For thirty years, I was co-founder of a faith-based ministry. Some of you might ask just exactly what does that mean? It means you believe God directed you to minister to his people one step at a time, trusting Him for resources and direction. I want to explain to you in the only way that I understand it myself. I really only understand the journey as God makes me walk in it. Then I can look back and see His hand guiding me along to see the miracle that took place. I usually get in the middle of a situation screaming; “help me God, I can’t see where I am going.” When I calm down and rest in Him, He is faithful to patiently guide me along with a super natural miracle out of the situation. That applies in my life personally and it applied in the life of that ministry. Sometimes as I move on with the day thinking that I can handle it, and “Thank you Lord for exercising that miracle on my behalf,” then I find I have walked into another experience. I am fast coming to the conclusion that all of these situations are not of my own making. Sometimes, as I have examined them I find that He has directed me into them for the experience of knowing He is Lord or I need to learn more lessons that I can only learn from the experience of being in the situation. That kind of growth may not be just for my benefit, but for the benefit of others who are watching my life unfurl before them as they see an interaction between a living God and myself.

One day a situation came up and I thought of the story found in Mark chapter four. The disciples were in the middle of a lake and a storm came sweeping over them. Jesus had chosen His twelve disciples, had taken them to a place to begin teaching them and that same day put them in a boat to go across the lake because the multitudes were closing in on them. As He slept in the front of the boat, great winds and large waves began to break over the boat filling it with water. The disciples asked Him, “Teacher, don’t you even care that we are about to parish?” He rebuked the wind and told the sea, “Hush, be still.” And then said to them, “Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?” And they became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”

The organization had hired someone to assist with the ministry to pastors, but our finances just were not stretching to accommodate the salary need. Where is the fine line between stepping back waiting on the Lord’s provision or was there something that we needed to do in order to let people know there was a need? Should we be swept into thinking that we must write a letter to supporters for assistance or should we ask to speak in churches hoping they would begin supporting the ministry or did we need to close? This along with much prayer, Bible study and discussion with the employee were a part of the conversation of the day. After lengthy prayer in which we expressed to God our trust in Him to sustain us, we asked that His will be in this matter and also asked for encouragement as we waited for His answer.

I went into my office and began looking through the mail that I had earlier picked up at the post office. An envelope in the stack had a familiar return address on it because the person was a monthly contributor. I opened it thinking that it was the regular monthly check and discovered there were two checks. The second check was for $2,300! Needless to say, God’s answer was there and waiting even as we were lifting up to Him our prayer of calm assurance in His ability to provide our needs according to His Will.

My hope is that as you read this story you were able to remember those times in your life that God directed and provided for your needs. This is just a reminder to you of how God wants to be a part of our lives every single day. Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”