Monday, 14 July 2008
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Thank God for Date Nights!
by mrs lily 
Last night was really wonderful, in its own way. Money has been super tight for us lately. We've had a couple extra small things come up this month, so we've been mostly eating beans and rice and tuna and pasta almost every night. I'm not complaining, really, because it's kind of fun experimenting with the same 10 ingredients over and over to make something different every night. But still, a break would be nice.Anyway, Mr. Lily, my husband was able to do some work for a little extra cash, and we were debating what to do with it. We still haven't paid our phone bill, so we were planning to just make due with the food we have in the house until the end of the month and go pay our phone bill and put the rest in the gas tank. Well, last night I was really feeling like we should step out in faith. I've wrestled with this kind of thing before, because I just want to do the right thing, and putting a bill off to go buy groceries doesn't always seem like the right thing to do, does it?
Mr. Lily and I haven't had any sort of date in a while (unless you count sitting in a bookstore in between church in the morning and church in the evening this past Sunday), and we decided to go have a coffee date and then go buy some groceries, since technically we can wait until his paycheck comes through to pay the phone bill. It was so much fun! We sat and played Trivial Pursuit (very poorly) for nearly two hours, and then meandered around Wal-Mart picking out essentials to make it through until we can get more groceries. Then we rented Jumper from Redbox, and since it was getting late and we were both exhausted and starving, we splurged and got Sonic for dinner (since Sonic burgers are 1/2 off on Tuesday nights). It's amazing how just a few months ago I might even have taken for granted something so simple as all this, but when it is not so commonplace it means so much more to me when we actually get to do it.The point of all this is to say that the Lord is amazing and really does know all our needs. I think Mr. Lily and I really needed this "date", and it would have been so easy for me to fret about the bill and hang on to the money. But we took a step of faith, trusting the Lord to provide, and this morning someone randomly put almost the exact amount of our phone bill in our bank account.
Man, we have an amazing Father.
How has the Lord provided for you during really stressful times?
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Comments (10)
That just brought tears to my eyes! Our God is amazing, and he definitely wants us to take a break and relax. Wasn't he the one who thought doing just that was important enough to make it one of the top ten Commandments?
Money has been so tight for me also that I can't think of anything fun I've done for myself recently...but before, each time I would really begin to feel the daily-grind, I would buy myself a book or something small. Can't do that so much now; yet with my job, I get a free orchid almost every 2 months...so really, God is giving me that "something small;" and orchids are a thing I couldn't afford otherwise, even before the high gas-prices. --Laura
I'm still without a job, but things are looking hopeful now at one place. In the meantime, there have been times when I had little money, but never no money. The Lord has always provided something to keep me going. Whether it was someone getting me a tank of gas, or finding a little bit of cash I had forgotten about.
I had a tighter bill month a couple months ago, too, since I wanted to pay off all of my ER bills...My gas bill was actually lower than I expected, so that's always exciting...Then the bill for the next month came and it was only $14 because the bill before (that I thought was low) was an overcharge. Then I also had a couple random gifts - nothing huge or anything - just enough for God to let me know that I didn't need to worry about any of it.
I feel like God always provides way more than me and my husband deserve. Things aren't easy financially but they aren't super hard, and considering how in the last year or so I haven't exactly been the best steward with money, I am amazed He continues to bless us as much as He has.
At the same time though, I feel like I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and constantly questioning the financial decisions I make... I trust God to provide but I don't trust myself not to mess it up.
wow! Praise God :)
I am glad you enjoyed your date and I hope it can be repeated sometime again!
I have experienced in many ways how God provides and looks after me. Last year i moved to a different country and basically i had to start my life from square no. 1. (I am quite adventurous...)But within a short time, i have got everything that i needed: a fantastic new job; a great house to rent, lovely flatmates, a nice church, good salary etc. I really felt God was caring for me through my BF and his family and through the circumstances that led me to this point.
I'm not married, but I have been told of the importance of putting aside time and money for things like that. And then that's so cool how God provided! He's amazing!
I've seen Him provide for me so many times, in so many ways. Most recently, I had an opportunity to go on a missions trip and no money to go, but I really felt like God wanted me to. I was really in turmoil over whether I should step out in faith or not (it's one thing to step out in faith and another thing to take advantage of God) when I was approached by a man at church, who told me that all my expenses were covered. Without my telling them, a bunch of people found out about the opportunity to go and decided to help out. God is just amazing! But He provides in so many other ways too, not just monetarily. I wonder why I still have so much trouble trusting Him. sigh.
I used to get really stressed out about money, to the point where I developed ulcers. My husband used to say, "Have faith, God will provide." Even though my husband was always right, when another crisis came our way, I forgot how well God had provided in the past. My faith was weak and my ulcers were getting stronger.
One day I was reading my Bible and, although I have read it many times, this particular day a single passage jumped out at me (think God had anything to do with that? )
"And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying." Luke 12:29
Since then, I stopped worrying. I now have faith, and I know that God will take care of me and my family. My ulcers are gone, too! No matter what financial problems we have, things always work out. Not to say I always get what I want, but now I know I will always have what I need.
Our God is an awesome God!
@abchurch006@xanga - I really appreciate what you said. I sometimes wonder if I am giving myself ulcers. One thing I do notice when I get stressed out is my back ties up in knots and it becomes painful to move. My husband says the same things as yours! Sometimes I'm ashamed of myself when I see how much faith he has and how discouraged I get. I definitely have come along way from where I was in trusting the Lord, but it is still a struggle. Circumstances and feelings can be so blinding at times.
@Timi_in_England@xanga - that is awesome! the same kind of things have happened for us since God moved us from our home in Washington. Every time a need has come up, it has been filled. He is so faithful!
@FOXHOUND_HQ@xanga - When that happens to me, I am always reminded that the Lord really knows what my needs are...yes, he cares about my desires, but above all He will take care of my needs. I know when I look at it that way, things don't seem so bleak, and I realize how blessed I really am.
@lauralen@xanga - that's an awesome testimony!
@BohemianLamb - I also struggle a lot with knowing I make the right decisions with my money. Sometimes I wrestle with guilt whenever I go and buy the smallest things, even essential things, thinking I could have waited or found it cheaper some other time. I think the Lord definitely wants us to be wise, but we have to trust Him and know that He will take care of us even when we make mistakes.
@amylor@xanga - that is wonderful! Where did you go?
@mrslily - I had ulcers earlier this year. I don't recommend them. It's not enjoyable and it costs quite a bit of money. As a note though, if you vomit blood (or something really dark brown and icky), please go see a doctor. :)