Reaching a milestone...blog #100

It was March 27, 2008 that I began my blogging adventure. Hard to believe that in eight short months, I found 100 different topics to talk about, express my opinion and basically bore my friends to tear about. And hopefully, somewhere along the way, was a blessing to someone as I shared my love for the Lord and His love for me (and you). It is an accomplishment - one I am proud of, especially since a recent online quiz said that it is within my personality to start something very enthusiastically and then just drop it. (Yeah, that resembles me...) But so far, my love of writing (and my desire to express my opinion) has helped me stay motivated, and God has blessed.

So, today I want to talk about "storehouses". Malachi 3:10 states, "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." (New International Version) I am sure you are familiar with that text - you are beaten about the head with it every time there is an offering plate passed in church, and the indication is that if you don't give your money to the church, you are not being faithful in your stewardship. I have recently begun to question/have a problem with that philosophy. While I agree that it is our duty as members of a church to support the church, I wonder if the "storehouse" can be something other than the physical building in which I may go to worship. Could the "storehouse" be the friend who is jobless and needs assistance putting food on the table? Could the "storehouse" be the single mother who has unexpected car troubles and needs gas or repair money? Aren't we also admonished, as Christians, to do unto the "least of these" when we see someone in need?

A situation recently occurred in my life where I was impressed that I needed to help someone in need in a very meaningful, tangible, sacrificial way. And the only way to do this was to use the money I had designated for my tithes and offerings. I had two conversations with two women who I consider to be spiritual giants and well grounded in Scripture. Both of them encouraged me to follow the unction of the Holy Spirit and to sow into this person's life with the money. So, I wrote the check, prayed over it and put it in the mail. A few days later, I had the opportunity to speak with the person who I sent the check and he told me the following story:

Times had been hard for his family. It seemed like time they got through one crisis, another would arise. The most recent mishap was that his wife's car had some major repair issues. The first mechanic they took the car to told them that it would be $500 to repair the car. They did not have $500 - in fact, all they had was $180. They took the car to a friend who worked in a car repair shop who told them, I'll do it at my employee discount and it will only cost you $275. Not knowing where they would get the extra money, they stepped out on faith and told him to go ahead and repair the car. When he got home from the repair shop, he checked the mail and there was my check which was sufficient for him to get the car repaired! God is good! Not only was this person blessed to get his car repaired, but God (I believed) blessed me by telling me this story and letting me know that He used me as a conduit of His blessings! What an honor!

And I could go on about how I have been blessed this month - in tangible, financial, spiritual -"save me from myself" - ways...but that should be the subject of another blog...or two.

All I want to say is, follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit...you will be blessed for it and not only will your "storehouse" overflow, but so will the storehouse of others.

Be blessed - and I look forward to the next 100 blogs, don't you? (smile)