5 months ago, our family sold our house and our belongings and set out on what some might call an adventure. We set out to listen to God and obey Him, and we sensed Him calling us to the Mediterranean region. We’ve moved 12 times since then. We’ve set foot in five foreign countries, and all five of our kids have learned at least a few words in three languages.
We’ve got plenty of stories to tell, but people keep asking:
“How can you afford to do this?”
To tell the truth, I didn’t want to talk about it. I didn’t want to be that missionary… the one who talks constantly about money. But to give God credit for what He’s doing, I have to talk about money.
We moved to Italy as marketplace missionaries. My husband had a job as an English teacher, and we planned to minister “on the side”. When we arrived, we discovered my husband’s employer didn’t have permission to hire an American. Worse yet, there was no way we could legally work anywhere in Italy.
Instantly we recognized it as a set up. We wouldn’t have moved overseas without a regular paycheck.
Four months later, there’s still no paycheck. We’re in Israel now, and we can’t work here either. But God has been paying the bills right on time.
Once, strangers literally walked up to me and handed me money. Other times, people we taught or coached gave us money. Different people lent us vehicles, bought us groceries, and gave us clothing and household items. Others covered housing and travel costs. The only thing all these people had in common was that we didn’t ask them for anything.
Every major expense we’ve had has been covered by gifts or some other unexpected source of provision, usually within a few days of when we needed it.
I didn’t post here last week. We were days away from being homeless again, and I was a wreck. We sensed that God wanted us to go to Jerusalem, but we had no place to stay. I wanted to ask you to pray for housing for us, but I realized there were only two options:
- God can be trusted. He provides for His own, and we don’t need to ask Him to do something He’s already promised to do.
- God isn’t really good. There’s no point to anything. ever.
After everything we’ve experienced, I was still afraid. So instead of praying for housing, we asked God to heal our hearts so we can believe the truth.
And after over a month of searching, we found a place in Jerusalem, hours before we got on the bus to come here.
Why am I telling you this?
You know that thing…the thing you feel called to do…the thing you tell yourself you can’t do because your kids are too young, or you’re too old, or you don’t have the money?
Any God worth following will equip you to do the thing He’s asking you to do. It might be at the last minute, or even slightly later than the last minute. Will you listen and respond?