System of a PRAISE!

I can't help but spread this and I just want this person to know that I thank them soo much. This person did something ridiculously out of the norm and provided something that they may not have known how much it affected me.

I've been struggling with finances quite a bit lately. It's no mystery that I was out of a job for around a month. As long as I kept track of things, I could get by with my parents sending me money now and again. I know it's difficult for them and I don't like asking for money at all. It isn't a sense of pride at all but a sense of humility in that I don't think I should ask someone for some help when I don't deserve it. Just recently my bank accounts started to have problems. With my Bank of America account, a gas purchase that I did one month ago FINALLY went through. This put me below what I had in my account and I accrued a 35 dollar fine. So my account there sat at -44.79 or something like that. My Regions account had a fraudulent charge from an online company and I got it canceled only to find out I couldn't get a refund. My account there sat at -11.00 for one day. If I didn't find a way to get something over that amount in there, I would accrue another 33.00 dollar fine.

Now I have my truck payment coming up soon and I will only get around 17 hours this week plus tip sharing. That would average out to be enough for my truck payment but not enough to do anything more with it. Next month I have a Sallie Mae student loan payment due and I didn't think I'd get all my financial stuff sorted out in time for that payment. Not only that, but when we had our missions conference, God laid it on my heart to promise 10 bucks every week. I signed the card and turned it in at that time with no hope of a job but personally knowing that if our God is as big as we say He is; as faithful, then He'll provide.

Over Alumni Days a guy named Jeremy sat across the table from me and we started talking. He started talking about how I needed to see a movie and then handed me 10 bucks. I found it more profitable to instead use it as my Faith Promise (I know, but I wanted to stay committed to God's goal for me). This next week, I had no clue how I was going to put that amount in the offering. A couple of nights ago I laid in my bed after I called the company to cancel my subscription to whatever was filled out with my info. That inner voice that always taunted me began talking about the situation I was in, offering all the facts and problems that were mounting up. I then just audibly spoke up and said, "Shut up! Just shut up! God will provide! I have faith!" That thing shut up and I fell right to sleep.

The next morning I woke up and went to my mailbox and got some assignments I turned in. One of which was a Missions Conference project. I got an "A" on it and the professor wrote that he'd like to keep it (I also designed a shirt to go with it). I was pretty thrilled about that. After my first class I went back to my box to check to see if my Book of Mormon or Boy Meets Girl came in. I found a paper with the list of graduation requirements and went to my second class. Graduation is soooo close and it's frightening yet awesome all at once. Before chapel I went to my box again (Yeah, I check it all the time if I'm expecting something). Someone put an envelop in my box and I took it out and it simply just had my name on it.

I went to chapel and opened the envelope... let's just say that someone graciously decided to follow the will of God and put quite a few 20's in it. I said to myself, "You're kidding me, right?" I looked in it again... the same amount... no card or anything that would let me know who it was from. I clinched my teeth together and then I started silently crying right there in that auditorium. I walked out and went to the bathroom and started balling my head off and praising God. All throughout our songs, I couldn't concentrate on singing them at all... I just stood there with tears streaming down my face.

The debt from my Regions account was paid before the fine went through. The Bank of America debt was paid off. And I had enough left over to just keep in my account except for 10-- my Faith Promise Missions. That inner voice hasn't said anything since. Even while writing this I still gather tears.

Today, I woke up with strep throat. I needed some medicine bad, so after I saw the nurse I went and got some. That person gave me enough to cover the medication too and a bottle of orange juice. I still have enough for gas to get to church on Sunday.

I recall that little card that someone gave me with my now life verses on them-- Proverbs 3:5-6. They said they simply prayed for me that day. Little did they know that I was struggling with my faith in God at that time period. I don't know if this person knew what I was going through... but there was no way they'd possibly know it would be enough to cover medication and gas and my Faith Promise Missions. Whoever these people are, they follow the guiding of the Spirit when it may seem unreasonable at times. What they will find though, is that God knows what He's doing.

I wrote this to give praise and glorify God, I wrote this to thank whoever did this, and I wrote this to encourage you... "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Thank you, and God bless.