This is one of those posts I didn't want to write. Not because I don't love what happened, but because I didn't want to admit how badly I needed the miracle God sent.
I had lunch with a friend on Wednesday. She's one of those iron-sharpens-iron friends who assured me the body of Christ would love knowing what I'd experienced and that it was pride that prevented me from sharing. "You need to write about what God's done."
She was right. I've repented and here goes.
(I am going to write about the election, but I need to do a little pondering and I need to remind us of what God can do beforehand.)
This was not the first miracle I've ever seen, but it's the first one I'm going to tell about in this little series, because it changed something vital in me.
After I left medicine for the writing break that wasn't just for two months, as I'd planned, but was a divinely-orchestrated training-in-faith school, money was in short supply. I'm a frugal woman, so I tightened my belt. I knew God would provide, and He did.
Money got tighter. My belt did, too. I knew God would provide, and He did. Every time.
There came a day when my bank account was down to $37.00, but an automatic draft was coming out the next day. Someone owed me money that would more than cover the expense, but they hadn't been able to pay the full amount. I searched through my house and found spare change and a few dollars, but, even with, that I was going to be short.
I sat down with the money I had, spread it out on my kitchen table, and wept. Tears streamed down my face as I prayed, "Lord, you have never let me down before. What's up with this? What am I supposed to do?"
There are moments when that still, small voice of God is maddening. This was one of them. "Take it to the bank."
The money wasn't enough, so I couldn't see taking it to the bank before God did some kind of miracle, but the Holy Spirit was relentless. I counted the money over and over to be sure. I was nearly $60 short. I didn't know what else to do, so I gathered up the money and headed to town.
I went to the drive-through furthest away from the window, just to avoid looking at the teller's face. I couldn't bear the idea of seeing her look at me, with my previously big bank account, now having only $37. Especially when I sent my pitiful deposit through the vacuum tube.
I prayed again as I hit the send button on the post and waited for the teller to send back the deposit slip.
After a few minutes, she buzzed with a question. "What do you want to do with this extra money?"
"What extra money?"
"There's another $100 in here you didn't add to the total."
My breath caught in my throat. $100 would make the deposit enough. My heart was pounding as I replied. "Are you sure? I counted that money several times."
"Yes, ma'am. I've counted it three times. There's definitely an extra $100."
I had enough.
I sat there in stunned silence with tears running down my face.
"Dr. Hollis. What did you want me to do with this extra money?"
I was so busy having church that I'd forgotten to answer.
"If God added $100 to my deposit, you better put it in my account." I was laughing and crying and praising and shouting hallelujah.
That $100 wasn't the biggest miracle I'd ever seen, but it was the most desperately needed. It showed me, in the most compelling way imaginable, that I could trust God on this journey of faith. It was fun in a roller-coaster-ride kind of way. It left me wanting more. More God. More miracles. More evidence of His favor and love.
That day, God did something big in me. Money has never been in quite that short supply again, but, even when it's tight, I'm no longer frightened. At the deepest part of my being, I know God will supply all my needs. Every single one of them.
People ask me all the time if I think I'll go back to medicine. It would give me a nice big salary and ease my concerns about fund-raising. I wouldn't have to work 14-hour days like I do now. It would stop my worries about what people think about me. It would make many things easier.
It would also bring the Untapped Power Grid project to a screeching halt and stop the flow of $100 miracles.
It's not hard to decide. All I have to do is think about the money God added to my deposit and know that, as long as I'm doing exactly what He calls me to do, in exactly His way, God will fund His projects and provide for me.
You, too, may be facing a situation where only the intervention of God can carry you through. Take courage. We serve an on-time God who is more than able to provide. The good news is that He's not only able to provide; He's also willing.
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God... And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6, 19 nasb
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photo above courtesy of free images.com
I've been helping at a retreat for the last four days and have had essentially no internet access. I'm back in the digital world now, and the regular blog schedule will resume tomorrow. Thanks for your patience.
This story happened nearly two years ago. Tomorrow, I'll write about something more recent,The Miracle in the Middle Drawer, and, later in the week, I'll write about The Day Time Stood Still. The election blog post is coming, so hang on and keep reading.
#miracles #Godwillprovide
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