Left work the other day and had to ask God for a miracle on the way home. Driving a total of 100-150 miles daily just to make sure the boys get to school, we get to work, they get to their practices, games, the grocery store, etc. is very costly. And with the rise of gas prices, I often wonder is it cheaper to get a horse and carriage. The gas light had come on when we were a mile away from our exit and while happy to get home, I wondered just how we would make it to school and work. Made it in the cozy house, ate dinner together, got chores done and put on a load of laundry, and sat down while trying to figure out where the money was going to come from.
It dawned on me that I had a pocketbook or two in the closet that I could look in for spare change, and so I did. Transparent moment: there was a peace and a contentment I had that felt refreshing. Months or even weeks prior I would have been crying my heart out wondering what I was doing wrong, where could I cut corners to make ends meet, or what else would I have to give up just to be able to make it to work BUT this felt different.
Micah had come in the kitchen and asked me if I had gotten paid, without hesitation he asked me for lunch money and snacks. I reminded him that I had just brought snacks but they are such big eaters, things don’t often last as long as they should. I also had to remind him that a full tank of gas does not go far when you are constantly going from this gym, to this school, to that workout, etc. He sighed and walked away.
William walks into the kitchen and asked me the same thing, when do I get paid because he needs a few things from the store. I reminded William that I didn’t get paid and shrugged him off because at this point I was getting annoyed. They don’t understand how hard it is to keep up with their extra curricular activities and all the expenses that go along with it while making sure they are properly fed, clothed (and it seems as if their feet grow every other week), make sure the bills are paid, car is maintained, gas, etc.) And so William asked me when was the next time I was going to Door Dash. I gladly reminded him that I just got off of work and I need to sit down and I don’t have money to Door Dash. We go back and forth (William thinks he is my daddy) and finally I tell him to drop it. He failed to realize it takes gas to Door Dash and the light just came on which means it’s 40 miles until empty. A few minutes went by and William peaked his head back in the kitchen. He says, “you know ma you can always ride the bike to Door Dash,” I saw red! The look in my eye must have shown him he was about to get smacked upside his head so he left.
So I went in the room and started emptying out my pocketbook. I found $3 and told Micah but he was reluctant and said put it towards gas. After not finding a lot (maybe $2-3) I decided to dig through some other pocketbooks. I found old birthday and Christmas cards, I found gift cards that I thought I had used, receipts, and so many other things that touched me. I even found a check that my mom had wrote to one of coworkers in 2020 or 2021 for the loss of his mother. After looking through 5 pocketbooks we were able to scrap together approximately $78 dollars. Who would have known that by not properly cleaning out my pockets since 2021 and 2022 we would find a combination of coins, dollars, and gift cards to ensure gas over the next couple of days!
William came in while I was taking the picture and said, “wait mom you going to show people this!” I immediately replied yes I am going to write about it because I need to encourage others to trust God in the midst of their struggle. I asked him if he was embarrassed but he shook his head know. We always teach our kids to stay humble, never forget where you come from, and never miss the opportunity to point someone to Christ.
As a family we are striving to sit at God’s table of shalom unscathed! We are pushing past this current season of uncertainty and praising God and thanking Him in advance for delivering us out of this. God has called us to look to Him for which cometh our help. Yes I admit, when I was in crunch like this I would pick up the phone and call mommy and daddy BUT what happens when mommy and daddy have gone on to be with the Lord? Yes I could have called Tal, Bess, Regis, Jasmine, Faith, or Kelly but I remembered we don’t need to be slaves to debt (that’s what started the domino effect in the first place when it was just me working while Rico recovered from a bad car accident).
My brothers and sisters I know some of you may be facing the same difficulties right now in your own household and maybe the stress of it all is overwhelming; I want you to know that God is our provider! He will supply ALL of our needs! God placed it on my heart to tell you to trust Him until it hurts! I know it may look like the walls are caving in and you have more bills than you do income BUT God will make a way out of no way. Your struggle might not be financial, it could be depression, insecurity, health, etc. whatever it is it is not too small or too big for God. He cares all about it!
