It All Started with a Woman and a Cow. What a Christmas!
The prayer request popped up on my computer screen:
When you all have a minute, please read my blog or see my post of about an hour ago on FB. Girls, we need to pray for rain on the plains of Kenya! It is serious. Lynn and Angie, the woman in this post, Nanyu, received gifts from you all in November. Angie, your precious Sisters of Faith shirt (that she reserves for ‘good occasions’ like church). Lynn, your $1 Kingdom assignment started the snowball that bought her their family’s first cow. The status of that cow right now, we’re not certain.
Seeking Him,
Marsha
***
Lynn, your $1 Kingdom assignment started the snowball that bought her their family’s first cow. The status of that cow right now, we’re not certain. ~These words resonate in my mind.
I read the email again.
*sigh*
I slumped as I sat at my desk. “O Lord, my heart is moved almost on a daily basis by the needs of this world. I desperately want to give money away. But, Lord, we have been unemployed for eight months now. There isn’t any money to give.”
“Lynn, do you remember months ago you paid for a registration for a conference? Do you remember the administrator told you they had already paid your registration? Do you remember that $75 is still sitting there waiting for you to tell them how to disperse it?” 
“Yes, Lord, but I was thinking I may need that money to pay for travel.”
“You could give this money to the woman with the cow.”
I sat there truly in a quandary. Right now $75 is A LOT! My unbelieving husband would likely be annoyed with me if I hand over money to a woman with a cow when we need to pay bills.
My head hung as a battle raged over my heart and mind. These very moments are the quiet and unsuspecting decision points in which the spiritual realm is desperately fighting over our heads.
“Keep that money. No one will know.”
“You need that money. It is yours. Why give it away to woman and a cow.”
And then.
“Okay, Lord. I will trust you. It is yours. I will give it to the woman and the cow.”
Finally the Holy Spirit triumphs over earthly logic.
I lift my head. The word “faithfulness” floated gently about in my mind. I resigned to let go of that $75 and believe the Lord will handle my finances.
I emailed my friend at the conference and instructed her to use the money for the woman with the cow or for the conference. I knew she could make the best decision because she knew the situations of both very well. Either way, I released my claim and gave it to Jesus.
I smiled knowing that I did the right thing.
The next morning:
Ring, Ring.
“Hello”
“Merry Christmas!” *giggle* My mother’s enthusiastic greeting sang through the phone.
“What.”
“Today is Christmas.”
“Um, Mom. It’s September, what are you up to?”
“Well, I came into some unexpected money and I was planning to give you and your sister a portion this Christmas. But, your sister wants hers now. So, do you want yours now or do you want to wait to Christmas?”
“What!” I repeat.
You can hear the broad smile in her voice. She likely is picturing my dumbfounded look from three states away.
“Mom, what,” I stammer, “Who, where, what, tell me everything. How much are you talking about?”
“A lot.”
She spoke a figure.
I started to tremble. “Oh, Mom, just yesterday the Lord told me to be faithful. To trust Him. To believe He would provide for us. Mom, He sent you.”
My measly $75 was dwarfed more than 100 times over by the Lord’s faithfulness.
Gulp
Tears rise as I type this now. Still today, I am barely able to believe. Why after all these years of walking with God am I continually amazed by His faithfulness? Then I am amazed that I’m amazed. How utterly patient He remains with me. Gently pushing me along to bigger trusts and faithfulness.
This portion of God’s faithfulness is the miracle I have been praying for. I plan to use this money to serve the people of His Kingdom. And to top it all off, my husband, my unbelieving husband says to me. “Use it for your ministry.”
God has provided much more than I can dream or desire. Time and again, I have experienced the faithfulness of God. And for those things in which I still wait, I can wait patiently. Our God knows what He is doing. More than anything He wants us to experience Him in profound and life-altering ways.
Does God always work like this in my life? Rarely. Does He often tell me no more than yes? Frequently. Will He on rare occassions suprise me beyond my vast imagination? Absolutely.
Sometimes I need only to trust Him when it doesn’t always make sense.
My prayer is you too will have a woman and a cow experience this very day!
Ring… Ring…. Merry Christmas.
Be Blessed, Lynn
Find me daily at
PS: To Nanyu and your family in Kenya. Hang on because Jesus has friends and we are a comin’.
Visit the family at: The Sawyers
Oh Lynn!!! I can’t even tell you how much I love you! And God is faithful! (God was my anti-spam word!)
SO for now, Nanyu’s cow is still alive, for how long we don’t know. Thousands of head of cattle are dead. The stench of death everywhere in the village.
BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL!! You continue to feed Nanyu and the 9 members of her family for 5 more weeks!
One day,you will meet Nanyu. What a day that will be!
