eAction

I’m sorry to have missed the previous deadline and I see that I may miss a couple more. I’m in the throes of packing up my Dad’s estate and house and preparing for an auction. This is more time-consuming than I first thought, and is getting busier every week. Since the material I’ve been preparing for this particular blog can be put on hold, I am doing so until futher notice.

I promise not to forget! But it may well be after I’m settled into my new place. If I have a slacker Thursday morning before then, I’ll get back at this series of lessons with the next installment.

Blessings, & Thanks for your patience!
Ruth

You pay God a compliment by asking great things of Him. (Theresa of Avila)

If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. (I John 5:14 NIV)

These quotes encourage me today, and I hope they do the same for you. I’ve seen many answers to prayer in the past, but these days I’m asking for the largest financial gift I’ve ever asked of God - $48,000 to buy a little house. The more I pray the more I am confident that He will answer this large request too.

If a parent dotes on their child, will he or she resent the child climbing up into the arms to ask for something?

This is a busy week - no, a very busy month! So I won’t take time for a full-length feature article. Just a quick report to let you know how this miracle is coming along.

1. the owner is still holding the dream house for me, but not open to a rent-to-own deal.

2.Social Services sent a couple of checks last week, and seem to plan another, but say that they will stop as soon as I get my inheritance.

3. My friends Ron and Shirley looked over that house, and agreed it has potential, but it will take some work.

4. There is an acceptable offer on Dad’s house, but we’re waiting for an auctioneer’s estimate of the rest of Dad’s stuff.

5. I am now officially a missionary with Western Tract Mission, Inc., for whom I have volunteered for about 8 years. This means donors and regular givers to my support can receive income tax deductible receipts as it is a registered non-profit organization.

6. This weekend my brother and his wife are coming, and I believe we can organize at family auction, at which I hope to buy some furniture at a low price.

7. The timing of these things day by day is impressive. My heart swells with joy and gratitude to God!

I highly recommend praying about your daily business needs and decisions. God is totally informed, not naive at all, about business matters, people, or products and procedures. If you sincerely ask for wisdom, understanding and revelation, you will be surprised at the great ideas and the grasp of things you’ll have over the next few days.

In fact, I recommend keeping a plain text journal of your prayers on your computer. Make requests and entries and record answers at the beginning of your work session. When you need inspiration, go back to re-read and update past prayers which got answered without you noticing.

“When reasons are given, we don’t need faith. Where only darkness surrounds us, we have no means for seeing except by faith.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

Isn’t that the truth? I am having major lessons and experiences right now in faith. In trying to sell Dad’s house and praying for funds to appear out of thin air for the little dollhouse I now have my heart set on - there are some up and down days with my faith. Although, this week I confess is much better. There were several ups yesterday, and I’m waiting for a few more over the next few days and weeks.

Even in our business ventures, wise as it is to plan and work our plan, there are times when we simply live by faith that God will work things out. Instead of an advice article, I will share my story and hope it encourages you to keep on trusting and obeying the Lord.

The 23 1/2 years I have just completed as my parents’ live-in caregiver were a gift of time to them and to the Lord. Some people who have been watching me, seem to have coloured me with the kind of subtle disdain they have for a lowly milk-maid. They do not realize that I’ve been a home manager, and that caregiving calls for all kinds of nursing and diplomacy skills. Nor do they know about all the hours I’ve spent improving my mind, and teaching myself business and office skills, and even more, web-design and marketing skills too.

Without positive feedback, even I can begin to think of myself as less capable than I really am. So first I’ve had to struggle with defining what my true needs and next steps will be.

Fortunately, I’ve been a dreamer for years, and often visualize whole business scenarios as vividly as if I’d invented a new world empire for a novel. I do have an outline for what I want to do.

A. Move to a small wee house in the city and settle in.
- continue my current business schedule from my office/living room.
B. Start short weekend courses in computers to earn immediate cash
C. Develop my 4 month internship courses
- get financial help from city program
- train some tutors to teach small clusters of 4 students/interns
D. Once they function smoothly, back off to start new companies, or write books.

I believe that since the Lord called me to this caregiver role, without pay besides the lowly room and food, so He will also provide me with my next home, and it will be suitable and agreeable to me. The problem seems to arise when others don’t think I’m capable of owning a home, and they think it’s foolish to expect God to provide me $48,000 for it when I have nothing saved for it.

Through various conversations, and much prayer and thought, it is becoming clearer to me, that we are not all speaking the same language. I have a vision of what is to come, and I have a faith that the same Lord, who has answered countless prayers for me in the past will deal with this need too.

But these friends to whom I refer, only see me as a naive and foolish woman who doesn’t know what she’s getting into. They want to steer me to safer waters.

“Go apply for low income housing, and social assistance.”

“You can’t handle the expenses of a house!”

” Run a business? Just get a job - here’s one for 3 days a week.”

It’s time to lift my head and say, “Excuse me! I’ve already seen God act on my behalf with little smaller miracles pointing to the larger one;

1. It was friends who told me of the little house unlisted, right next to them, going for sale.
2. The owner said he was willing to wait for me to get the funds to buy it at $48,000.
3. There are NONE available any more at anything under $90,000!
4. I checked out Social Assistance, and I qualify for transitional help, including rent, utilities, phone, groceries and medical coverage.
5. The man I respect and wanted to come see it with me, has agreed to do so on Monday.
6. I believe the owner will agree to a temporary rent-to-own deal until my inheritance comes through.
7. The asking price of Dad’s house is going up as it is listed, so my inheritance will be larger!
8. A mission with whom I’ve been volunteering for years is planning to make me a part-time missionary and possibly set up a designated House Fund. This means people can give me gifts and be officially receipted.
9. The timing of these things day by day is impressive.
10. I find my heart brimming with a joy and confidence that it will all work out. Especially when I find passages such as this in my morning’s Bible reading;

“May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
(Psalm 35:27 NIV)

Make a list of the little encouraging miracles you see in your business, things that confirm you are on the right track. Turn away from the naysayers if you are sure you are on the right track, and don’t let them derail you from your plan. In fact, if you have no friends who encourage you, deliberately go out to find new friends who are on your site. Ones who have the maturity to cheer you on. - Though you need to remember to do the same for them too.