God is so amazing!

I hope you know how incredible He is. Let me tell you what He just did for us.

On March 23 I mentioned that we had no money to pay the end-of-month bills. That’s because we haven’t received a paycheck since the end of January. This happens pretty regularly, especially lately. In this economy, supporting a ministry is low on most people’s priority list—after essentials like food, shelter, and taxes. We used to have an emergency fund, but after six years of erratic income, that’s gone. That’s all right—God is faithful. He’s also creative.

So, the end of the month was coming, and I had enough money to pay the credit card bill (food, fuel, some utilities, medical bills, and the like) or the mortgage—but not both. After years of practice, I don’t often stress over situations like this. I get excited. God’s going to come through, and it’s going to be awesome!

This time, I admit to a teensy bit of stress. Like when you’re ice skating and your ankles wobble for a moment, and you lose your balance. Just a little wobble. Just a…

OK, I’m not supposed to lie. I was getting panicky. And I was stressed out over being stressed out. I’m supposed to be the strong missionary who trusts God no matter what. Well, even us so-called ministry super-heroes lose it more often than you might realize.

Yup. Even when God gives me a down payment, in the form of lunch and a devotional about God’s peace, for heaven’s sake!

Friday night Pete and I showed up to our small group, as is our habit. And during the sharing time, a friend of ours got up and handed us a thick envelope. Wha? It was thick because it was stuffed—and I mean really stuffed!—with $1 bills… and $20 bills… and $100 bills… plus checks made out to us, some of them for staggering amounts! I was absolutely speechless. I was crying. It was an astounding, tangible expression of love from a group of believers, some of whom I’ve only known since last May, many of whom have financial struggles of their own.

Never in my wildest dreams did I expect anything like this.

We counted up the cash, subtracted a tithe, and took it to the bank. Then I went home and paid the credit card balance and the mortgage. There was basically nothing left over. God knew exactly how much we needed.

Yesterday Pete had a meeting with the head of another ministry. As a result, they will be hiring (= paychecks!) Pete and his ministry partner, Cecilia, to work on some strategic projects aimed at coordinating church planting ministries in a non-Christian nation overseas. Pete and Cecilia’s skills are a perfect fit with the challenges this project presents. By the end of this month, when the next round of bills are due, we should have received a paycheck.

Wow, God.

What has God done for you that’s amazing?