Sunday,
February 6, 2011
Extreme Sowing & Reaping
What
a remarkable morning!
After
a short night, I had a very hard time getting up at 7 am. I packed
up, had some tea and made sandwiches to take with me, and then
said my good-byes to my precious friends. It was just after 7:30
am when I started on my long drive from Greeley to Colorado Springs.
My friend had checked the weather, and so I knew I had snow ahead.
It would take longer than the predicted 2h 15m, but I did have
3 hours until the service started.
I
listened to teaching CDs the whole trip, and was actually pretty
awake. Greeley is an hour north of Denver, and Colorado Springs
an hour south of Denver. As I was approaching Denver, the highway
was more and more covered with snow. I was surprised why they
weren't clearing it. It started snowing as I was leaving Denver,
and as you go to a higher altitude, it snowed even more there.
I was going as fast as I could. At one point a police car with
lights on slowed down all the traffic, having us follow behind
him.
As
I approached Colorado Springs, it was still snowing but the sun
was also coming out. The roads were still pretty bad. I made my
way to church where I arrived just after 10 am. It had taken me
2h 30m to get there.
I
was very tired. I got the box with my brochures out and carried
it into church to set up my stuff. It was good to see familiar
faces, and I talked with a few people. I also gave them the pictures
to run while I was sharing. At 10:30 am the service started.
During
the time of worship I was very tired and simply rested in His
presence. Then the pastor gave the announcements, and did the
offering.
I
had already written out a H2TNI check for $200 yesterday, so I
wouldn't have to write it during the service. As they were preparing
the service, I was thinking of believing for a ten-fold return
on this money. I don't even think of returns when I give usually!
Then the pastor prayed, and he prayed for a 100-fold return. I
reflected on that and wondered if I'd have the faith to believe
for that. My faith was small as a mustard seed, but I said YES
to believing for that.
Then
the pastor called me up to share. I should have preached on Tuesday,
but it was canceled due to the extreme cold of minus 35 C/F. So
I had a few minutes to give an update this morning.
I was tired, yes, but I had just spent time worshiping God, and
He gave me the right words to speak. I did not know how many minutes
I had available to me - probably another God-thing. Knowing a
good number of people did not know me yet, I just gave a quick
overview of my story. I usually forget to talk about our financial
needs when I share, but today I knew I had to tell them about
the $9,000 we need by the end of the month for additional solar
panels. And so I did not forget.
I
told them how hot it is, and how hard to sleep, and the great
need for more electricity that we have. For some unexplainable
reason I stayed on this subject for a while, when someone suddenly
shouted that he would give the $9,000. I was shocked, and was
probably not the only one who was. I was speechless. And then
people started clapping.
I
did not know what else to add to that, so I simply told everyone
about my brochure and email newsletter, and showed them the toy
car the kids had made. The pastor said that the church would buy
it for $100.
Then
he went on to preach. After the closing prayer, someone came up,
saying that this car was definitely worth more than just $100,
and so he auctioned it off for $300!
Then
the man who had given the $9,000 asked me about the house under
construction as I had mentioned that we don't have room for any
more kids at this point. So I told him that we still needed $36,000
to finish it. Then he went off.
Suddenly
I hear the pastor talk using the mic. He said that a challenge
had been given, that if the church would raise $26,000, then this
man would give the remaining $10,000. WOW! Amazing! They took
up the challenge, saying their goal was to raise it by the end
of May. I was speechless.
As
this man, the pastor and I was talking, and he talked about sending
the $19,000, he said that he would round it up to $20,000. It
took several hours before it hit me - I had given $200, and just
minutes later God had returned a 100-fold. He had taken my little
mustard seed of faith, and it had born immediate fruit. Once more
I was speechless. What if I had not dared to believe?
In
a few months our third building (housing for me and for guests,
freeing up the space I currently use) will be finished. And the
book is coming out in less than two months. Two things that had
to happened before the fulfillment of a wonderful promise I have
from God. Hallelujah!
I
went out to lunch with my friend and intercessor - to my favorite
restaurant (no, not Applebee's - that's my favorite affordable
restaurant). It was 2:30 pm before we left the church. We sat
at the restaurant for 3 hours talking and having a good time.
Then
I put my GPS on and went to my hotel once again. I had to check
back in after 2 nights away. The receptionist was nice and helped
me a little with all my luggage. The church had 2 suitcases there
that should have been taken to Mali last year, and so I'm gonna
go through them and take as much with me as I possibly can. That's
why I'm thankful the hotel room is pretty big. I started unpacking
and unwrapping - including all the stuff I had bought at the dollar
store - and spreading out everything in such a way that I can
pack intelligently tomorrow. I enjoyed my evening "alone
at home", doing office work, catching up on stuff and watching
American TV (but not the Super Bowl).
It
would have been wise to go to bed earlier, but there was simply
too much to do. Why does time pass so fast?
back to top |
In
the beginning of the month, the outdoor tiles were finally delivered
for the area between our first two houses where our kitchen was
supposed to move. However, they ran out and had to wait for another
delivery. This picture shows the first half of the area done.
February
17 was the first day our new kitchen area was in operation. Except
for our new gas burners... first we had to adjust them to local
gas bottles, and then we had to have special pots made with flat
bottoms to put on them. So we're still waiting to use them.
As
for the rest of construction, this is the area where the new apartment
is being built. It costs $11,000. Construction has not started
as we have to wait for the money to come in. It has to be done
and ready to move in by May 5th though!
I
also had the kids link arms and show how everyone is affected
when one is injured, and that the others can carry that one and
still keep going.
That
service I announced that we would do a potluck the following Saturday.
We've never done that before, and so I was curious to see whether
it would work. We ourselves cooked lots of food for all the (street)
kids that would show up. Thankfully a few other ladies also brought
food. 
