Working in the business office is encouraging in many different ways. There is the contact I have with our missionaries. Even when finances are especially tight, I am amazed to see how many of my colleagues are unfazed. They do not proceed with fear and trembling, but continue in their work with faith and expectation. I am encouraged as well by my interaction with WMPL members who pray for our missionaries all around the world and offer their financial support. I am blessed by the letters we receive and by the real sacrificial giving that we are often a witness to.
In addition to all of this, there is the blessing of seeing God provide his help at just the right time. I have seen God step in unmistakably to provide what we need at just the right moment.
A remarkable example occurred just last month. I had already received disappointing news a couple of times in a single day. To make matters worse, I learned that our estate fund was about to be completely depleted. The finance committee was scheduled to meet the very next day so I spent some time adding up pending estate fund grant requests. The requests on hand would require the entire estate fund and $4,000 more. We would be forced to make some very difficult decisions.
Not ten minutes after I had finished sharing this news with a few others, I received a phone call from a Thrivent representative. She told me that one of our dear friends and long-time supporters passed away over the summer – and that we were to receive $69,000 in a matter of weeks. The gift could not have come at a better time! I was filled with amazement to see again how God ties all things together in his perfect timing.
There were so many variables that could have changed the timing of these events, and so diminished their emotional impact. But God waited for the moment when the need became acutely obvious – and chose that time to show his provision. I am not sure why God works that way: maybe to show his power and glory, maybe to remind us that he is in control. Whatever the reason, I was encouraged. I thought that it would be good to share this experience with you, too.
Financial Update
In September we came up $12,197 short of what was needed to pay full allowances to all of our missionaries. The minimum allowance paid was 76 percent. We did not need to use any money from the estate fund to reach this amount. Another blessing! Thank you for your gifts and prayers.