“My help comes from The Lord.” (Psalm 121:2)
I just wondered if someone needs to remember this today. I always do.
Love to you all…
God's Faithfulness
How can we doubt Him?
Look at this:
Last week I got a call from a sweet friend that I hardly run into anymore, saying she wanted to bring us something. And this is what she brought!
I’m still shaking my head in amazement over it! She said that she felt the Lord leading her to share with us from their abundance. Amazingly – and just like the Lord does it – the bags of groceries were full of our favorites – and things that we use everyday!!!
But the most amazing part of this story is that my friend’s husband has been out of a job for months.
They have been cutting back, couponing, and living with their focus set on trusting the Lord for provisions – and they shared with us from the overflow of what He has faithfully provided for them.
Our cubbards are certainly not bare at this point. And if we had “needed” something like honey barbeque sauce, we would have purchased some (hopefully with a coupon – but surely without it breaking us at this point.) And that’s just the beauty of what the Lord has done through this friend.
We weren’t yet at a place of “need” – but our Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) blessed us beyond our point of need. Before our point of need. And He/they even included a candle that says “With God all things are possible” and my very favorite cereal – Quaker Oat Squares – in the mix!
Once again, God is reminding us to trust Him – and that He will take care of us. Not because we are so full of faith. He will take care of us because He is so Faith Full!
Thank you, Kim and family! God has used you in a mighty way in our lives. Thank you for your obedience and faith as you shared with us while depending on God to provide for you!
“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 (NLT)
The littlest thing that is HUGE!
I have to tell you the sweetest thing the Lord did for us this weekend!!! As most of you know, my husband’s job was deleted, and this Wednesday is his last day of work. (We still don’t know what plans the Lord has for us – we just know that He has some, and they are good, and He will be glorified through them and through us as we trust and obey Him in our wait. Thank you so much for your prayers. We’re so grateful for them!!!)
Anyway… On Saturday, I was washing clothes and our 17 year old washing machine stopped right in the middle of a load of towels. We had been praying for it’s life extension for some time, but on Saturday, we had to lay it to rest. But because of an “extra” provision from the Lord, we were able to get a new washing machine, and we’re so thankful for how God worked it all out.
That, in itself, is a good enough story – we had a need, and the Lord graciously worked out a way to provide for us. But that’s a big thing. And everybody knows that He takes care of big things. I happen to think that it’s when we see Him do the little things that He shows Himself mighty and brings Himself the most unusual glory.
James was driving home with the washer in the back of the truck when he noticed something was flapping in the wind. When he got to a place where he could, he pulled to the side of the road to fix it. That’s when the Lord did something so little, but so amazingly HUGE!
Something shiny on the side of the road caught James’ eye. A Nissan Frontier truck wheel cap. If that doesn’t sound big to you – let me tell you more. Our Jeep died this spring and we were really bummed at squeezing an unexpected car payment in the budget. But we did, and The Lord graciously provided James with a 2002 Nissan Frontier truck. The bumper needs some work, and get this: it was missing ONE WHEEL CAP!
My sweet husband is a content man – and 
spending money replacing a wheel cap on his truck was just not on his radar. But the Lord knew the need – as little and unconcerning and ornamental as it was – and in the most unexpected way, He provided for that “need” in a way that only He could have orchestrated. How I praise Him!
The real gift of the wheel cap was not the wheel cap itself – but the fact that it was a beautiful reminder of how God is well aware of our every need – and He WILL take care of you and me. In the big things, the medium things – and even in the small, ornamental things of life – He will provide what is good for each of us and what will bring Him glory in, through, and around our lives.
Isn’t that just like the Lord?
So, to our Faithful God be the Glory for a Nissan Frontier wheel cap – and for the truth that He is taking care of your and my every need!
Lord, “Please, let me (us) see Your glory!” (Ex. 33:18)
Blessings to you today, my friends…
Jennifer
This is where "The Rubber meets the Road"
Yesterday, our family entered a new and unexpected “walk of faith”. I’ve been praying for many of you who are already on this journey, and now my family joins you. As of July 15, my husband’s position at Lifeway will be deleted, and he will be out of a job. I can hardly believe what I just typed.
Although I’m in shock right now and have cried so much that my eyes are swollen, I can see bits and pieces of how the Lord was preparing us for this and setting us up to be ready for this next step of our walks with Him. Some of the obvious ones are:
~Without my understanding of what the Lord was doing, He called me to step down from being the Teaching Director of our local community Bible Study.
~My responsibilities with Praying Parents ended at the end of this past school year when Abigail moved to middle school.
~The Lord led us to repaint our house and start getting it ready to sell. We thought we were doing this so that in a year or so, we could move to a home with an apartment in it where my mom could come and live with us. Maybe we were, and maybe we will need to sell it now.
~I’ve been doing Jennifer Rothschild’s study “Walking by Faith”, and have been soaking up every word of that incredible study. I’ve taken thorough notes from the daily lessons – which came in really handy yesterday, btw – and The Lord will use those truths to guide me/us as we walk ahead.
~And lots of other little things or little “thoughts” that the Lord has zipped through my heart and mind lately… all of which didn’t make sense until yesterday.
Just this past Wednesday night, I was looking around our house with those clean, smooth, freshly painted empty walls and I realized that I don’t have a decorating “point of view” anymore. I know what I like, but have been trying to find a balance between what I like, what I have, and the need to stay on the “neutral” side of décor so that the house will be easy to stage to sell. I’ve been praying about it, and as of yet, have had no general direction. I’ve only had specific direction for the next step of what needs to be done.
As I was pondering all of this on Wednesday, I told my husband that the walls in our house represent how I feel about my life right now. With the closure of so many things, I’m open and ready for all kinds of possibilities, but as of yet, don’t have any direction except for the next present step. I had no idea how very true that statement would turn out to be. Just two days later, all four of the Walkers find ourselves just like these walls… Ready for something – but not sure just what that is.
What I am sure of is that this is now the time in our lives where the rubber meets the road. It’s the time for us to flesh out what we study and believe and speak of on a daily basis. It’s where our faith in God as our Provider and Leader will be put in action.
At this point, we have no idea what we will do or where we will go. But we do know that the Lord is well aware of our situation, prepared us beforehand, has plans for our good and His glory, that He will lead us and provide for us as we obey Him keep our (tear-swollen) eyes fixed on Him.
We’re starting a family journal about this journey – where each one of us can write what we’ve seen the Lord do as we wait upon and trust in Him. You may be sick of hearing about this journey by the time it’s done… but we’re going to be Smelling a lot of Coffee around here – seeking the “aroma of the knowledge of Christ in every place”. We sure would appreciate your prayers as the Lord brings us to your minds.
I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.
The LORD himself watches over you!
The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.
The LORD keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.
Psalm 121 (NLT)
God’s timing is perfect, and we’re so thankful that this is the cup God has chosen for us. This is just the loss of a job – not the loss of a loved one.
I pray for every one of you that read Smelling Coffee, and I realize that many of you are on this same “faith walk” with us. Let’s pray for each other… because one of these days, we’ll all have incredible testimonies of what God has done and is doing in and through these situations.
Thank you, friends… May the Lord keep watch over you as you come and go, and wait upon Him, too.
