A Ramble About Provision-

There are a million {maybe I am exaggerating a little} verses in the bible about Provision. (My personal favorite is Psalm 37:25)
We all struggle with having faith in this area sometimes.

Ever since we have been married provision comes in fun ways for us. (and we are all about doing what we can for others, which makes it more fun!)

We have gotten checks in the mail on the day the bills were due. Or a can of formula right when we were on our last bottle.
 
We have no doubt who our provider is. James may work for now, but we know who the True Provider is.

In order to make the most of the Lord's provision, we watch our money. We want to know where it goes.
We no longer use disposable diapers to redirect that money to things of more eternal value.
I currently make all of our laundry detergent. (I can't tell you how much that saves us!)
Our view is on the eternal, not the inconvenience.

Our goal is one day to be missionaries that can support other missionaries!
We want our living expenses to be as minimal as possible in order to support our dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

We give food, time, and prayer.
Our cabinets are in a constant state of rotation.

This also works for the kids' hand me downs. We recently learned of a lady who talked a young lady out of an abortion and into adopting her out. The baby was due very soon after the paperwork was done. Between her and another mother we know, they have most of our baby stuff.
Should we have held onto the baby stuff for future kids? The Lord is our provider, if He can use our stuff now, that's more important.

On the topic of watching your money, we try our best to watch where we spend our money.  There are a number of companies that give money to planned parenthood. (It's really hard to avoid them all! We try to limit spending our money there.. It's hard!)
Also, try buying American made products, or products that don't involve slave trade/unfair workers wage.  Yes, the products are more expensive, but normally better quality and you are providing jobs!

A few years back we had a friend that expressed she was never buying "made in China" products again, due to unfair worker's wages and persecuted Christians making the products.
I thought, "that would be CRAZY hard! Everything is made in China! We are on limited income, we can't afford Made in America stuff!"

Thankfully we have had a heart change.Now, we want to buy Made in America things, we can't always afford it, but we do our best. The few cloth diapers we have bought (not previously used)  are prefolds that are proudly made in America. We are praying in a "made in America" car. We want to bring justice to those in the workforce!

We know the Lord provides, He knows our hearts and how we TRY to only support companies/products that would make his heart happy.

With what the Lord gives us, we want to give it to what makes Him happy.
Essentially that is what provision is all about.
Its not about expanding in anything but the eternal.

Sorry, this is more of a ramble this week. I had this beautifully written blog in my head, until I sat down, and it all changed! ;)
~L