How does God provide?

There's been a LOT of stuff on my mind lately, and one of them is finances. For pretty much the whole train ride in to work this morning, it was consuming my thoughts. We've talked about the possibility of adopting siblings, and are open to it, but sometimes i wonder if we can swing it. There are so many factors that need to be considered. If they're little kids, i don't see there being as huge a problem. If they're older (talking school-age) it makes me wonder.

Boz teaches at a private high school and we're REQUIRED to send our kids to a private school. That's all fine and dandy... but that's a lot of $$. And if they're school age, that's a lotta dough we'll need upfront. It'd be one thing if his school required us to send our kids to a private school, and helped with the cost. But no. They don't. Please know that I'm not getting down on the school ~ i love where he works and look forward to sending our kids there some day! It would just be helpful if they could give us (and the other teachers that work there!) some sort of break. I mean, we ARE trying to live on a teacher's salary here. ;-)

I also wonder with putting our kids in school, how things would work out. The private schools in our area don't have ESL programs or anything like that. I don't know that our kid would need that program specifically, but i don't think you can just throw a kid in a class without some sort of help, right? Especially if they're just learning the language. Or can you? i dunno. Anyone been in the same situation? I'd love to talk to you!

As you can see there's a lot rolling around in my head. Which made the email i got this morning even better. The subject line was: Lent 2011, Day 7: How does God provide?

How does God provide for us and what are his promises?

There are days when I feel like that stereotypical poor college student who lives on mac ‘n cheese (or ramen noodles if you prefer) and coffee to stay awake. The stress of finances can be overwhelming and some days feels like too much to handle.

Then I am reminded of how God continues again and again to take care of our needs and bless us. Our worries become insignificant when looking at the greater picture.

He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds!” --Luke 12:22-24

In the next few minutes, stop and write down any worries you have about your current life circumstances (whether financial or not). In each of those areas, think about how God has provided in the past or is currently meeting that need. Pray for a few minutes over these situations in your own life, ask God for his provision.

Don't you just LOVE when you read a verse that you know was meant for you!? I couldn't have gotten this email at a more perfect time. Somehow i think God knew that.