I kid you not. God provided miraculously again for the Edwards family last night. We had a late night with a high school track meet. Thankfully the meet was in Paradise. I worked the meet starting at 3:30 p.m. until it ended. Taylor runs in the last event so Brenda and the other boys were there until the end as well. I did not bring my phone with me so as not to lose it.
When we got home I checked my phone and found this simple message from a number I did not recognize. "Please check your mailbox when you get home." I almost forgot getting distracted by eating dinner and getting the kids off to bed. I just wanted to get into bed.
After letting the dog out I remembered the text message. I went out to the mailbox and discovered a white envelope. Our names were on the envelope along with a message about our using the contents of the envelope to do something special we might not get to do normally. I took the envelope into our bedroom and gave it to Brenda. When she opened it I knew God had done something special through an anonymous servant. Tears welled up in her eyes in gratitude as we thanked God for doing something so dramatic and miraculous for the third time in the past two weeks.
Two nights earlier, after the junior high track meet, I told Brenda my feet were killing me. In fact they ached for two days after working that meet. I knew it had to be the shoes I wore. I wore my newest shoes for the meet but they are not new by any means.
We looked on line for some shoes and when I saw a pair I liked and thought they were affordable she told me we would have to charge them. I told her no way would I do that. Fast forward to last night and her opening the envelope. She said, "Now we can get you some new shoes." That is the way she is always thinking of others before herself. Her feet have been hurting too because of her shoes and my thought was, "Now we both get new shoes!"
I do not know why God has chosen to work so dramatically in our lives when it comes to provision. Most people go to work and get a salary. Many people never give God's provision a second thought. They have financial and job security. Brenda and I, not by choice, have not always been able to live that way. We have been forced to lean on God and to depend on Him for provision as we have followed Him.
God has used numerous people in our lives to sacrificially give to support our ministry. Almost from the very beginning Brenda and I wanted to follow God and to serve Him wherever He saw fit to plant us. When I started No Compromise Ministries in 1998 God used a business man to give me $6,000 to get started. I received a $1,000 salary for the first six months when I had very few preaching engagements. God used an attorney to bless our ministry with $10,000 one time about a year later. As generous as those two people were I am equally grateful for others who gave $20, $50, and some $100 each month to help us. Some were newly married just starting out. Some were retired and living on fixed incomes. Some struggled to make ends meet month to month and yet faithfully and joyfully sacrificed because they loved and believed in Brenda and I. God used several ladies through a business to pay our house payment for fourteen months when we tried to start a church and it disbanded in 2002-2004. I am thinking of the man who gave me a sound system, another who bought me a wireless microphone and the numerous ones who have given to make the publication of all my books possible.
God has used people all over the state of Texas to provide for Brenda and I. On one hand I hate it. I hate living a life where we have not always been financially independent. I hate that so much of the focus of our prayers seems to be for God's provision. We would much rather be on the giving end. Brenda and I love to give to others. I look around at others in ministry who appear to be well off and wonder why God has chosen such a different path for us. Years ago I realized God was calling me to walk a different road. He called me to walk and live out the principles of faith and prayer. That is what we have done for the past twenty years of marriage. It has been a lonely path. Many have misunderstood or even doubted God's leadership in our lives. We have sought to obey God even when it appeared foolish in the world's eyes and to people in the church. We heard the whispers and gossip and cried silently when our obedience seemed so costly. Through it all God met our every need.
When the first church we tried to plant disbanded I planned on getting a job until God spoke to me at the prayer cabin as I sought Him for direction. Nobody could have been more shocked than me when God clearly said, "Do not get a job. Trust me for provision. Do not tell anyone when you need money but bring your needs to me." Even today as I write that it seems bizarre God would lead in that fashion. He did and we were tested. Many did not understand. Brenda's family did not understand and I felt like a fool. I doubted many days I had really heard from God. Brenda had to suffer as we literally lived below the poverty level according to statistics. God kept putting food on the table and gas in the vehicles. We prayed and God supplied. Many thought we were foolish expected us to go under. Many times I faced the temptation to be disobedient. I wanted to throw in the towel. Through God's grace He strengthened our faith and allowed us a front row seat to behold His faithfulness.
That season of our lives lasted for eighteen months. God used people to give to meet our needs. At times He used churches who called asking me to preach rallies, revivals, and retreats. He used people we had known for years and He used people we did not even know. Behind all of it, we know God ultimately provided for us.
When we followed God to Paradise for the first time we saw Him provide many times. He used many people to provide for us at Christmas. There were years when we had nothing extra to buy for the boys or when they asked for something completely out of our financial reach. God used people to give to us and answered prayers for our family. God used someone in that church to provide a vehicle for me when God called me to give mine away. When I see that truck today I cannot help but think of God as my provider.
When we moved to Seminole we knew the church did not have a parsonage and rental party was scarce. We lived in the mission house the church owned for three months while praying yet again for God's provision. God moved in dramatic fashion. The church took up a love offering of $8,000 to help us get into a home and a married couple hand delivered another miracle of $5,000. Through that we were able to buy a home there.
God has used the wonderful people of FBC Seminole and the courageous people of Faith Community Church to provide for us over the past six months as followed the Lord in starting Faith Community Church. Over and over again when real needs have arisen God has used His people to meet those needs. There have been lean days but we have never been without. God has always sent His timely provision.
Though I do not understand all of this, my one hope is that somebody reading this that may be facing a financial crisis will be encouraged to trust God. I pray whoever that person might be will cling to God and trust the promises of God to provide and remember what God done for my family. By faith I believe each of those people will experience God's provision in dramatic ways as Brenda and I have done.
I cannot say I enjoy living by faith but I can say I love when God comes through and I get to testify. I love watching the faces of children, students, and adults when I tell the faith stories and I love writing out these fresh testimonies.
We are going to take the advice given to us on that envelope last night. We are going to watch a donkey basketball game tonight. We are going to take the boys to a movie tomorrow after Taylor's powerlifting meet. Brenda and I are both going to buy a new pair of shoes. All of this because God provided and the bills are paid. I am humbled that He chooses to continue to provide for us.
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