Don’t get so caught up in your circumstances that you forget to be a blessing to someone else. God can use you and your current situation to encourage someone who may be going through to keep the faith and not give up. Like Faith said, we have to be about our Fathers business! When people come to Dolly’s House they don’t need to feel like they are a burden because I pulled up to the church on E…they need to see a smiling face that is thanking God that I had a working car in the first place to get there and He provided. When I’m preparing an invoice for Spry’s Durty Kitchen I don’t tax my client(s) out the butt because I know money is tight for everyone and God is not going to bless or grow our business by making people pay outrageous prices. And lastly I don’t sit here and lie on my devotional blogs and act like everything is perfect, I’m rolling in doe, or whatever BUT I can tell you the message God placed on my heart with my mess..I can tell you this is only a test for my testimony…and I can tell you in Christ I know every little thing is going to be alright.
Today’s photo entitled, “A Penny Short,” is a portrait Rico and I got 10 plus years ago. It keeps us humble and brings peace during times like this when we are literally scraping together every penny, nickle, dime, quarter, etc. we can find. It brings comfort knowing God can trust us with the little and scream and shout joy when He allows us to live life more abundantly. Right here, right now I want you to claim success over your business, speak life and prosperity over your health, wealth, family, and finances, prophesy the greatness that is coming, and claim your best is yet to come! Spry’s Durty Kitchen will turn a substantial profit and we will get our brick and mortar eatery; Dolly’s House will have faithful volunteers that will help keep things going and we will be a blessing and reach many, many people; InspirationAllAroundMe will be a place where people feel open and have a sense of peace and freedom; and my family will have good health, get out of debt, secure financial freedom and stability; and I will be able to do the jobs full time that bring me purpose, fulfillment, and joy!
Now that’s how you trust God in the midst of what you are going through. That is how you find peace in the midst of what has you bound or held captive. That is how you keep a continuous praise in your mouth. That is how you take back the power you gave the enemy with your tears of fear and heartache due to the unknown by raising God through it. Say it with me: WE NOT PRESSED! WE ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED! My God is alright, ain’t He alright!
Be about our Father’s business, I love that. We often joke about how you roll up money in receipts and forget about it, but that is God’s way to help you out in the midst of a payday shortage. This is a powerful testimony to trust in God, don’t panic give it to him and he will make a way out of no way. Time and time again I am shown that.
Won’t He do it! I’m so glad that I can personally say He saves me over and over and over again!
Girl I was looking through the receipts just knowing I was going to find a $20 😂
Thank you for sharing this morning. What a blessing you are to sit still & wait on God….who nudged you to dig deep.
You are right…WE ARE TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!! Thank you again for your inspiring story & being truthful with your struggles daily. Keep shining my friend as you touch the lives of everyone around you.
Btw…you can add me to the list if you are ever in need to make it through but I hope you know that!! 😊 And sometimes you need to ask & put you & your family as the top priority. Your heart is so big & for that….we love & thank you! ❤️
To God be the glory!
You know friend, I’ll be honest I had mixed emotions when I submitted my blog for publication because I know some folks feed at the hearts of others for personal gain and I wholeheartedly pray you or no one misinterpreted that or think it is for that purpose.
I just see so much pain around me because people are afraid to be honest or mess up their self image and live above their means or fake in front of people but cry their eyes out in silence because they don’t want to be judged.
I guess I’m being carefree to help someone know it might not be alright, but it is actually is alright and will be alright if it makes sense.
I’ve learned to say no to helping or sometimes enabling others by giving when I have nothing to give and have realized where I can’t give financially I can show up in other ways and friend that’s how I see you and others! Not as payday loan but as someone of gives of herself daily through your smile, positive attitude, love for the kids and families you serve, and more.
Thanks for reading a piece of my heart. God bless.
This reminds me of a message I wrote when I was about 16 or so. I was inspired by one of TD Jake’s sermons. My message was entitled Do not despise the day of small blessings. I can’t remember exactly what all I said but I know I made Marc and Deanna smile so big. Zechariah 4:10 reads Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. James 1:17 reads every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father-of the heavenly lights.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 instructs believers to Gove thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 17:20, Like 18:6 Jesus use the metaphor of a mustard seed to show that even a tiny bit of faith, when planted and lived out, has incredible power and potential for growth.