Oh my, this gave me chills! How beautifully awesome!!!
Lynn, you taught me the difference between sharing (of what you have for your needs) and giving (what you have in excess). While I am still stumbling in “Giving”, how generous you are in “Sharing”. Intercede for me to Our Lord that I walk steadily in “Giving” and move on to “Sharing” soon, sooner, nah, soonest please… I have no words dear Lynn, HIS PEACE and JOY to you.
God isn’t looking for perfect but obedience. Such wonderful blessings when we trust Him and obey His voice. Beautfiul testimony! -blessings.
Grace was my anti-spam word and grace filles your story! What a wonderful example of how God simply wants us to let go.. and trust Him!
Wow – Thank you so much for sharing Lynn. This is beautiful and encouraging. A great reminder. I love ya girl!
~Ang
THis is a very powerful yet touching testimony. I’m glad I came over.. I’m truly blessed and encouraged..
I can’t imagine how blessed the woman in Kenya would be to know that God has met her need through you.
Lynn, this post has made me cry. I feel like “oh ye of little faith” I am really scared about some things in my life right now. I need to trust in His faithfulness. Thank you for the story. It was even more personal to me because I am from Kenya.
Lynn, I love this story. It reminds me of a few years back, when my husband and I were separated and I was the sole supporter of all my children. I had hidden money in a cubby in my dresser that I considered to be a safety net, just in case we had an emergency and needed it. Every now and then I would add a $10 or $20 to it. I did not even know how much was there. I figured a couple of hundred.
One day I was reading an article about the people in North Korea in the Voice of the Martys magazine. I wept. I was broken. I cried out to God and told Him how I wished I could help these people, but I don’t have any money to give, but I do have my time to pray for them.
Well, you know how God is! He gave me an EXACT amount. The amount was probably double MORE than I had and I asked Him where I would get it and He reminded me about my stash in the dresser. I told him that I was quite certain there was not that much, but if there was, it was His. Sure enough, there was just enough money with $3 left over.
I knew if I thought about it, I would find a reason to not carry through with obedience, as times were very tough for us and Christmas was coming and my car was breaking down.
So I jumped up, grabbed all the money, went to the post office and had a money order made out and sent it immediately.
The next day I told my kids about it on the way to church, as they knew about the stash and I did not want them to think somebody stole it if something happened to me and they could not find it. I told them the entire story of why and how. I told them how difficult it was for me and explained it was because that was our safety net.
My daughter, then about 12 blurted out to me, “No wonder God required that money from you mom! God alone is supposed to be your safety net!”
OUCH, the Holy Spirit has spoken through my daughter and dealt with my fears and faith in one swift blow.
Over the next couple of months, God provided a new mini-van for us and for all our other needs. My daughter was right, God is my saftey net! 🙂
Thanks for sharing this beautiful story.
Oh, this touched me so….and I can truly say with you, “I am amazed that I’m amazed.” I needed this tonight….thank you!
Oh Lynn, what a beautiful testimony! We truly serve an awesome God.
WOW! Lynn, our Pastor gave us the same message on Wednesday night! He read in Exo 23 where God said “I will send the hornet ahead of you.” Hornets? God, you are going to use hornets? As humans we “think” he should use the “angels” or a “mighty wind.” Nope! He used hornets! We have to be open and faithful. We have to be willing to do WHAT HE SAYS, NOT WHAT WE THINK He should say.
I did read this yesterday. Yesterday was a very diffuicult day. I kept reminding myself of the message received from Pastor on Wed and you on Friday. That is not a coincidence. I’m not sure yet of how it all relates to what I’m dealing with but I know the more I thought on the “message” the more calm about became about the problem. I don’t know what to do but I know that God is working. Thank you again for your faithfulness to the Lord!
What a wonderful Testimony, I had a somewhat similiar circumstance a few years ago, we were tight on money and at church service felt the Lord to tell me what to Tithe… I remember fussing just like you here in this post and like you said ok I am trusting you.. OH MY GOODNESS.. we were blessed beyond measure just by trusting in HIM… and right now as I read this story and comment on it and think about that moment I personally had… I hear the soft voice of the Spirit telling me I have not been trusting HIM like I should in my life and I am brought to tears of repentance… Beautiful Beautiful Post… Thank you so much for sharing it has opened my eyes to my forgetfullness of trusting in HIM not MAN…
Lynn,
What a beautiful reminder to all of us of God’s love and faithfulness for His children. Thank you for sharing your story with us of what God is doing in your life.
Hugs,
Bethany
Yes, our Lord still likes to amaze us. How neat that even though you flesh seem to waver, His Spirit was stronger to help other first. You are an amazing woman of God, me dear friend…
Thank you so much for sharing the lesson He has taught you about faithfulness.