Dedicated to Millie
Provision
Nine years ago I took a photo at our son Logan’s school. At the time I didn’t understand why I was taking it, but now I do. At 2-something in the morning on Labor Day—the last day of this year’s Writing Retreat—I woke up thinking about that photo and wondering how in the world I would find it. The still, small voice in my mind—the Holy Spirit—communicated the year: 2015. I got up, ate a piece of toast, and went looking in my laptop. I started in the list of 2015 photo folders from the bottom up. At one point, I wondered if I really would find the photo I was looking for. Then, when I opened the top and final folder for that year, I saw it. Front and center.
What’s the big deal about a photo?
Peaceful Readers, a core truth for life is carved in stone for you and for me. Remember it always.
In the summer of 2015, the year I took the photo, we walked away from the sociopaths. That fall, I went to work at St. Matt’s.
Joy in the Lord’s provision
We tend to think of provision in material terms, like food, money, clothes, a place to live, and so forth. But I’d like to look at God’s provision in our relationships too. The stories I’ll be sharing today include more than one type of provision. I hope they remind you of the Lord’s provision in your life. Take out your journal or a piece of paper and write your thoughts and memories as we go along.
Let’s start with these questions. What good people and good things has God provided to meet your needs and to bless you? Were there blessings that you ignored, declined or rejected? What did you learn when God said no or when you had to wait a long time for a particular blessing?
Pray and ask God to show you more about his provision—what he provides for you and for your personal, one-of-a-kind good.
Today on Choosing Peace, we’ll hop from story to story about God’s good provision. Put on your jumping shoes.
Friends, the game and the joy
One evening in July, Logan had four friends over to our house to play Magic cards—their favorite game.
Sunday, July 21
Journal entry
…They had a great time from 8 to 11. At one point the power went out, so Brandon lit a lantern for them and Logan asked me to take a picture of them by lantern light. So good. (Very brief outage.) Lord, thank you for our church, food, laughter and friends. You are so good. Amen!
What was the most important thing God provided in that story? Logan’s friends. A good friend is a remarkable blessing. The next day, my pal Charlene and I ate dinner at Rosa’s Café and talked for hours.
Giving and receiving
The day after that, the provision kept flowing and flowing.
Tuesday, July 23
Journal entry
I got up around 2:30 again and ate my leftover carrot cake from Rosa’s for breakfast. Delicious! I read two more chapters of Letter to the American Church. Outstanding.
Work at St. Matt’s was good. Paula dropped off more Subway [gift] cards for Christopher. Shortly afterwards, Christopher stopped by. He was so happy that his new state ID card arrived. (I made a copy of it since he loses things a lot.) I gave him a Subway card so he could eat lunch there. He smiled, gave me a big hug and said he’s praying for me. I thanked him and waved good-bye. Christopher loves the Lord.
Carrot cake. A great book to read. A job. A smile, a hug and a prayer. But that’s not all….
Who he is
Before we continue, I need to answer this question: Who’s Christopher? He’s a Christian man in his 60s who’s homeless and suffers from schizophrenia. He goes to church at St. Matt’s, where I work, and stops by during the week sometimes. Learn more about Christopher in part 1 of The Prayer.
From hand to hand to hand to hand—God, Paula, me, Christopher
God allowed Paula and me to be the hands that passed on the Lord’s provision to Christopher. The Holy Spirit encouraged Paula to bring some Subway gift cards for Christopher to the church that day. Not long afterwards, Christopher stopped by and I was able to give him two good things—his new state ID card and a Subway gift card for a meal. It feels good to help Christopher.
Joy in the Lord’s provision means not only joy for what we’ve received,
but the joy we experience as we pass on the Lord’s provision to other people.
Has the Lord been asking you to pass something along to someone? You might make someone’s day.
The ability to work, to serve and to bless others—these are gifts from God. I’m reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:9-13.
Three on Wednesday
Thankfully, Logan attends Texas A&M, a public university with a very strong conservative Christian component. At the beginning of last semester, he had a decision to make.
Wednesday, January 24
Journal entry
Logan went to a Bible study tonight. He’ll be visiting three different ones to decide which one’s for him. He was surprised that tonight’s study was co-ed. I texted him and asked what he thought about the material and the leader. Holy Spirit, lead Logan to the right group for him. Make the path straight. Show him clearly which group is the right one for him. Our son has been invited to three different Wednesday Bible studies. Praise the Lord!
Logan chose the co-ed Bible study. It was very good for him. The Holy Spirit provided the invitations and the guidance. That thrills my soul—more than I can say.
Two days in June
Enjoy these back-to-back journal entries.
