2 comments (Add your own)

1. Haydee Lopez wrote:

I believe that we are all born with certain needs; many of which God provided for, others which we depend on others to provide, and still others that we must attend to for ourselves. This question reminds me of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Which are: physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem and self-actualization. There are many things that I used to look to and wonder if I would ever have, there are many things that I had looked forward to, and there are many things that I have learned to do without.

For me to answer that first question, I would have to look at where I was one year ago, compared to where I am today. A year ago, I was working and doing all of the things that most people take for granted. Today I am physically disabled to the point where I can no longer do the things that I used to. If the question was asked over a year ago, I could have stated the usual things like a new car, house, maybe some clothes, etc. Currently my desires lay elsewhere. I can’t do the things I used to when I desired to do so, but that is only temporal. But what I can do now is learn to be still and see how God can and does provide for me and my family.

Is Jesus the Lord of my last crisis or my next crises? Since there always seem to be a crisis going on with me or my family, that answer is simple. He is the Lord of all of my crises. Someone once told me that if I were not in some kind of crisis, then it I must be doing something wrong, because the devil only attacks when he wants to throw you off the path. I guess by that reasoning, then I must be doing a lot of things right. What I have learned was that if and when the next crisis comes, and it seems as though I have learned the art of multitasking when it comes to those, is that if I step back and look at what is going on from an outsiders view, I can get a better perspective of what God is trying to show me. When I get boggled down by the situation, it is like allowing the smoke to direct my next move instead of looking for the fire, so that I could extinguish it. The only way that I have learned to do that is by allowing God to do His work instead of trying to take over, which is a habit that I still have a tendency to try and do.

Like many Americans who are out of work, it is difficult for many families to make ends meet. Mine was no exception. When I became disabled, I became dependent on the “benefits” that I was entitled to. My family depended on my income and I refused to accept help from the government in any way, shape or form. For me to do that would be to admit that God didn’t know what was going to happen to me and that He would not be able to supply for me or my family during this period when He has taken it upon Himself to show me how to be still. I didn’t know how to relax, or as my family often stated, “You don’t know how not to do something.”

God has indeed provided for the last few months a position for my husband as a residential manager. He doesn’t get paid, but we also don’t have to pay rent. Our dependence for basic needs, still come from God. Where our basket is overflowing? We have recently had to take in our daughter and grandchildren from New York, which is another three mouths to feed, utilizing the same amount of financial funds, but God has seen to it that our cupboards are always still filled and our bills paid. Are these my baskets? Yes they are.

God continues to provide and open doors and my baskets overflows. Yesterday, my husband didn't have an income. Today, he is back at work and one of my son's have been accepted into a program where he will live in house with them while they teach him a trade and later on pay for his college education and expenses.

What have I learned and continue to learn? No matter what, God is faithful and continues to provide a way. I just have to continue to rely on Him and never lose faith in what His plans are for me no matter what the circumstances are. I have never been known to quit easily, and I can't do so now. But I am learning to let go and let God.

Tue, July 14, 2009 @ 1:37 PM

2. Almita wrote:

What a beautiful testimony from Haydee Lopez. Our Lord Jesus does, indeed, honor His promises to those that put His kingdom and righteousness first - by filling their needs. But in answer to your question, Jason, about the meaning of the question Jesus put to His disciples, "Do you still not understand?" - I think that He wanted them to remember, not only the miracle, but the abundance of how the need had been met. I am prone so often to think small when it comes to asking for things that would meet some need - until I remember how abundant and magnificent is His love for us all (& me, too). Scripture reminds us and asks the question,- God, who has so graciously given us His Son for our salvation, would He not also give us everything? This goes back to Pastor Larry's sermon last week about our worthiness to receive from God. We serve a mighty big God whose love for us we can never measure. It's unfathomable.

Tue, July 14, 2009 @ 3:18 PM

Add a New Comment

Your Name:

Your Email/URL (Optional):

Your Comment:

Enter the code you see below:

 

Comment Guidelines: No HTML is allowed. Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted. Thanks.