Reason #417
I always like see the tagible ways God is working in my life. I apprecaite when He gives me something very matter-of-fact to remind me of His provision and love for me. He's done so much for me, but a lot of it is explained through feelings. Of course, I'd like to think people can actually see it, but I do like when I have a very concrete way to show what God has done for me. Something you can't deny, something you can't argue with, and something that, humanly speaking, just doesn't add up.
I love bugeting. I'm not a penny pincher, but I'm very mindful about how I spend my money. I've always been this way but more so over the past year and a half. I have an ideal number in my head and if my checking account dips below that number, I panic. I would have a heart attack if I were to ever bounce a check or get charged an overdraft fee. And so, naturally, in a declining economy, I wondered how I was going to make ends meet. I wondered how I was going to pay my bills. I've never been one to worry about money, and for the first time in my life, it became a huge worry of mine.
When I switched jobs, I took a huge pay cut. I didn't have to leave my job, and I knew full well the price I was paying to do so. I felt like God was opening that new door for me, so I decided to step through it. I'll admit that, although bankers work around lots of money, we sure don't make it. I'm not in my profession for money, I really do love what I do. I enjoy the atmosphere and the environment, not to mention the federal holidays. I knew that taking a big hit to my banking account was not only going to cause me to stretch every dollar, it was also going to cause me to stretch my faith.
It just so happened, that at this same time of switching jobs, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to plan a wedding, and so I just wondered how this was going to happen. How was I going to pay to live and pay to marry all at the same time? Good question. Neither of those things come with a small price tag. And so the time came for me to really depend on God. To remember what all He has done for me. How He has stepped in to save every single day, and how He has never failed me. How, at the right moment, He has made provisions. And, looking back, how He was making provisions years ago, I just didn't know it at the time. God has been working on this budget of mine a lot longer than I have.
I took some time today to categorize my expenses and create a new budget. I started writing down all of my monthly expenses and as I added them up, I couldn't believe the numbers. I'll be completely honest and say that I realized that I cannot successfully support myself on the salary I make. My monthly expenses exceed my paychecks. I'm not talking hair cuts, wardrobe additions, groceries and gas. I'm talking mortgage, utilities, and bills. Things I have to pay, not including all of the things I actually need to get by on a daily basis. And here's the funny thing, there hasn't been a month that every bill hasn't been paid. There hasn't been a day that there wasn't food in my refrigerator or gas in my car. And, I've even been fortunate enough to keep my roots touched up. Now, shopping sprees have become extinct, and the little luxuries have now become gift requests (unless I can find it on super sale or have a coupon for it). But I've realized how God doesn't need my help taking care of me. He will give me what I need, and my responsibility is to manage it well and use it accordingly. And, the truth is, He has given me more than I need. He's not only met those basic needs, but He's been generous to lavish extra little blessings upon me. A beautiful wedding dress for a steal, bridesmaid's dresses that magically went on clearance when I bought them, endless coupons and discount codes (not even kidding), and sale after sale, with a few bargains inbetween, so that there isn't even any stress in wedding planning. Yes, God is good and He does care about us. And I'm learning that when you honor God with the things He gives you, He'll honor your heart's desires, too.
And so I'm ever so grateful for a God who will do that. A God who will not only take care of us and meet our basic needs but then will be generous to give us more than we needed or could have asked for. He cares, and I think this is definitely one of those matter-of-fact, hard to argue with, ways He has shown that to me. So thank you, Lord, for doing things that don't add up. For making ends meet when they seem far from it. For trusting me with what you've given me, and for the extra unexpected blessings you've added in along the way. Thanks for caring so much about me!
#417 - For meeting my needs and adding in extra little blessings along the way.
"So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:31-33
I love bugeting. I'm not a penny pincher, but I'm very mindful about how I spend my money. I've always been this way but more so over the past year and a half. I have an ideal number in my head and if my checking account dips below that number, I panic. I would have a heart attack if I were to ever bounce a check or get charged an overdraft fee. And so, naturally, in a declining economy, I wondered how I was going to make ends meet. I wondered how I was going to pay my bills. I've never been one to worry about money, and for the first time in my life, it became a huge worry of mine.
When I switched jobs, I took a huge pay cut. I didn't have to leave my job, and I knew full well the price I was paying to do so. I felt like God was opening that new door for me, so I decided to step through it. I'll admit that, although bankers work around lots of money, we sure don't make it. I'm not in my profession for money, I really do love what I do. I enjoy the atmosphere and the environment, not to mention the federal holidays. I knew that taking a big hit to my banking account was not only going to cause me to stretch every dollar, it was also going to cause me to stretch my faith.
It just so happened, that at this same time of switching jobs, the Lord blessed me with the opportunity to plan a wedding, and so I just wondered how this was going to happen. How was I going to pay to live and pay to marry all at the same time? Good question. Neither of those things come with a small price tag. And so the time came for me to really depend on God. To remember what all He has done for me. How He has stepped in to save every single day, and how He has never failed me. How, at the right moment, He has made provisions. And, looking back, how He was making provisions years ago, I just didn't know it at the time. God has been working on this budget of mine a lot longer than I have.
I took some time today to categorize my expenses and create a new budget. I started writing down all of my monthly expenses and as I added them up, I couldn't believe the numbers. I'll be completely honest and say that I realized that I cannot successfully support myself on the salary I make. My monthly expenses exceed my paychecks. I'm not talking hair cuts, wardrobe additions, groceries and gas. I'm talking mortgage, utilities, and bills. Things I have to pay, not including all of the things I actually need to get by on a daily basis. And here's the funny thing, there hasn't been a month that every bill hasn't been paid. There hasn't been a day that there wasn't food in my refrigerator or gas in my car. And, I've even been fortunate enough to keep my roots touched up. Now, shopping sprees have become extinct, and the little luxuries have now become gift requests (unless I can find it on super sale or have a coupon for it). But I've realized how God doesn't need my help taking care of me. He will give me what I need, and my responsibility is to manage it well and use it accordingly. And, the truth is, He has given me more than I need. He's not only met those basic needs, but He's been generous to lavish extra little blessings upon me. A beautiful wedding dress for a steal, bridesmaid's dresses that magically went on clearance when I bought them, endless coupons and discount codes (not even kidding), and sale after sale, with a few bargains inbetween, so that there isn't even any stress in wedding planning. Yes, God is good and He does care about us. And I'm learning that when you honor God with the things He gives you, He'll honor your heart's desires, too.
And so I'm ever so grateful for a God who will do that. A God who will not only take care of us and meet our basic needs but then will be generous to give us more than we needed or could have asked for. He cares, and I think this is definitely one of those matter-of-fact, hard to argue with, ways He has shown that to me. So thank you, Lord, for doing things that don't add up. For making ends meet when they seem far from it. For trusting me with what you've given me, and for the extra unexpected blessings you've added in along the way. Thanks for caring so much about me!
#417 - For meeting my needs and adding in extra little blessings along the way.
"So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." - Matthew 6:31-33