I have been reading “Moving Mountains: Giving Frenzy” (https://loveatlast.org/fc/moving-mountains/chapter-16-giving-frenzy/) and it made me reflect on my own experiences. I have always enjoyed being a giver, but due to a lack of money, I focused on helping others in non-monetary ways. I would assist people with cleaning, moving, and offering support in various ways. However, as an adult, giving money has been challenging for me. Growing up, I never asked my single mother for money, as my father left when I was very young. While we never struggled with basic necessities like clothes and food, any extra activities or material possessions were usually provided by my uncle.
From an early age, I believed that I needed to work and earn my own money. I got my first job at a fast food restaurant when I was 15 and have been working ever since (except for maternity leave). I enjoyed being the one in my friend group who could treat us to outings or buy junk food for us.
Throughout my life, I have always identified as either poor or middle class. My mindset has always been focused on having enough to cover my bills, a simple car, a home, and some extra funds for small activities. I have never desired to be rich and accumulate material possessions. In fact, the idea of winning the lottery used to scare me (although not as much now, as I think about how much of that money I could give to others). I am now learning so much about the joy of giving, and I can even see in my family’s lives, who may not know or believe in Him yet, that those who give and help others are the ones who prosper.
Although I am currently in debt with credit cards, payment plans, loans, a mortgage, and a car, I am excited to see how and where God will show me opportunities to give. I am grateful that He has forgiven me for my financial mistakes and has given me the knowledge to overcome a poverty mindset and get out of debt.
“If you lend things to people, always hoping to get something back, should you get some special praise for that? No! Even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount! So love your enemies. Do good to them, and lend to them without hoping to get anything back. If you do these things, you will have a great reward. You will be sons of the Most High God. Yes, because God is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy just as your father shows mercy.” L6:34 ICB
Thank you for sharing Hope! I recently journaled this chapter and have to ask myself a similar question – am I holding back when the Lord is asking me to be obedient. This is another area where we are called to step out in faith.
I’m glad you found it helpful! I think it’s important to be honest with ourselves about where we’re holding back, and then to ask our Beloved to help us step out in faith. He is always with us, and He will never lead us astray.
Thank you gpr sharing dear Hope, I needed to read your post and it was so my Darling that spoke to me through your post because I always send a family member stuff and and buy her stuff but I don’t get a thank you but then I was remined of tgis verse that you shared :
βIf you lend things to people, always hoping to get something back, should you get some special praise for that? No! Even sinners lend to other sinners so that they can get back the same amount! So love your enemies. Do good to them, and lend to them without hoping to get anything back. If you do these things, you will have a great reward. You will be sons of the Most High God. Yes, because God is kind even to people who are ungrateful and full of sin. Show mercy just as your father shows mercy.β L6:34 ICB
It’s always good to be reminded of the importance of giving without expecting anything in return. That verse is a great reminder of that. I hope you continue to be a blessing to your family member, even if they don’t seem to always appreciate it.β₯
Dear Hope, thank you for coming to share you have encouraged me so much!! I can relate to a lot of what you shared about not asking for anything and having the mindset from an early age that you have to get a job.. This was me.. Circumstances are always changing.. I cannot tell you how many times mine has changed.. He has been the one constant provider but it was important to give.. Starting with tithes and the offerings.. Asking Him to show you where to give as you shared.
Even tho l know the story He gave me a fresh revelation….Its like the widow who was running out of food she wanted to take the very last oil and flour and make the final bread when Elijah asked her to make him as well.. When was when she gave it says “For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” 1K17
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Kings%2017%3A7-16&version=NIV;ESV
Thank you Atarah, I love the story of the widow in 1 Kings 17. It’s such a great reminder that when we give to Him, He will always provide for us. Even when we feel like we have nothing left to give, He can still multiply our resources. π
Thank you Hope for sharing and I can relate with what you shared about being scared of too much money, but what you shared about how much of it can be given away, made me think about too much in a different way. But giving from the little that we have or do not have, is more of a blessing than giving from abundance (https://loveatlast.org/finding-the-abundant-life/chapter-4-give-it-away/). Being obedient even if we see our empty bank accounts is such a huge blessing and He truly opens the windows of heaven (https://hopeatlast.com/c3/day-18-chapter-16-opening-the-windows-of-heaven/) for us when we take that first step of faith and obedience.
My Husband reminded me of the parable of the poor widow (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2012%3A41-44&version=NIV;KJV;NKJV;ESV)
Thanks Adina. I agree with you that giving from the little that we have is a greater blessing than giving from abundance. It shows that we trust our Beloved to provide for us, even when we don’t have much. I’ve definitely experienced that when I’ve been obedient to Him, even when it’s been difficult, He has always provided for me.
Lovely Hope, but I confess, I only read half because I woke up late…
I assumed your post was too long so I went to https://wordcount.com/
and it said it was 512 words. When I scrolled because I’m on my phone, not my computer, I saw something I hadn’t noticed before:
Blog postsΒ 500-800
What will help, however, is creating MORE “Paragraph Small Bites” that I was sure I had as part of my writing course so I am leaving this email notification with my notes to add it when Iβm on my computer Β
https://narrowroadpublishinghouse.com/wtt/
*Sent from myΒ Β phone
I’m back and it was there, misspelled “bits” rather than bites haha
β’ Paragraphs. At some point, you can create paragraphs. Break when you change focus. What you want are small bites to urge your reader to keep reading. The easier the read, the greater your audience. A great tool is https://wordcounter.net/, which you can bookmark. When you paste your work in, you’ll see a general understanding of the reading level on the right side of the web page.
I was tempted to do it for you but my Husband stopped me because I believe, and hopefully you all can join me to believe His promise I read every week.
βFor you will spread out, expand abroad to the right and to the left, and soon BURSTING at the seams. Your descendants, offspring, SEED, will occupy the nations, dispossess nations, resettle the ruined desolate deserted cities, getting back the land that the others now occupy.β I543
The only way to do that is each of you join in and do everything YOU can do not leave it to https://loveatlast.org/about/ministry-team/ and now I believe it’s why He keeps removing one by one! This is already is outdated.
I agree that breaking up my text into smaller paragraphs would make it easier to read. I’ve added some more paragraphs to my post, and I think it looks better.
Thank you sharing the link to the word counter. I’ve bookmarked it and will use it to check the readability on my next post as well.
WOW, what a difference, Hope, thank you!
Yvonne and I were just finding out more about you on your website. We used you while working to set up our https://rmiou.com/students/ page only later did we realize you’re now MTI but that will be a good test because it will be easy to drag you up.
We saw you purchased your domain and have a Google Website, BRAVO and also a WordPress blog, impressive!! Nicely done and what we hope everyone else will be inspired to do because RMI is just where you’re training, volunteering because He wants everyone to have their own ministry, I have my own http://www.erinthiele.com/ and today Yvonne and I had our weekly Thursday meeting to discuss how to get the content provided safely for my spiritual family, RMI Partners.