As the economy is worsening, I can’t help but think about all of God’s blessings poured out on us throughout the years.  No, they have not been millions of dollars.  They’ve been in the form of godly kids, peace in the home, joy throughout the hardships, food on the table, clothing on our backs, etc. 

Matthew 6:25 says, “Therefore, I say unto you, Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; or yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than food and the body than rainment?” This passage goes on to talk about how God cares for even the birds and flowers of the field.  Won’t He care for us even more? 

God has seen fit to reinforce this lesson to me many times throughout my life.  I’ll never forget the 3 years when I was in Jr. High/High School. My dad was without a pastorate for those 3 years and had no regular income coming in.  God supplied for our family of 6 in amazing ways by giving Dad odd jobs.  We’d go to church and find boxes of food sitting on the coat rack with our name on it.  Anonymous money was passed on to us - and the list goes on.  My youth leader bought me my very own Scofield Bible (which I still use today) and my Sunday School teacher took me to the mall in Des Moines to buy me my very own brand new dress outfit.  Those memories are etched in my mind forever.  Was the food always what we wished we had?  No!  We had lots of tube biscuits, bacon bits, a little wild game (which is not my favorite!), and canned foods.  However, did it fill us and keep us from getting hungry?  Most definitely!

God again reinforced the lesson of relying on God for our needs when my husband was in an elevator accident in 2001.  Because his back was fractured, his right foot was crushed, and his wrist was busted, Jesse could not work for almost 3 years.  We had five children during those 3 years and had a mortgage and all the other normal bills to pay.  God showed us on a daily basis His unending care and love for us.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many times we’d go to the mailbox and find an anonymous money order or cash in the mailbox.  Our utility bill would be paid, someone would call and say they had a pig or half-beef for us, someone would drop off clothes for the kids, a gas card would be passed on to us, etc.  God was so good!  I’ll never forget the day I ran out of laundry detergent.  Because our little boy was suffering from a skin disorder, the doctor had recommended we use Dreft or another skin-sensitive detergent.  I had just laughed and told him that it wouldn’t be possible to do that because those detergents cost a small fortune.  Ah - me of little faith!  My children prayed for the detergent while I half-heartedly did.  That very afternoon, I got a call from a man in our church who owned a trucking company.  He said that he had a truck that had a pallet of Dreft detergent in it that got damaged.  Could I use a bunch of Dreft?  The next hour was spent on my knees crying before the Lord asking him to forgive me of my lack of faith in his care.  For the next 18 months, our family’s clothes smelled like a baby’s as we used all that detergent. 

I also remember the time I was so hungry for fresh fruits and vegetables.  That afternoon we got a phone call from someone who had a lot of extra potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and varied fruits.  Could we use some?!!!  They brought over enough to last us through the winter months.  Do we have a God who cares for even our smallest desires?  You bet!!

As this year continues, it is vitally important that we remember that God will take care of us even during the tough economic times.  We may have to do without those special vacations, foods, up-to-date clothes, etc.  However, we can be reassured that God is right there with us each step of the way.  He does care for us and He will give us what we need.  When the going got rough for us, I’d turn to 2 things - my Bible and my journal.  God’s Word was a constant source of encouragement as I poured over His promises to us.  I also kept a written record of all the blessings God bestowed on us during the times of hardship in our lives.  Now I can look back at that whenever I’m discouraged to help me in recalling God’s showers of blessings on our family.  Our children can also read it and be reminded of God’s provisions.   Proverbs 3:5,6 reminds us “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.  In ALL thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths”.  May I encourage you to keep your eyes focused on the Lord and let Him show you His love during these times of hardship.  God has great lessons planned for you and you can one day look back and say with confidence, “God is SO GOOD”!

We have various financial guides and devotionals available to guide you through the tough time in your life.  They are available at www.godseternalmasterpiece.com. 

Becky, God’s Eternal Masterpiece