When It Comes to Need and Provision

What do we have to bring to the table besides a fork and a need?

Today is officially the 10 year anniversary of shaking the dust off my feet as I left my training ground in northern Missouri.  In that northwest Missouri city, I'd operated an outreach mission in what was deemed a blighted neighborhood, maintained my membership and attendance at the local synagogue, while visiting nearly every church in the town on Sundays.  I'd also served as a school mentor in that blighted neighborhood, worked the food kitchen with my fellow congregants from synagogue, conducted Bible studies at the state mental health facility, and served as both police and fire chaplain for the city.  It all seems sort of a blur, now, but in that time I was learning and being trained for what I am now doing.

All of the duties mentioned in the previous paragraph were regular weekly responsibilities, except fire and police which were monthly meetings, but 24/7 on call emergencies.  I wasn't called on every call, only deaths, and thankfully there were not many criminal or fire deaths, but there were some.  Now the point I'm getting to regarding need and provision is, all of these "positions" came with a title and responsibility but no monetary compensation, whatsoever.  I had a modest income from an annuity, and by modest, I mean less than $600.00 a month.  I also had some reflexology clients @ $15.00 a session.  With that income, I was able to pay the utilities, keep gas in my car and insurance, and provide a weekend meal for the children in the neighborhood who came to the Bible class.  In that time, I actually had a few folks who simply handed me money, saying Abba had told them to give it to me.  That didn't occur frequently, but it did happen on occasion.  I also had folks, religious folks, asking for donations and bills to be paid . . . which did occur with regularity!

Through that time, I was also blessed to do a bit of traveling in mission work, and I would always receive an extra blessing along the way. In running this little outreach ministry, a larger church that was 501c3 agreed to stop sharing a devotion at their food pantry . . . Something about state donations.  It was through this time, they asked if they could donate the perishable leftovers to the mission I ran.  It was mostly veggies and prepackaged salad mixes, which just happens to be my very favorite food and probably least favorite of kids!  I was honest with them and told them salad was my favorite, but "my kids" probably wouldn't eat it.  They said, "Enjoy!"  So for three and a half years my grocery bill was less than $20.00 a week which included feeding the children on Saturday night.

 Traveling ministry was enjoyable, but I clearly heard that my mission call was to America, and three weeks before 9/11 Abba led to me to a computer ministry.  That in itself is quite a story, but that will be an article for another day.  Back to this preparation for barter and sharing.  My monthly bills also included a land line for the mission and a cell phone for my volunteer chaplain duty.  When I heard the call to move into the computer ministry, an internet connection also became a monthly bill as well.  I was still able to save some money!  In that seven years of running that mission, I discovered how very little I actually needed and how content I was just to be serving YHWH, but He was still simplifying me.

Now, as I prepare for others to join or just continue to reach out in this area, I have an electric bill, a communication bill, and a feed bill, which are all paid monthly and still amount to less than $600.00 a month.  I'm blessed with income from a business and book sales, but to this date, it hasn't put me in a new tax bracket.  I do not live "poor as a squirrel" in winter, not at all!  But, in over two decades, by the grace of YHWH and change of dependency, my cost of living has remained under $600.00 a month.  When it comes to need and provision, one of the biggest lessons I've learned and believe I will teach others is just how little worldly wealth it takes when we realize YHWH truly is our Provider.

Assistance

The last couple of weeks I've noticed a real upsurge in requests for financial assistance and spiritual advice regarding money across social media.  Although I don't consider myself to be wealthy, I do know YHWH is my provider, provides well, and I'm debt free, but I am still in this world and like it or not, some things require money.  I'm heading off grid to eventually pay no electric bill, but to do that requires me to purchase a battery bank, and even if I could make solar panels and wind turbines, I can't make them out of air and rocks.  I do know there is a day coming in which buying and selling will not be an option without the mark, therefore; I am investing now for what I think we may need then.

I offer financial assistance in some situations and in others I offer products as a gift, but truth be told, some situations actually need financial management instruction and work ethic motivation.  I do not subsidize poor money management.  I can't afford to!  As long as we are in this world, before Messiah returns, we have to accept the fact that life in this world is not free.  Of all things the public education does not teach and parents tend to not prepare children for is budgeting.  Oh, I grew up being made to have a savings account and tithe, but other than being told how much and when, I was clueless.  I had to learn by trial and unfortunately error . . .

That is why I truly want to help people, not just throw money at them and certainly not judge them.  Many folks have not been taught good financial planning or budgeting, and sadly today there are few examples of a good work ethic.  Knowing, my entire adult life, I had to make it on my own, I really would like to help folks budget for independence and develop a strong work ethic that will carry them through their life.  Yes YHWH does provide, but part of His provision is giving us talents to use to make a living.  It's not about "making money" it's about using our talents to provide for our life and family.  Some of that provision will involve money, but much of our life really doesn't need to.  We just haven't really been taught a good way of money management and prioritizing is difficult for nearly everyone.

I realize any of us can fall on hard times and the economic condition of our country is alarming, which is all the more reason to learn a better way of money management and less dependency on our current system.  I am not advising people to exchange their dollars for silver, at this time, but I wholeheartedly recommend whittling down the number of dollars you depend upon in life.  We have to prioritize and the priorities are shelter and food to start with, then other things.  David wrote that he'd never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging . . . Paul penned that we are to be content with what we have, where we are.

We've been programmed to believe our worth is based upon our possessions and the terms rest and entertainment have been exchanged in the connecting term "leisure."  This nation has produced two generations, going on three now that are of age for the work force, but programmed to believe their leisure time should be their top priority.  Scripturally, leisure time isn't even an issue and a good life provides it's own entertainment!