Giving a praise offering

Trusting God in Adoption

Submitting what you feel you most have to control

Finances can be one of the hardest areas to surrender because they touch every part of life, and seem to be what makes anything possible.  But God doesn’t separate the spiritual from the practical.  He is our provider, and He is the one who makes all things possible.

He cares about how you manage the grocery list, clothing needs, and entertainment desires as much as how you pray. When you invite Him into your financial decisions, you invite peace, wisdom, and creativity.  Though you may recognize things you can give up, He will show you that what you give up allows for other blessings.  Maybe the activities that you were pouring money into were also sucking up a lot of family time, and slowing down allows for more bonding.  Maybe re-examining the grocery budget allows you to finally get your eating habits under control, and less processed snacks means your children are actually better behaved.  Maybe less money in the entertainment budget means you're spending more time playing games together, around the campfire, or exploring God's creation.  I'm just throwing a couple things out there from what we've experienced!  Sometimes it takes intentionally pushing past the "but this isn't our normal and it feels uncomfortable," to get to the blessings.

Praising God for what you have when it doesn't seem like much... will open your eyes to the blessings you really do have.

Maybe when you first started this process, you felt like you had so much to offer.  But then something happened.  Maybe it was the spirit of comparison that led to "not enough".  Where you thought you had it all together and could give so much to a child that was "in need", you are now hearing all the things they want and you feel like you just can't give them.  Be it because you know it's just not best for them, because "yes" to everything will break your budget, or because it's not the way you run your family.  Often kids that come through "the system" come from a lifestyle of no boundaries.  It's important for you to set boundaries, and teach them how to say "no" to things that may look appealing but don't check all the "yes" boxes.  Show them thankfulness for what you have, rather than comparing to others or reflecting on the way things once were.

Maybe it's seeing that you really are using more of everything- more people means more food, more laundry loads and more showers/baths.  Bills will go up, and we all know that another child doesn't incite a promotion without pursuit of it.  We must also ask ourselves where we can increase, improve and step up in other areas of our life.  Can you take on a higher position, update your resume and promote yourself, or put aside money that will make money in the form of investments?  Again, taking a position of thankfullness for those you are caring for as well as the provisions to care for them, even before they are tangible, will open you to new opportunities.

Take some time to consider what you're saying yes to and what you're saying no to, and consider what it's really doing for your family.  Drill down to the small things that take up your time and money.

Make an assets list- what do you have that you can call yours- from your house and car to all the furniture and clothing.  Thank God for each thing.  If any of those things were given to you, take some time to reflect on the blessing of the person who gave it to you.  If you worked to get it, give yourself credit for it as an achievement, and thank God for the talent He gave you to buy it, make it, or fix it up.  

Finally, ask yourself what you're doing to show God you trust Him with today and the future.  

• Are you spending any of your time with somebody who isn't in a place of giving back- "serving the least of these"?  Yes, you've taken in foster kids, or you've adopted "one of the least of these", but you must keep going.  It's important for them to see beyond themselves, as well as for you!  If you get so focused on what is going on within, you'll lose track of what God's gifted you with to bless others.  It may seem like you don't have time to give up, but when you make space for blessing others, God will redeem your time.  Your kids will also be more blessed in spirit when they recognize they can make a positive impact on others. (Ephesians 5:14-17)
• Are you not only tithing, but giving to care for others?  This might seem impossible.  God will see that faithfulness and He will bring you more!  Yes, make a budget, but if He is prompting you to give, give open-handedly.  When we are a conduit of His blessings, He will continue to bless us.  When we start to hold on, the flow stops lest we get dammed up! (Luke 6:38)
• If you are especially in need in a certain area, give to someone else who is in need in that area.  If you want to see a certain area of your life, or family's, be blessed, bless someone else in that area with what you have.  This is the practice of "seeding".  Where you sow, so will you reap.  Again, this may seem like it doesn't make sense at all, but it is trusting that God will multiply and take care of you. (2 Corinthians 9:10-11)
• Invest in what He's given you- in your relationships with each child and those He's brought into your life, as well as financially.  Recognize that He has given you people that care; appreciate them and put yourself out there to do something for them.  Have them over for a meal, offer a date night and take in their kids, or pick up something that would help them out.  Find overflow financially and invest it.  Tighten up the budget and start putting money in a place where it will grow.  Look into putting more in your 401k, college savings accounts, or investing in stocks.  (Matthew 25)  When we trust God as the provider, we'll stop overspending and thinking we are in need, and realize that He has given us more than we need!

Ask Him:

• “What can we live without so we can live with more purpose?”

• “How can our spending reflect gratitude rather than fear?”

• “Where are You already providing that we haven’t noticed?”

• "What can we offer to others?- time is the greatest asset."

When we hand over our budget to God, we give Him room to show Himself faithful—and He always does.

“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” — Proverbs 16:3

Whatever you give He will multiply.  When you stop looking at what you need and focus on what you can give and otherwise what you can be thankful for, you will experience a shift.  A shift, that I believe will bring you more blessings.  Your eyes will be open to see it.   Remember that there is so much to get caught up in here on earth, when there is a much greater thing to be aware of in the Kingdom impact you can and are making.

Take some time to thank God for the givers in your life, and to consider how He can or is using you.  Thank Him for what He has set before you.

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