A Beautiful, Tacky Story

Today was a beautiful day and I want to tell you a beautiful story.  It's about money.   I once read Barbara Bush's memoirs and she said it was very tacky to talk about money.  No one wants to hear about it.  It makes everyone uncomfortable.  Well, Barbara must not have read very many missionary biographies, because some of the best stories involve money.  The lack thereof and the prayers for provision, etc and the miraculous answers.  So, I guess this isn't really about money.  It's about God and His faithfulness and how He takes care of His children.  I hope you will excuse me as I get tacky.

I was raised by loving, wonderful parents who gave their lives to full time ministry.  My dad was a pastor--always small churches and many in small, rural communities--a couple of them were church plants from scratch.  He accepted the call, ready to serve the Lord wholeheartedly and did.

 All of the churches were struggling financially.  Many of them he had to take a second job to pay the bills which was always a challenge.  I remember my parents having garage sales at the strangest times to come up with extra cash for something, and the sales were preceded by prayer for God to sell certain items--sometimes because the items were ridiculous and wouldn't sell without Divine intervention and sometimes just because we needed the particular amount that item would bring.   Another time, my parents were out of money and saw that a truck full of meat had spilled on the highway.  They were pretty excited until they realized it had been headed for the dog food plant.  My mom once went without a new coat for 20 years.   I remember because she cried the day that particular streak was broken.  Anyway, there's a few examples for you. You get the picture.

Because of their finances they weren't able to own their own home.....until they were in their mid-fifties. My grandparents gifted my mom with a chunk of cash to help with a down payment, and the seller privately loaned my parents the part the bank wouldn't.  We were all over-joyed to have that modest and wonderful home provided for us.  When they were nearing their 70's and went to sell that home to move on to their new and final church ministry,  the market had increased significantly, and they were able to buy their new home outright.  The only problem was that Dad had to pay for a new roof on the old home and was going to take a small loan to do it.  But he won a contest at a car dealership instead--for the exact amount needed to pay for that roof.  Unbelievable.

Fast forward about 10 years.  My dad passed away about 2 years after that move, leaving my mom with a home and a small pension from his years of driving school bus that he did to supplement his pastoral income.  Meanwhile, Ryan and I had adopted a little baby boy in 2009.  We had had financial struggles of our own for different reasons--nothing like my parents had, but real ones nonetheless.  But for some reason God laid it on our hearts to dream and pray for a child through adoption.  We had no idea how we would pay for the adoption, but when the time came, and we got the call that we had a baby to pick up in 5 days, God provided a private loan for us at literally the last moment.  Eventually, by His grace, we were able to pay it back.  In 2013, we decided to pursue adoption again.  Once again we wondered how we would pay for it.  It would cost twice as much this time around, and it was scary.  But we looked back at God's faithfulness in 2009 when we were in ridiculous financial shape, and we remembered that He DID provide.  We knew He would this time too, so we moved forward trusting Him.  We got our call for our beautiful baby last March.

Today, my Friends.  Today I paid off that loan taken out less than a year ago.  I didn't think that would even be possible at the time.  And do you know where that money came from?  It came from my parents.

 My mom died in early November leaving that paid-for-house to my siblings and I.  It sold right away.  We each received a portion.  Not in my wildest dreams did I think my parents would fund our adoption.  But God is GOOD.  He is GOOD to those who put their lives in His hands.  (And I'm speaking of my parents here.)  He is not unjust to forget your work and the love you have shown towards His name.   "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure-- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

When I realized that we would get this money, I felt guilty at first.  I felt that it was sad that my parents had sacrificed so long and hard and I was the one going to benefit.  But then I realized that by some crazy miracle my dad was going to be demonstrating Proverbs 13:22....and Hebrews 6:10, and Luke 6:38 and more.  And really, it isn't my dad or mom demonstrating this, it is God demonstrating that His Word is true.  That He is faithful.  That He is generous. That He cares for His children.  

And then I realized that I was foolish. That, yes, I would enjoy their earthly gift to me, but they were right at this very moment, enjoying eternal, heavenly rewards and the presence of their faithful God which is far greater. 

My parents would be radiant to think they had some part in bringing a new life into their family.  I can hear my dad's laugh in amazement and see the sparkles in their eyes to think that God had done this in this particular way.  My mom got to meet and know and enjoy Zechariah before she died, and I know that this would have pleased her to no end.

When Ryan and I were first looking into adoption, we were in some of the worst financial shape we had ever been in, but I read somewhere then ( and I wish I could remember where to give credit) someone saying that we shouldn't let finances keep us from adoption because "God cares for the orphan in a special way and HE will provide the ransom."   My parents would say the same thing about giving up things to serve the Lord--that God provides--that He is worth serving.   I have learned this to be true.  I have seen with my own eyes the faithfulness of God.