by Melanie Irizarry on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 10:26am
It was Sunday morning, and again the offering bucket was coming around the room, I held in my hand a $20 bill my mom had given me earlier that week. On stage was one of my favorite female evangelists that used to speak at our church. I loved her ministry and her and God and well... it seemed nonsensical to hold onto the money in my hand any longer. No prompting or preaching was needed. I just tossed it in the basket- heart and all. When we love something usually letting go of whatever we have before us is no big deal or if it is a big deal that seemingly big deal pales in comparison to that love and so is overshadowed. Likewise for me, when I was younger any time I had money in my hands it usually went straight into the church. I could think of no better way to spend it for me at the time and I had faith that everything in my life was taken care of. My mom on the other hand was no church goer and faced frustration I apparently was unaware of. Upon returning home that afternoon my mom somehow knew what had happened "where is your $20 I gave you? You threw it in the offering basket? You need to quit giving away the money I give you! You could use it for clothes!" I thought I had a fine enough assortment so that struck me funny, and it made me sad that my mom was angry about it all. I locked myself in the bathroom for a moment and prayed to God. I didnt' know how to respond so I cried and lifted my mix of emotions and thought up to HIM and then prayed for my mom that God would ease whatever it was she was going through".... The next day I went to church again. -yes, we had church every day of the week when we had guest speakers- This time I sat there and listened and didn't toss anything in the basket as it came around. At the end of the service prayer began and the lady who was preaching clutched her microphone pointing to the back of the room. "you " she said. I looked over both of my shoulders to see who she was talking to " you in the red sweat jacket" That would be my signature color and coat at the time so I looked at her " Yes, you... come up here" ... she began to speak words of encouragement over me - mind you I HAD TOLD NO ONE about what happened the night before. She put her hands on me " God sees you and you are soooo beautiful to him... beautiful.... know you are taken care of ... know God LOVES YOU... Know God sees your heart and everything else.... KNOW THIS...YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL " after a moment of praying over me she reached out her hand microphone away from her face and whispered in my ear "God wanted you to have this" as she put WELL over the $20 I had had earlier that week in my hands. "Go get a nice dress at Dillard"
I went home and told my mom all about it. She didn't' get saved that day or anything .... but it was funny that God used the one who usually gets to speak financially into that and my mom was never quite so harsh again on my church choices financially.
You don't give to get ... but don't be afraid to give.
I went home and told my mom all about it. She didn't' get saved that day or anything .... but it was funny that God used the one who usually gets to speak financially into that and my mom was never quite so harsh again on my church choices financially.
You don't give to get ... but don't be afraid to give.
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