Monday, March 12, 2012

Bread for Bonnie

I wrote back in January about how exciting it has been walking with God.  I am not sure why people think Christians are boring?  I think it is an amazing adventure with the creator of the world!  Followers of Christ brave the amazon jungle to tell people about Christs love, they storm into brothels in the Philippines and rescue children from slavery, they randomly go up to hurting people and share the love of Christ- not knowing what reaction they will get, they change dirty diapers and vacuum under the kitchen table 3 times a day.....oh wait that last part was me.  But you know what it is exciting?  Being smack dab in the middle of the will of God.

Not all days seem as glorious as others, but it isn't our fame, or our glory that we seek, it is Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit, the trinity of the living God.  And we serve God just where we are at.  I heard a friend and Pastor say recently "It shouldn't be how do I fit God into my plan, it should be how does my life fit into His plan?"  - Jeremiah Roy  (Check out his latest sermon, for a great inspiration on Running the Race)


So one day we were on a walk and I saw a balloon on a mailbox in our neighborhood that read "It's a girl!"  Drew asked why it was there and I explained how the family must have had a "baby sissy".  We passed it a few times, but I didn't really think much of it.  A week later I heard a sermon that talked about Running the Race as if to win the prize.  Based off the verse: "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." 1 cor 9:24.  I felt like God was asking "How are you running girl?"  I thought not very good, LOL!!!  I started thinking, "What can I do?  I'll do whatever, but I am not really good at sharing the gospel, and I am pretty busy at home with the kids, so I don't have a lot of time."  I felt God tell me "Well, people brought food to you when you had a baby, why don't you take something to those people in your neighborhood and tell them "The LORD" told me to."  I excitedly thought "Yeah, let's do this!"  and at the same time "Wow, this is really out there, but if you want me to go, I will go."  


The next morning I got a phone call from my mother in law and she asked if she could take the kids for the morning.  She usually works Monday mornings and "randomly" (as if there is such a thing) had the day off.  I was like sure!  A nice relaxing morning sounds good to me!  She picked up the kids and I started thinking oh what can I do?  I had just received $20.00, and to a stay at home mom that is like GOLD!  "I know what I will do......I will take my little 20 bucks, buy myself a COFFEE (you know I love my coffee) and go to the mall, walk around and buy cute shirt (on sale of course!)   Immediately God whispered "Oh no you are not!  You are taking that money and buying some food for that family."  Well no wonder my mother in law took my kids, God was planning something!  "Ok, what should I buy?  It is breakfast time, donuts?"  He says "I am the bread of life."  So, bread it is!  

I pick up the bread, and drive to the house, only one problem, the balloon was gone and all the houses look the same!!!!!  Ha ha!  Now what?  I went to all 3 possible doors.  No one was home...what in the world?  I leave the bread and a note at the house I am pretty sure is theirs.  I checked back 3 times that day, bread was still there.  I came back the following day with the kids, still no one home!  Where are these people?  Are the going on vacation with a  new born?!  So I decided to try again soon.  

I kind of put it on the back burner, thinking "Well, I tried God, so maybe you weren't telling me to go?"  A week and half after the first attempt He said "Get some more bread and GO today".  I had both kids, they were hungry and I wanted to get home.  "But God!  I got the kids today, they are hungry, it is not going to be easy!!"  To which He replied "I didn't say it would be easy, but I did promise I would go with you."  Well that was all that I needed.

I went to the bakery, got both kids out of their car seats, take them in.  The owner ended up asking who the bread was for, and I had opportunity to share with her what God had laid on my heart.  She was touched and gave some food to my kids for free.  Can you believe that?  God knew they were hungry!  Praise Him.  I am just thankful and blessed at this point, and as I headed to this family's home I prayed they would be there.  I arrived, and they were home, yay!

I got my kids out of the car took them to the door, I figured that would break the ice.  A cute little red head boy met us at the door, his mom right behind.  She was SUPER skinny, and I thought "Ok, there is no way this girl just had a baby!"  Now what do I say?  "Hi, um.........are you the one that just had a baby?  I saw a balloon a few weeks ago??"  She knew what I was referring to, "Oh, ya know what... Our neighbor just became a Grandma."  At this point I am trying to figure out am if I supposed to meet these people or the neighbors God??  But I had a peace that this was the girl I was supposed to meet.  I then told her why I was there.  "Well, this is going to sound weird, but I was sitting at church a few weeks ago and I felt like God told me bring you bread and meet you, I am not sure why, but I am here, and my name is Amber, these are my kids."  Well I said it!  Now what is she thinking?!  "Oh, where do you go to church?"  I told her, and she began telling me how they are Christians, and just started a church plant.  Praise God!

This was one of the first really "out there" things I had done, putting my faith out there, "We live by faith, not by sight." 2 Cor 5:7  I wasn't sure how they were going to react, but I did know that God was with me "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Duet 31:6  And if God is leading you better believe it is going to be incredible!  The coolest thing was God used me just where I was at, and my kids got to come along and see the LORD do something great!

A week later I began hanging out with Bonnie, a wonderful Christian woman who points to Christ in all that she does.  She has a heart to serve the LORD and others.  She has a boy and a girl, just like me, and they are just about the same ages.  God is incredible!

She told me once "I know you said you didn't know why God sent you, but I do.  Two days before you came to my door my best friend who I love, and hang out with all the time told me she was moving to Georgia in 2 weeks.  I was devastated and really sad she was leaving!  I wondered who I was going to hang out with, and the God sent you to my door."  AMEN!  He sure knows what he is doing.  They had just ran out of bread that morning too and she told me her husband raised the bread over his head and exclaimed "Our manna from heaven!"  Hahaha!  Too funny!

Remember that COFFEE I had wanted to spend my $20.00 on?  Well turns out both John (her husband) and Bonnie work at places that serve coffee!  She frequently has me over for coffee, when I pick her up for our moms group she arrives at my car door with travel mugs of hot coffee, she has dropped caribou coffee drinks off at my house, brought us several pounds of coffee from starbucks and if I visit her at work, I get coffee.  "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Luke 6:38




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