What I Need

At the beginning of December I was really struggling with fear about my finances. I remember looking in my checkbook to write my tithe and getting teary. 10% seemed like a lot to give when I knew I didn’t have enough to pay for the things I needed like dental work, glasses, and college loans. I tithed anyway, but I was still really worried.

To ease my worry, I turned to one of my favorite passages in the bible Matthew 6:25-34. This is where Jesus talks about not worrying about what you’ll eat or wear etc. As I was reading verse 32 really stuck out to me. It says, “For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly father knows that you need them.” Wow! I loved the idea that God knows my needs.

But just knowing that God knows wasn’t enough to stop my worries, so I decided to write my needs down on an index card as a way of giving them to God.

On one side I wrote Needs: - Filling in my tooth (I told him which tooth.)
- College loans paid each month (I wrote the specific amounts.)
- Funding for Swaziland
- Speaking engagements
- Food and housing while I’m speaking
- Transportation to and home from speaking
- Sleep
- Friendship
On the other side I wrote Wants: - winter coat
- glasses

Then, I dated it 12/5/08 in the corner, tucked it into an old journal, and forgot about it.

At the beginning of February, I rediscovered the list. And to my surprise, God has been working on providing for every need on the list! Some of the ways He’s been providing have been a little miraculous, like a waived dental fee, a 76% discount on a winter coat, and a donation designated for traveling costs. Others have been every day, like a steady job so I can make loan payments, having $43 from work to pay the eye doctor, and phone calls from old friends.

God’s been so faithful. When I wrote the list, I was hoping that I would be able to look back and see a couple of ways God provided. But I didn’t expect him to address every need and to do it in less than 2 months! He knows what we need.