Psalms 103:2 reads praise the Lord , my soul, and forget not all his benefits and Psalms 128 point to blessings in family , work, and daily provision.
Good things come in small packages. Look at it this way. Think of a tiny seed… an apple seed. That seed will eventually grow and be an huge orchard. I think about the seeds that are already in us. And I think about how God is getting his glory through us…..I see many successful people, their parents getting to see them being successful some not… and I go into my head as I am thinking about My mom, my brother, my daddy…..you know I wanted them all to see me be successful. And the success I am
speaking of is not money…..it’s allowing God to use me and seeing me struggle, yet having shalom, and me feeding people with my last meal for the week, no money because my bills outweigh my source of income, yet not caring because I know my God is Jehovah Jireh, El Elyon, El Shaddai, Jehovah Rapha, Jehovah Nissi, Elohim! I wanted to show all of them them that Faith is the generational curse breaker. You see I’ve come to realization with the seed that’s growing into a beautiful orchard. It had to watered and fertilized. I feel like how Pastor Nathaniel Hobbs once said at the revival, God is working behind the scenes. Someone once planted a seed and it took years and years for it to sprout and grow into a big tree. Well in the same sense all our seeds need some fertilization and watering. My fertilizer was my loved one’s leaving this Earth year after year going up to be with the Lord. My watering was all my crying and God was catching every tear keeping them bottled up. God kept fertilizing and watering my seed inside me. Now I am sprouting. The seed God has planted into my children are being fertilized. I am poring and watering my children, the little things…teaching them new scriptures, little by little. I am teaching them how to put on the whole armour of God little by little. You see it’s the little things that matter. It’s the little nudge of son, daughter, the Bible says you were made perfect in his image to keep the seeds healthy and getting ready to sprout one day. It’s all the little things we do…we give that homeless person our last dollar, we thank God for the little things. For waking us up, for starting us on our way, for our health. And it’s being recognized by our enemies. The Lord did say he will make your enemy your foot stool. I have people coming to church that I didn’t think would. I thank agid for the shoes of peace…..you see it’s the little things that God will bless and turn them into big things. All we have to do is show up for God and do your part. Whitnee those pocket books full of change, those small blessings…you know God will make them 💰💸💵💶💷💴. God is our Jehovah Jireh our Provider. So if I were you let’s make that change count. Thank you Lord for the small blessings for I know that you will change it intowhet we need Halleijah. Whitnee get those pocket books and just shake them to the Lord and shout and rejoice Thank You Jesus cause we know what’s coming. Them dreams about to be our reality and I’ve got a praise on my heart that’s gonna come out now because it’s already in the making. 🎶🎼🎵🎤💃🏾💃🏻💃🏾🏃🏾♀️👏🏾👏🏽👏🏾👏🏿🙌🏾🙌🏿🙌🏽🙌🏼 Glory! Glory! Glory be to God! When we get to them rocking chairs, we gonna look back at this post and first thank God for them Pennies And praise him for God being God. God is Good and We thank you God for the little things. We thank you God for the watering and fertilizing of our seed. Oh God next chapter prepare our hearts and minds and focus to Get ready to Sprout and UpRoot! Thank you God for my Spouse that’s coming home to us and Bless our Union and our family. Oh God we do not despise the day of small blessings for we know those many small blessings will be big blessings coming. We know that you are a faithful God and a Sovereign God! You Word does not return void! Hallelujah!
🎶 This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day. This is the day. This is the day that the Lord has made! 🎶
Sometimes little to no words speaks louder than the longest responses.
With that said, I thank God for the praise on the inside that you chose not to keep to yourself.
Praise is what we have done, will do, and continue to do with the small things in us that have been planted, watered, and cultivated into our offsprings.
Thank you Lord!
Thank you so much. I find joy in giving, loving, & blessing when & where I can!
Again, keep sharing & being true to you & your story. To know you is to love you. Bump the haters! 😁
Same back to you! I love you! Thanks for making my day!