You're welcome. I'm glad it blessed you and hope that God's faithfulness in the lives of others encouraged you more in your circumstances. That's what the body of Christ is for!
I have a couple of personal testimonies about how faithful the Lord is in regards to financial need. Back in 1991 I was about to graduate from college and had almost no money. I had incurred a $70 phone bill from using a friend's phone card and she needed the money. I got all the money from my back account (about $15) and sold all my books back to the university. I was still short $20 and had no way of coming up with it. I prayed to the Lord about it. Then I got a "bright idea" and went to another friend to borrow $20. He gave me what I asked for.
Well, the next day, I was outside the dorm washing my car and a young guy comes driving through, stops and asks, "Hey, how would you like to earn $20?" I was both floored and ashamed that I had went to borrow the money after I had just prayed about it. It turned out he was a new believer and needed some help driving some cars from a dealership to another location. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and the need was met! I had never had that happen to me before or since.
After I graduated, I had received some graduation gifts that helped me along. I moved out to Virginia where I believe the Lord was calling me to go. I put out 50 resumes around the area and got pretty discouraged that I hadn't heard any responses back. It wasn't long until I had literally $5 cash and that was it. I had a car with a tank full of gas and was debating whether or not to save the 5 bucks for gas or go for some loaves of bread to last me. Compounded with my dilemma was that I had a $50 bill coming up in a few weeks. I had a good fellowship I could have leaned upon, but I knew that God had ordered my steps and I was totally trusting Him and not making my need known to anybody.
I remember on a Tuesday night just calling upon the Lord, discouraged and seeing no way out. Just that day I had read a newsletter by David Wilkerson called "Praising God on the Right Side of the Red Sea." What stood out to me was how God wants us to praise Him just as much when our backs are up against the Red Sea and Pharoah's army is marching upon us as afterwards when we see the mighty deliverance. I knew that although everything appeared dark and hopeless that God could turn things around in a day. And if He did that, I knew I would be praising Him. So I purposed to praise Him in the dark. So with that being what was turning through my heart, I cried out to "part my Red Sea" that I could go forward. That scenario was how I really felt on a small scale.
As I was leaving prayer at my church, a guy asked me if I had any work. I said no, and he had 3 days worth of work for me doing some landscaping, of which I earned $50. Thank You, Lord, for the providing for the first bill! On the last day of working with this brother, as soon as I entered my house, the phone rang. It was an interview! It was the only response I heard from all of those resumes I put out. I ended up getting the job, and the Lord has faithfully provided for me, and now my family, these many years.
I am glad to be able to look back at times of scarcity and see how overwhelmingly the Lord met me in my time of need. And not only was my physical need met, but I got a glimpse of the love and care of my heavenly Father. That was worth more than any monetary supply!
WHEN the Lord meets your need, please do tell us the testimony so we can all rejoice with you.
In Him,
Ken
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Ken Marino
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