Monday, June 10
Journal entry
Brandon cooked eggs with bacon and cheese for breakfast. Very good. We had a good quiet time and rest time before work from home. We ate lunch outside—a Schlotzsky’s sandwich for him and Jimmy John’s for me. The occasional cool breeze felt good. [My dog] Marvin did The Zoomies and I cheered for him. That was so fun. Floyd ran a little too. [Brandon, Logan and I] enjoyed broccoli-stuffed chicken, kidney beans and fruit salad for dinner. Logan is thankful that he’s working with the 8-year-olds now [at the YMCA day camp]. So are we.… Brandon’s blood sugar is under control now and he feels much better. Charlene and I had a good talk—catching up on everything. I love my Soul Sister. Brandon and I played Farkle. Very fun.
All this in one day? Wow. God provided good food, quality relationships, good weather, our sweet dogs, a good job for Logan, health improvement for Brandon, and fun memories. It feels good to give God the glory. Have you counted your blessings lately? Close your eyes and start counting your blessings from the last month. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of things you forgot.
Tuesday, June 11
Journal entry
Today was my first day back at St. Matt’s since my trip to Colorado. The Lord blessed me sweetly with Kisses On The Head from Jesus. Donna and Michelle invited me to grab some breakfast food from their meeting. A woman handed me a fancy cylinder of cheesecake. I thought, Who needs breakfast casserole when you can have cheesecake with beautiful berries on top? It was so wonderful. What a treat. Many, many people came up to St. Matt’s today, including Sam, families decorating for VBS, men installing wood trim in the Parish Hall, etc. I sent an email to eight ladies at St. Matt’s requesting a referral to a quality Christian CPA and received three recommendations. Praise the Lord! What a relief.
Marvin and I toured the building toward the end of the day. It was his first tour with other people in the building. Lights were on, large decorations were in the library, and little girls were laughing in one of the classrooms. I took him on a different route than usual. He showed courage when he stepped up and circled the altar for the first time. Go, Marvin! Praise and treats from his proud mama.
There was more, but you get the picture. Speaking of a picture, check out the cheesecake. I wasn’t kidding.
Jobs
One of the ways God provides for us is through our employment, which gives us income. Some jobs are great; others are very challenging.
Corporate America
Many corporations are slaves to the woke agenda, DEI, ESG scores and much more. (See part 8.) While this is very hard on Christian employees, it also provides an impetus for courage, speaking the truth, and standing up for Jesus. Some people have lost jobs or businesses over issues like the “vaccine” or refusing to be a vendor at a gay wedding (e.g., florists, bakers, caterers). These are very trying times. Each of us must honor the Lord and follow our conscience. Jesus takes precedence over a job. I think you’ll be blessed by our preacher’s July 21 sermon on these issues. Not everyone gets justice or what we consider a happy ending. Some do; some don’t.
God is sovereign. He is our provider.
Taking a stand
In part 7, I wrote about the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown—with churches being closed, but abortion clinics, liquor stores, casinos and strip clubs being left open. “The sleeping remnant was awakened. And we will never sleep again.”
One day last year, my Bible reading matched what Brandon did at work. It was remarkable.
Tuesday, August 22 (part 1)
Journal entry
…Acts 5 spoke powerfully to me. Opposition to Jesus and his followers gave men hearts filled with jealousy, fear and rage—bent on violence. An angel of the Lord brought the apostles out of prison and told them what to do. They obeyed. Conflict and chastisement followed, but Peter and the apostles were bold. God provided an unlikely ally—a respected Pharisee and teacher named Gamaliel, who spoke truth, which saved their lives. After being beaten and told “not to speak in the name of Jesus” (v. 40), the apostles left, “rejoicing….”
Before work that day, Brandon talked about the spiritual warfare going on at his office. He asked for something with a Christian symbol to take with him to work. He chose our fish symbol which says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” He also picked up info cards about Alpha at church on Sunday. Brandon put the fish on the wall of his cubicle, with his name typed and placed in the center. He also put the Alpha cards on top of the rainbow LGBTQ cards someone had been laying on the tables at work. I was so proud of him. He is taking a stand against evil at work, and is declaring loud and clear: “This is who I am.”
Rejoicing
Later that day, I shared my joy with my friend Meagan.
Tuesday, August 22 (part 2)
Journal entry
Meagan and I had a great text exchange. I wrote, “Aslan is on the move.” Meagan sent me a little video of Lucy hugging Aslan. I replied, “You rock, sister! I’m reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and just finished the chapter shown in your video clip!!! That says to me, loud and clear—the Lord’s timing is perfect. He is never late.” She loved it.
Just enough
Has there been a time when you had a bill show up and wondered how you were going to pay it? How did things work out? Have you ever received an unexpected check in the mail? I have. Joy, joy, joy. Here’s a similar example from last year.
Wednesday, January 25
Journal entry
After work, Brandon and I picked up the burb from the suspension shop. It has an all-new suspension and a new windshield. It cost $4K. Thankfully, our income tax [due] was $4K less than expected. The Lord provided. TBTG! Brandon and I shared a cheeseburger and a banana split at Braum’s. So good. Then we dropped off the Volt at home and shopped at Aldi. I baked four loaves of banana bread. Thank you, God, for our food, our home, each other and every good gift.
