Jane Austen is one of my all-time favorite authors. And although my situation looked nothing at all like her heroine, Elizabeth Bennet's, this phrase in my title was a play on words that kept humming through my head recently. I don't have a lot of time today to explain, but I think I should at least attempt to try.
Mission Year hosts "Come and See" weekends twice each year in their various service cities. Abbey has long wanted me to come, but I didn't possibly see how I could. (You know where this is going, right?) Well...God being the good Giver of absolutely every perfect gift, as I (and Abbey) began praying for His wisdom and provision, several things "fell" into place that I recognized as being from Him...and some it took a little longer to put together.
First, I kept back some of my Christmas gift money. That is big, right there. Then, I picked up some contract work worth a couple hundred dollars, the very day after Abbey told me she'd be praying for God's provision. I also had two dear friends ready to head out on an 18 hour (one way!) road trip, and to be honest, the hours and hours of girl/Jesus time sounded amazing! One of these friends even has a sweet friend in Houston where we could stay.
Then...like the unforeseen curve in the road, a friend offered me frequent flyer miles to get a free airplane ticket. Suddenly, my well-planned trip had to be reassessed: I couldn't stay with my friend's friend without her. I'm a little afraid of flying. I had it all planned out in my head, Maybe I could take the ticket and pay for a hotel. I'd still have to rent a car in Houston, so would I really be saving that much?
And then He did it.
Yep...this is what I heard: "You are just being stubborn! You ask me to provide and..." I know in that moment if I could actually see the Holy Spirit He would have had His shoulders shrugged, His hands open wide and a look of "Well...what did you expect?" on His face.
My pride and stubbornness was uncomfortable with a free ticket and a free place to stay with a stranger. But these are both Christian hospitality in their finest. There are no strangers in God's family, right?
So tomorrow, bright and early, I'll be taking that flight to Houston and tomorrow night, Abbey will be staying with me in a lovely home with a brother and sister I have yet to meet. I could not have put this all together any better than if I'd actually written the manuscript. It all makes me wonder what other perfect gifts have I missed out on in the past because of my Pride and Stubbornness.
Is there anything that you are missing out on receiving because you've already got it all "figured out"?
Mission Year hosts "Come and See" weekends twice each year in their various service cities. Abbey has long wanted me to come, but I didn't possibly see how I could. (You know where this is going, right?) Well...God being the good Giver of absolutely every perfect gift, as I (and Abbey) began praying for His wisdom and provision, several things "fell" into place that I recognized as being from Him...and some it took a little longer to put together.
First, I kept back some of my Christmas gift money. That is big, right there. Then, I picked up some contract work worth a couple hundred dollars, the very day after Abbey told me she'd be praying for God's provision. I also had two dear friends ready to head out on an 18 hour (one way!) road trip, and to be honest, the hours and hours of girl/Jesus time sounded amazing! One of these friends even has a sweet friend in Houston where we could stay.
Then...like the unforeseen curve in the road, a friend offered me frequent flyer miles to get a free airplane ticket. Suddenly, my well-planned trip had to be reassessed: I couldn't stay with my friend's friend without her. I'm a little afraid of flying. I had it all planned out in my head, Maybe I could take the ticket and pay for a hotel. I'd still have to rent a car in Houston, so would I really be saving that much?
And then He did it.
Yep...this is what I heard: "You are just being stubborn! You ask me to provide and..." I know in that moment if I could actually see the Holy Spirit He would have had His shoulders shrugged, His hands open wide and a look of "Well...what did you expect?" on His face.
My pride and stubbornness was uncomfortable with a free ticket and a free place to stay with a stranger. But these are both Christian hospitality in their finest. There are no strangers in God's family, right?
So tomorrow, bright and early, I'll be taking that flight to Houston and tomorrow night, Abbey will be staying with me in a lovely home with a brother and sister I have yet to meet. I could not have put this all together any better than if I'd actually written the manuscript. It all makes me wonder what other perfect gifts have I missed out on in the past because of my Pride and Stubbornness.
Is there anything that you are missing out on receiving because you've already got it all "figured out"?
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