy and her family.
Anyone who wants to sign up to pray at noon or whenever you have your lunchtime, please stop by my blog and sign up by simply leaving a short comment that you will be praying at noon today. I am going to my blog to do the post now. If it is not up when you come by, check a bit later.
Thanks!
Melanie@Bella~Mella
I'm gonna do what you said, Lysa....
Live in expectation this weekend :)
Have a good one,
Kate :)
This will sound funny, but God spoke to me once in the drive-thru at Burger King when someone in front of me paid for my lunch. It's a long story, but what God did with my efforts after I heard his voice that day is truly amazing. He started a snowball effect that has led to some poor families in Guatemala getting new homes, a volunteer committing to a year in mission, some children getting a new school and now a medical clinic is going up. I watch His work and marvel.
Three great posts! Thanks. I'm wondering if 'Living in God's Provision' my not be a great book? Just a thought.
Thanks for your honesty and transparency Joy!
Joy, your sisters are with you in prayer. That's the best part of the bloggy community. If you need prayer, ask. Yeah to Melanie at Bella Mella for hosting a prayer time today. She already emailed me a prayer today. She has on her armor, ready for battle. What an encouragement she is!!!! I am looking expectantly to Jesus. Today I will be at the conference in Destin,FL with P31 speaker Luann Prater. I know the Lord will be working among us in many ways. I'm available Lord. So are many sisters on this blog. Use us to touch the world for Your Glory. In Jesus' name. Amen. B
God provided an amazing way for my husband to give yesterday!
He is a barista and manager at a local coffee shop and I stay at home with our children. (Needless to say, we have a small income.)
Yesterday, a regular in his shop was telling him of a missions trip that her teen-aged son is planning to be part of. My husband recalled how much his missions experiences as a young man changed his life and introduced him to parts of God that he'd never known. He felt the Holy Spirit nudging him to give, in the form of money. However, we are haveing a "no frills" week and had nothing to spare.
He prayed.
Later in the afternoon, two women came into the shop and admired a piece of pottery,belonging to my husband, that he had hanging in the shop. They so admired it, one of the women asked if he'd be willing to sell it to her.
He did and was able to give the money to the boy for his trip to Mexico.
AWESOME! It encouraged us to the core, and hope does for someone else out there...
In a "strange" turn of events, I landed at a blog this very early morning that I don't normally visit; I even scrolled down a few posts and came across a youtube video (also, don't normally watch these because of time). But I did watch it, and I was and still am completely undone with the message.
For anyone who needs to "see" and "hear" the provision of God today, I've posted it on my blog. Honestly, our God is amazing and worthy of our worship. How quickly we forget that He was flesh and blood, dwelling among us so that we could find our way home.
Praise Him this day!
peace~elaine
I will pray for Joyful and her family at noon today. I don't know how to sign up on the blog, though.
Awesome! Listening for God and praying for Joy. God is good!
Blessings,
Becky
This is exciting! Can't wait to hear how He orchestrates moments to bring glory to Himself this weekend! May many hearts be touched and many brought to new life in Him! :)
God is already orchestrating here. Nothing like a child recoverying from a stomach bug to put the brakes on life for a while. :) While I don't want my sweet son under the weather, I am so thankful for the slower paced week we have had together. :)
I used unexpected time at home with him this morning to wrap and package up four sets of Bibles and devotionals for the banquest staff at a local restaurant where I had a surprise dinner for hubs last month. They provided excellent service, and we want to thank them in the best way...His truth. Please pray for these precious four souls...that their hearts would be fertile and unwrap God's Word to the full.
Part of the story is here:
http://joyinthetruth.blogspot.com/2009/02/lavish-love.html
Sonny boy and I are heading out now to ship the Bibles and devotionals! Whooooeeeeee!
Lysa, I'll be signing at CBE. I hope that I can connect with you and the others at your get-together. Will you have one?
I appreciate you.
my dad loves doing stuff like that in the drive thru!!It usually takes the drive thru attendant a few moments before they believe him.
It is such a joy how God allows us to be a part of his plan to bless others
Your last statements quickened my mind to hear, "Be still and know that I am God" and my heart to rest in that verse. While my hardship isn't financial (praise Him for that) I have just ended a relationship that has put me in a bit of a turmoil. I've been trying to figure out me and him and why it didn't work and why I even wanted him when he wasn't the best for me; and thus your sentence "you won't have to try to figure out or manipulte something in being with this." God has all of the provisions of my life worked out; now if only I would work through Him . . . hmm . . . will a girl ever figure that out? :) Thanks for your encouragement and blessings.
Vivian
52 - that's one for every week of the year. The blessings of God's provision are just amazing. I loved how people kept that going. God is so awesome. I have God-bumps just thinking about how I can do something for God that would impact someone else this way.
Living in the moment with my Jesus...ready to share Him!
Can't wait to see what God has in store for me this weekend!
I'm stopping by from Beams of Light. What a wonderful post for today! I am amazed that 52 people did this, especially in this economy. That speaks volumes to me and I believe I'll do that next time I go out to eat.
Lysa, I'm so glad you went HERE with this series!! Since Seth's passing in October, we have been SO blessed to be the recipient of God's provision from others in so many ways (not the least of which is the glorious vacation we are enjoying RIGHT NOW!).. I will be expectantly waiting for my turn this weekend as well!!
Thank you, thank you!!!
Last week in our town, someone put $30.00 in an envelope at the grocery store that had a message on it that read, please use for groceries if you need it, if not please pass it on. It got passed on many times with people adding money to the envelope as it was passed along. Pretty cool indeed! I think we should all start something like this! What do you say ladies. Only if the spirit leads you!
Lysa, what inspiration.
Well said. To God be the glory for He is our provision and His provision also flows through us. We are blessed to be a blessing. Amen.
God bless you.
I jumped in on the tail end of your three-some post but as I read them, it made me think of Isaiah 40:1-3 that the one thing we are promised is NOT that our lives will work like we want but that what our good God will do is make every valley raise up and every mountain and hill made low, all the rough places smooth, in order to know HIM and His glory. To know Him. Then, whatever He provides, we will find rest in it. Loved your three-some post. Wondering here in Texas what we will think when we are with Him about how we chose to live.
Thanks for posting this story of blessing and hope by just reaching out and giving a blessing to someone unexpected! There have been many of these same stories shared on the Christian Radio station here in Charlotte (91.9). Love hearing how God moves people to be a blessing to others. We should all reach out to others to bless them. How else will they feel God's love unless we move.
Oh my goodness, I so needed these posts. I have lost my job and finances are scary...but I keep hearing that I am on the right path. God wants me ministering to others with similar pasts and writing, not sitting behind a desk in my church office.
Beyond scary, but at the same time so exciting. Thank you for the reminder that I need to stop worrying about the physical things of this world and jump into where God wants me to impact for and glorify His kingdom.
52 cars! How wonderful that one person's small act of kindness could have such an effect.
This message came at a most appropriate time. Even though I'm reading this on Monday, the Lord moved in my heart to help a friend who's having difficulty, even though times are tough right now. Reaching out to someone and doing the little things can make a huge difference in their lives. I pray that God will provide me little opportunities everyday to bless someone who's in need of the small things that sometimes seem so insignificant....a phone call, a quick visit, chocolate for the stressed coworker, a home-cooked meal for the single neighbor that can't cook. There are so many little opportunities that we miss on a day-to-day basis. May the Lord open our eyes & hearts to these chances to bless someone in His name.
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