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“For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.” (2 Corinthians 8:1-2, ESV)

For most of my life, it seems that the Lord was always “testing” me to give out of my leanness.

Going back about thirty years – I can remember times I would literally have five dollars left for gas in my vehicle for the whole week. After being obedient in paying tithes. And giving to others as the Lord led. I would often find myself laying hands on my car at the beginning of the week.  Asking the Lord to bless those five dollars and to make it last in my gas tank until the next payday.

In those years, I drove a white two-door Honda.  It didn’t have heat for the winter or air for the summer. It did have a hole in the floorboard in the back.  One in which my son lost a flip-flop through on the way to church.  Instead of driving a car with a payment, we chose to get a car that we could pay cash for.

I got laughed at a lot about my old clunker of a car in those days.  But we were at church every Sunday morning/night, every Wednesday night and pretty much anytime there was something going on.  It looked rough but it provided the need.

One summer, I remember the Lord placing this burden on my heart for some children.  I was burdened with the task of ensuring they went to the church’s summer camp.  Even if we could come up with the money to pay for them, transportation was a whole other thing.  Our little church didn’t have a bus.

Not wanting to miss out on the privilege of giving to others; we rented an SUV for the month so my husband could easily transport all the kids to the various camps throughout the month and back home. My husband took off a month (without pay) so he could work at the campground.  Memories that are worth more than gold to him now.

We looked so foolish to many back people back then. We were living without certain things that people said you needed to make you happy.  Yet God’s grace overflowed in our lives with joy that had nothing to do with material possessions.

People have often asked me how I could so easily trust the Lord with some of the painful valleys I’ve had to walk through in recent years. I think back to those years.  We gave our time and what little money we had as God led.  He was growing my faith all those years ago, as a result of me trusting him then, I am now “rich in faith” (James 2:5)

“Father, it all belongs to You.  Thank You for blessing us in abundant ways when we give to others.”

For His Glory,

Laura Holmes   (www.ephraimministries.org)
TRBC Women’s Life