Double for your Trouble Pt. 3

During my years of network marketing I remember hearing someone say as a hole: “we either have too much time and not enough money or not enough money and too much time.”  Carl and I were in the later category with both of us being unemployed simultaneously and like most people our income changed drastically, but our financial responsibilities did not.  I’m not going to turn this into a “lack” declaration because that’s not the focus but from a realistic standpoint that was “a reality” but it wasn’t my “reality.”  I made a conscious decision not to worry about money and let me tell you, just because I made a conscious decision not to worry didn’t mean that the worry left me alone.  It crept up every way you could think of, sometimes it caught me off guard and for a quick moment I would find myself lingering on a thought about what we didn’t have, how we were gonna pay this or that but because of my intended position the Holy Spirit would gently remind me to press “RESET”.  I listened to faith messages ALL the time, surrounded myself with people that were an encouragement and would hold me accountable (like 2-3 people). 

Just before the lay-off, God strongly impressed on me to look for a vehicle, so I began my search thinking that I would have to save the money for a car, blah blah blah.  But while all of the above was happening, God reminded me of the promised car.  I know, I know, just hold on it will make sense in a minute.  I have to go back a bit to lay the foundation.

So when Goodwill gave me the boot, I would probably still be there, serving, miserable and stuck.  I loved the work I did it was amazingly rewarding.  I had a great staff, we were “comfortable” with our routine but I had out grown it, I knew it was time for something different but I was “comfortable”.  So as much as I didn’t like the way I was laid off, it was absolutely necessary.  The door had to be shut, sealed and barricaded because the assignment was over PERIOD and I didn’t have a say in the matter because I was (and still am) on God’s time clock not mines.  Besides the displacement of the job, the transportation I was assigned to for approximately 2-1/2 years displaced.  Remember that little word called “favor”, well don’t let those five letters fool you.  I was assigned a company vehicle, a 1998 white Ford Escort, but I was assigned that car just as my faithful Honda Civic played out (coincidence?  I think not).  Parking in downtown SF was free (for me), maintenance was free, I commuted daily in my assigned car from Vallejo to my site, headquarters several times per week as well as the community meetings I attended, etc. so it made sense for me to keep the car because I was always on the go, literally.  I kept it cleaned, parked it in my home garage, put smell good in and treated it like it was a Benz.  I even had an alarm installed on it.  Dionne was in the knew about the car, we talked about God’s favor and right on time blessing.  I’ll never forget one afternoon I was on the phone with Dionne and when I got out of the car the alarm chirped.  She said “Tan, did you put an alarm on that Escort?”  I proudly countered “Yes I did and I don’t care what nobody says, I go in some rough neighborhoods and I wanna make sure my “purse and laptop” are safe.”  She fell out laughing and so did I.  I haven’t gotten off track, I’m going somewhere with this, hold on, I’m almost there.

So going back to what I stated above, God reminded me of the promise of a car.  I reminded him that Carl and I were both unemployed and he reminded me that he was Jehovah Jireh.  Because of my faith and faithfulness over someone else’s property (my previous employer), God blessed me with a brand new 2012 Volkswagen.  Let me tell you something, if you are faithful over a few things God will make you a ruler over many.  Do you remember the man with the five talents from last week’s declaration (LINK).

I had a desire to help my father in ministry from an administrative capacity.  It wasn’t normal, it was a burning passionate desire that I could not explain and that door was opened for me not long after I was laid off.  It was an absolute joy to live out my dream, actually it was my purpose for a season and when that season was over, I had to move on, but I lived out my purpose in helping him to update the ministry, modernize the front office, reduce operating costs, implemented processes and procedures that freed his time up so that he was able to take some much needed time off.  He took a 30 day vacation, the ministry never missed a beat, he didn’t return to drama and when he came back he took several more mini fishing trips.  It was a joy to see my dad take time off because after 45 years of nonstop committed ministry without the luxury of taking off for extended periods of time he deserved the break.  I remained committed to that assignment until I was released by God, he initiated it and he ended it, not me or anyone else.   

Carl continued to look for work but every application he completed seemed to produce five nos.   I remember asking him about his search and to silence me he started forwarding the “no thank you responses”.  LOL – documentation beats conversation.  Every need was met, our lights were never cut off, we didn’t lose our home or vehicles, but we couldn’t do any of the extra normal stuff like purchase an item(s) on a whim, birthday or Christmas gifts.  Thanksgiving 2013 Carl and I stayed at home because the money he was promised got held up.  We knew the car insurance was going to be cancelled by Thanksgiving if he didn’t get the money in time so I purchased a few items for an intimate Thanksgiving for two, complete with candles and linen.  We told the kids we were going to spend a quiet Thanksgiving at home (which we did) and encouraged them to spend time with the other family, but the real truth was that we couldn’t afford a traditional turkey dinner, our driving was restricted and under normal circumstances I would have at least hosted dinner for my extended family but our home was in dire need of repair I was too embarrassed.  My eldest sister offered to pick us up and drive us to the family dinner in San Francisco, but that was far too much driving for her.  People tripped out because we were at home, but we were fine, it didn’t bother us at all.  The next day Carl decided to hike from our house to Safeway just to get outside.  He called me from the store about an hour later telling me that I had to come and get him.  “Uhh, did you forget we don’t have any insurance?”  He hadn’t but when he got to the store and made an inquiry to the meat department, they guy scratched his head and told him he didn’t know why he was doing this but he wanted to give him a box of food (turkey, stuffing, veggies, gravy, rolls, desert, etc.).  Since I was at the store I decided to use the little money I had to purchase some necessities.  While standing in line giggling like love birds, I noticed a well-dressed Caucasian gentlemen to go ahead of me because he only had 2-3 items.  He was shocked and I jokingly said, it’s the holidays, it’s nice to be nice but since I let you go head of me you can pay for my groceries and he said, “OK.”  Carl and I looked at each other like are you kidding me.  Then I thought to myself, “shoot, I wish I had gotten more items.” LOL.  Honestly, I was floored, thanked him sincerely and asked for his name and he gently said “Mike”.  I still pray for Mike every now and again.

I haven’t even scratched the surface of the blessings we have received as a couple and independent of one another, but it’s enough for me to stop and remind you that no matter what things look like: you gotta take the emotion out of it, suck it up, put yo’ big kid draws on and keep goin ‘cuz quitting is for losers.  Listen to this last text and I’ll close. 

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.  He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.  To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
festive praise instead of despair.  In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.  They will rebuild the ancient ruins, repairing cities destroyed long ago.  They will revive them, though they have been deserted for many generations.   Foreigners will be your servants.  They will feed your flocks and plow your fields
and tend your vineyards.  You will be called priests of the Lord, ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of the nations and boast in their riches.  Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.  Isaiah 61:1-7 (NLT)

This is the fourth quarter of 2014.  Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual.)  Being a multiple of 7, 14 partakes of its importance and, being double, that number implies a double measure of spiritual perfection.  In January 2014 Carl and I declared that this would be the year of double favor over our lives, we wrote those declarations down and almost all of them have been checked off.  Today, October 30, 2014: I have found my way to my purpose; I am lined up with God’s word over my life; I love what I do; I discovered my gift for writing and in particular story telling; I’m living my dream; my book was a best seller when it was released; I started my own nonprofit organization, I have a legitimate 501ce The Other Side; my partners and I are literally in the middle of completing a grant as I speak while I’m planning my book release.  God will open up a window from heaven and pour you out a blessing you don’t have room to receive.

Can you say – double portion?   

I’m out of time but never out of words.

In His New Excellence

Tania Not Tanya