Rich

 ^{I am learning to trust God with money.
 About time, right?
 As  a high school and college student, I had no pressing financial obligations.
 I paid my way through Frontier School of the Bible by babysitting and nannying for wealthy neighbors in Charlotte.
 I had a few thousand in savings. I had no bills to pay.
Then Jeremiah and I got married. Hello, reality!
Money has been one of the most difficult components of our marriage, and as we grew up highly differing socio-economic areas and homes, we have worked through many differences.
God's grace is opening my heart and mind to trust Him, to do the best I can with what I am given, and to rejoice in the abundant plenty He has poured into my (our) life.
The past several months have been a test, and I am learning that no matter what we plan, emergencies arise and once again, our emergency fund is depleted. To be honest, it's depressing at times.
However, God has a few words to say on this subject.
 
1 Timothy 6:17-19}
 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.  Instruct them to do good, to be 
rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,  storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.


    These words breathe joy, peace and hope into my life. Yes, we are and will continue to be the best stewards possible of what God has given us. We are saving for a house, and that means we have to cut back on frivilous spending , or cut it out almost altogether. However, on the hard days, when disappointment and frustration threaten to overshadow the grace thread holding us together, these verses are a beacon of God's beautiful truth. 
      Are we rich in Him? Yes. Are we incredibly wealthy compared to a huge percentage of the world? Yes. Do we have pleasant food to eat, palatable water to drink, shelter to protect us from the elements, and our own transportation? Yes. Can we fix our hope fully on and in Him? Yes.
     These verses shout into my brain, I AM RICH! MY LIFE OVERFLOWS WITH BLESSING AND PLENTY! HE GIVES ME GOOD WORKS TO DO FOR HIM AND OTHERS!
    Would you like to know my riches?
    Some of them have names, too many to list here.
   My riches are laughing, joyful children, riding to church with us, infecting my sometimes too adult spirit with their blind love of life. They don't care that they live in a motel, have their own social worker, and are different from the other kids at school. These kids love life. Fully, unabashedly, against all odds. Past abuse isn't stopping them. Living in a one parent household isn't stopping them. Being around adults who get drunk too much isn't stopping them. They are running into the gushing fire hose of life and embracing every happy moment they can, making every moment possible a joyful one. And guess what? These kids are my riches. My life is so full of the joy that they bring that I don't think of my time with them as service, even though many pat me on the back for it. They are children. They need love. They need a big sister and mother figure, and I am one. Period. I can't imagine my life without them, and I don't want to.
   My life is rich in relationships, from  a pregnant dog who is eating for six (or so we imagine), to my ever-loving and patient husband who I simply CANNOT thank God enough for, to parents who are extremely involved in my life from 1500 miles away, to in-laws who love me as their own. God has brought me beautiful girlfriends, each with their own story of grace and love to shine into others' lives.
   Yes, sometimes it is hard to pay the bills. It is hard to make it through the month. But how can I begrudge God of that when He has richly given me all I need to live and love life, including the hard times, and live each moment for Him? I simply cannot.
  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gifts!