To God be the glory

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

For those of you who don't know: Our house in Iowa has still not sold. I tell you this now because I recently had a conversation that provided new insight to me on this trial. We, of course, continue to pray and wait. BUT I have gained new perspective on what to do while waiting on the Lord and His plan to come to fruition.

A friend said to us this last weekend: Doesn't matter when God sells the house or how, what matters is that the glory goes to God in the process. And so I post this in order to give God the glory for the miracles in our life while waiting for the house to sell.

Let me be very clear about something: Wyoming pays teachers fairly well and if it weren't for our mortgage in Iowa we would be quite financially comfortable. But even with Marc's extra income here and there (for pep band, musical, class sponsor, private lessons, etc) we do NOT have enough every month to pay the bills required of us. We sought the Lord before moving and before having children and each time we had complete faith that God would provide and we are confident that we have followed His will for our lives. He is providing, he is just doing it differently than we are used to. The following is my attempt to relate to you how He is working miracles in our financial life because even though we don't have enough money... somehow every month all the bills get paid. Even our credit cards get paid off every month.

We have been blessed by financial gifts from friends and our church who were obeying God's prompting to help us in our time of need. We have received gift cards, gifts for our boys, food "hand me downs" and care packages from family and friends that have helped immensely. We have yet to spend any money out of our own pocket for clothes or toys for the boys because of these gifts. God has provided for our medical expenses by working small miracles in the insurance process. In one case the process took so long (because of back and forth communication between hospital and insurance) that they just "adjusted off" the left over cost saving us over 200 dollars. God provided, through miracles, for us to pay for Desmond's surgery (our responsibility was about 800 dollars) and to pay for a supplemental insurance that paid everything on Desmond's birth except about 300 dollars (from a $13,000 bill). We have also been provided with enough to pay for Jax's birth. Our responsibility was more for him but God still provided the means to pay. Another medical provision that God provided was an eye care gift certificate for my optometrist visit.

Not only has God provided for our necessities but He has been kind enough to grant a few luxuries here and there. We have received gift cards for dinners out, gifts for Marc and I to enjoy some finer things in life (including that massage I wrote about earlier).

The most amazing part of all these financial miracles is that God has protected us. Our boys are whole and healthy - which is not only a blessing in itself but also financially. Many parents spent thousands of dollars every year for a range of illnesses - ear infections to surgery to trauma. We have two cars that run smoothly and get us from A to B very safely. Our heat and running water always work. We have very few "surprise" bills from month to month. Marc and I are also blessed to have our health intact.

It would take a long time to individually list all the small (and big) financial miracles in our lives over the past two years. We are very grateful to all of you who have contributed, following God's leading, and to all of you who have offered understanding. But ultimately we give God the glory for showing how powerful He is and that He is truly in control of our lives.

Two of our greatest blessings.