Financial miracle, times two

If you want to know of a testimony to God's miraculous, supernatural provision, keep reading.

Over this past weekend, the Lord on two occasions led me to give generously to others.

(You can count a third one if you consider I gave $2 to someone on a street corner--which was totally God. He is changing my heart about giving to others, and this was the first time He had led me to give money--instead of edible food or drink--to someone on a street corner.)

Back to the story. On Saturday morning He led me to give a financial provision to a friend in need. I didn't think anything of it. He led me, I obeyed, that's it.

On Sunday morning, prior to leaving the house, I went in my apartment to inventory some cash I keep in a safe.

I am very detailed and cognizant of money, and was very aware of how much cash I had in three envelopes in the safe, as well as how much cash I had in my wallet.

One of the envelopes (Envelope "A") had X dollars in it. I knew it was this exact amount, as it was how much I had taken on a recent trip and ended up not spending any of it on the trip. Upon my trip return I counted the dollar amount before putting it back into Envelope A. It was the same X amount as before I had left.

Envelope A had been untouched in my safe (I live by myself) from the return of the trip until this past weekend.

After having obeyed and helped a friend this past Saturday, I went in Sunday morning, opened my safe to count my envelopes and do some figuring. When I counted Envelope A it had X dollars (the amount after the trip return) plus another one hundred dollars (a $100 dollar bill).

I thought this odd that I'd counted X-plus-$100. I counted Envelope A's contents two more times, and still came up with X-plus-$100 both times. At first I counted this nothing but a mystery. A mystery because I am very much a stickler on keeping track of money.

Before leaving for worship Sunday morning, I decided to take some cash in my wallet. I ended up putting four $100 bills in my wallet, along with some other smaller denominations. I put three $100 bills in my wallet, plus the extra $100 from Envelope A. My thought was "perhaps the Lord wants me to give this extra $100 to someone today".

While at church, the events of the morning led to my talking with a widow I know well who has a son. This woman is a servant of God, who loves the Lord and serves Him and the Body faithfully, often through tremendous migraine pain due to two auto accidents and resulting brain injuries in the last 12 years.

Believe me, this lady makes NO excuses. If you ask her how she's doing she will be blunt honest--never for the sake of seeking a pity party, but just being honest (compared to the "oh, everything is fine and wonderful" comments so many within the Body say, even if in reality things are not truly that way). She is a trooper for the Lord, serving Him faithfully despite her circumstances of frequent pain.

As we spoke, the conversation ended up with her stoically and casually mentioning a situation she is currently addressing. Strictly informative, with absolutely no vibe that she needed or wanted any help. As we spoke, I at first was under the impression to give her that extra $100 which had showed up that morning in Envelope A. As we continued to talk, the Holy Spirit quickened my heart to give more than that--to help meet the full need she had, not only the partial $100 amount, but $300.

As we continued to talk privately, I got out my wallet and got out three $100 bills. I was distracted from what else was in my wallet as several business cards fell to the ground while getting the money out. I gathered the scattered business cards from the floor and handed her the money.

As I put the business cards back in my wallet, I did see the one remaining $100 bill in my wallet.

Giving her the money was a "God moment". She began praising God, it was glorious--that's the only way I can think to describe it. The Holy Spirit moved both of us in that moment of God's provision and blessing, we both began to weep in gladness at His moving. He is truly awesome.

Now check this out. Later Sunday afternoon, I was going to go to the grocery store. I grabbed my wallet in my apartment and decided to do an inventory. As I looked through my wallet, there were TWO $100 bills!

Let me take you back in case to remind of the math:

Sunday morning I put four $100 bills in my wallet (three $100's, plus the extra $100 bill which had appeared in Envelope A that morning). The Lord led me to give $300 to the widow, His servant. Sunday afternoon I had two $100's in my wallet. I did a double take, and began to praise God!

Here's how it would look in a traditional math equation:

$400 (Sunday morning before leaving for church, four $100's in my wallet)
-$300 (given to the widow at church, three $100 bills)
= $200 (in my wallet Sunday afternoon before going to the store, two $100 bills)

I should have had $100 in my wallet! Left that morning with $400, gave $300 to the widow.

As mentioned earlier, I am very much a stickler in terms of remembering and keeping track of the money God has given me to steward. I know how much is in my bank accounts, as well as the cash in the safe and my wallet.

This was no miscalculation, friends. Through the giving He led me to do on Saturday and Sunday, the Lord honored that giving and blessed back $200 supernaturally.

Here's another point: I am continuing to seek His guidance as to what He wishes to do not only with that extra money but all of the money He has entrusted me with.

I have not taken this as "oh boy, God gave me $200 as a blessing. Let me go see what I can buy for myself with it". No. Not at all, though some Believers might think this way. I am continuing to seek Him as to what I should do with all finances.

He has supernaturally given more, and I still seek His direction as to where and how He wants the money to be used. It is not for me to automatically/blindly assume that my ending up with $200 extra means He wants me to go shopping for myself.

Some blessings are the foundation for further blessing elsewhere. May we all seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as to what we're to do with all money He has made us stewards of. Amen.