Earlier today, I asked you to count your blessings. Did you thank God for them? Even if you did, pray and thank him again.
Job vacancies
While I was writing this post, my Bible fell open to 1 Chronicles 12: The Mighty Men Join David. I circled verse 22 years ago and it has provided much encouragement during some interesting times. I keep a piece of a church info card in there from seven years ago. Cards and bookmarks go in very special places in my Bible. And 1 Chronicles 12:22 got one. Why? This verse communicates how God builds his army. He does it. In other words, God has all the job spots filled. We don’t need to worry. In fact, Jesus told us not to worry.
For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.
1 Chronicles 12:22, New Heart English Bible
Your turn
Has there been a time when you needed help and the Lord provided it? You needed someone and God literally dropped that someone down right in front of you?
1 – 2 – 3
A great need followed by “Here I am” has happened to me three times at St. Matt’s that come to mind. First, my friend Sam (short for Samantha). St. Matt’s needed a shot of energy and enthusiasm and the Lord brought Sam. I call her Great Spark and that is no lie. Some amazing things have come to pass at St. Matt’s because God brought Sam there—new ministries, new events, new relationships. Second, Father Daniel, the new priest. He, too, is amazing. Bright, well-read, a truth-speaker and a peaceful man of God. Also, a man with a vision. A man who makes things happen. ’Nuff said. Third, my new office volunteer. I’ll call her Carrie. My workload had gone way up, so I advertised for an office volunteer and in walked Carrie. What a sweetheart and a lifesaver. She spent 45 minutes on a tech support call her first day, while Marvin, my laptop and I were sitting quietly in the library. Praise the Lord.
Have I mentioned how much I hate dealing with tech support? It’s not that they’re unkind or anything; I just hate dealing with that stuff. I’d rather go to the dentist. I mean it. Heavy sigh.
The takeaway
Did I mention that I wrote this post from my annual Writing Retreat? Well, speaking of tech support, I couldn’t connect to the Wifi at the Airbnb. The word from the still, small voice to Yours Truly was about fruitfulness instead of production. In other words, “You’re on this retreat for fruitful writing, rest and rejuvenation, not to publish posts. Therefore, you don’t need the internet.” Voilà. What I was considering an issue was actually a non-issue. I just needed to hear from the Lord and get over myself. I felt totally relieved after that.
How about a photo from the farm where I stayed. It was so peaceful and quiet. The Lord provided the perfect place for my weekend retreat, and I was deeply blessed by the big Texas sky, the fruitful writing and my BLT sandwiches. (Read part 9 for more about BLTs and how they tie in with a fascinating story about God’s protection.)
The rain
A year ago in late August, we were showered with blessings.
Sunday, August 27
Journal entry
Life group was great. I gave Rex [the book] Psalm 91 for Molly. She was out sick with bronchitis. During the baptism [in church], Psalm 91 was mentioned in the woman’s testimony and I gave Rex a high-five. So great. God’s timing is perfect. JR preached on [Romans 5:8—the verse that was at the bottom of the page in my journal].
…I prayed for rain during our life group and it rained this afternoon!!! Wow! Brandon and I sat on the porch. The smell, sight and sound of the rain blessed me deeply. It was so beautiful and peaceful. Noelle and Meagan texted me about God answering my prayer. I love our life group.
We went to Charlene and Winston’s for dinner and the Mitchells were there. It rained while we were there—praise the Lord! We ate tacos and brownies. Yum. Then we watched a John Crist comedy show. So funny. Laughter is good medicine. Thank you, Lord, for friends!
God gives us every good thing. Most importantly, he gives us Jesus. He gives us a church to attend. He gives us new life in Christ—which we celebrate when we watch someone get baptized. He gives us great books to read and share. He gives us friends and knits our hearts together. He gives to some of us marriage and/or children. He gives us food. He gives us laughter. And he gives us rain.
God is our provider, our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Creator. Nothing is hard for him.
The second time
I prayed for rain each day of my Writing Retreat. On the last day, after I found the photo with today’s core message engraved in stone—“The Lord provides”—I went back to bed. When the Lord awakened me for the second time, I sat up. In the quiet room, I heard something. I heard the rain. A few minutes later, as I sat under my fuzzy green blanket, I said out loud, “Thank you, Lord. What a glorious sound.”
“Rain, you heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness. Let the earth open, that it may produce salvation, and let it cause righteousness to spring up with it. I [the Lord] have created it.”
Isaiah 45:8, World English Bible
Coming next: Well, we have three types of joy to go: joy in worship, joy in the family of God, and joy in the Lord’s presence. I’m not sure which one is coming next, but any way you slice it, the Holy Spirit has something great in store.
Until next time, thanks for reading and for Choosing Peace.
Truth from The Word: Psalm 34:1-3
Song: My friend Meagan shared this song with me recently. Enjoy “Doxology” by Mark Schultz. It is simple and yet profound. “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….”
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