Yard Sale Update

Well over 600 cookies, 5 dozen muffins, 30 loaves of bread, 16 families participating....our garage sale is over. To say it was a success is an understatement. I'm just gonna put it our there...we raised $1600. Now we've done garage sales before...I've never made over $200. We had some amazing people bring amazing things. Literally people were dropping things off and before it would get off the truck, it would sell. We were very open about why we were having a garage sale and people were genuinely supportive of our plans to adopt. Total strangers would pay with a twenty dollar bill and say keep the change.

Now to do our home study we needed $2600. So it seemed interesting to me that we would raise $1600...$1000 shy of what we needed. Later Saturday, a sweet friend called...the same friend who gave us $250 before...and our conversation went like this:

her: so how'd you do?

me: we did well...$1600! pretty incredible. I'm excited but I really prayed God would provide the $2600. We are $1000 short.

her: laughing, laughing, laughing...(this friend has a wonderful, contageous laugh)

me: why are you laughing?

her: Anne...I just spoke with my husband. We received an unexpected amount of money and we wanted to share with you...$1000.

Isn't our God incredible?! He provided, yes...but he provided exactly what we needed...not more, not less. Many of you know we also suggested buying coffee from Just Love Coffee Co the same day we did the garage sale. Guess how much we sold...zero...nadda...not one. Now I'm not saying this to make people feel bad...I don't even like coffee. I'm saying this because I want you to recognize with me how big our God is. He is the one who stirs the hearts of his people to be generous. He is the one who meets our every need. It is His Spirit that draws out good in us to serve others. It was as though God was saying..."Hey...we are doing this together. I'm gonna bless your socks off..each step of the way."

Friends, let me encourage you today, as I have been encouraged...our "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8) Trust him. He is faithful today and he will be faithful again.