I woke early today with a specific story in my heart to share. I know I have written of it before, but as I searched my blog archives it was not there. I decided it must be in my book, so I looked to my hard drive and searched each chapter, but it is not there either (it needs to be there so I am glad I discovered this). So, here I am, up early to write as usual. This story is true and happened in the summer time of approximately 2003...

I am a vivid dreamer. I receive revelation of true facts and events that are yet to occur in my dream. A worldly person would say I am "psychic", but I say I am dialed in to a gift to dream prophetically and receive revelation from God.

I woke in the middle of the night because I had just had a disturbing dream about a young couple I knew who had a small baby. They did not own their home, they were renters. I dreamed that they had not the funds to pay their rent and were horribly behind with the scheduled payments. So behind that they were in grave danger of eviction. I lie in bed feeling very disturbed by this dream. I began to pray for the family, but I did not stop there. The following morning I picked up the phone and I called the couple and told them my dream and asked them if it was true. They confirmed to me the truth of the dream with tremendous modesty, of course, no one wants to admit hardship. I told them God had a plan, why else would He be sharing their trial with me? I got off of the phone and later that day discussed all the events and the dream with my husband. I already knew we were supposed to help them a bit, but I prayed that my husband would confirm the amount I had in my heart.

Anything was going to be a sacrifice. Any amount was going to take away from our budget and we would have to suck it in for the month. However, by the time John and I had finished praying for confirmation as we frequently did (we would pray independently for the answer and then come together and compare notes on how God lead our hearts), we discovered the dollar amount the Lord desired for us to give was far beyond our comfort or a mere tiny sacrifice. We were to get them nearly caught up and this would consume our entire mortgage payment plus grocery money.

I'm not telling you that you should go broke to help someone else...unless God asks you to. If he asks you to, trust me, you will know!!! In fact, when God asks you to do something really difficult and challenging to our faith and comfort zones, we can't escape it!

I had tremendous peace and confirmation, so we did as we were lead and our efforts kept the young family in their home. Please understand, John and I are not Super Christians, but we do have very strong faith for God's provision and we knew that our faith in this area was stronger than that of the young couple. So, for God to ask us to trust Him with our mortgage payment to help another was easier than His allowing them to lose their home. Sure, God could've raised up another to help that could give from excess, but He didn't. On this occassion, He was more interested in meeting their need while grooming my faith obedience than anything else. So I obeyed.

I needed groceries. Our family was still small at the time, so atleast I didn't need a lot of groceries like I do now (you should see our grocery bill...RIDICULOUS!). I simply and matter of fact told the Lord, "If I am going to give this money, then you need to provide some groceries today. Then I proceeded to give him a short list that consisted of about five items that I needed to get by until we got paid later that week.

Not two hours past and there was a ringing of my doorbell. It was a friend of mine from my church. I opened the door to her standing there with juice from Costco. She looked and me and said, "Hold on, there is more in the car -what is going on?" Then, she jetted off to her car in the driveway to retrieve the other items she purchased. Guess what she bought...exactly the items I told God I needed.

I explained to her the story, then she told me (paraphrase), "It was the oddest thing. I was leaving Costco and I clearly heard the Lord tell me to go back inside and buy you groceries. I couldn't figure out why you needed me to buy you food and I had no idea what to get. So I just walked the aisles praying and if I felt drawn to it, I put it in the cart. In fact, when I got here I decided to keep the juice, but then heard the Holy Spirit say, 'She needs the juice too!'"

Is my story stretching you? Whether it is or isn't, it doesn't change the fact that it happened. I know I have some blog followers who are not believers in Christ, maybe my story will peak your curiosity? I am not done yet, for the next portion of my story is my entire purpose for sharing today.

I was high as a kite for days on how God provided groceries for me, and so quickly! I told countless people about how God provided! Testimony builds faith in others, even if it isn't their testimony. It shows Gods goodness. But the disobedience of others can be learning instruments for us all also. I had a friend I shared the story with and she responded strangely with something like, "Oh, that's what that was." I said, "Excuse me? What are you meaning?" She then proceeded to tell me how on the same day I received those groceries, she also heard the Holy Spirit tell her to go buy my family food, only she blew it off. She didn't do it. I have to admit, I got a little perturbed at this. If she had obeyed, then we wouldn't of had to eat eggs for five days straight. Don't get me wrong, I was thankful for the eggs, but God had more for me and I lost out on a blessing because someone else didn't do what God told them to do. I experienced lost blessing, but so did she.

I know I heard that story for a reason. She didn't have to be transparent like that at all, but she was. God used it to drive deep in my heart, but my own experience of sacrifice, that my obedience or disobedience to God's call will not only affects myself, but truly, countless other lives around me.

We are all connected. Especially in the Body of Christ. God is the Great Economizer. Everything we are, do and have belong to Him and we are merely Stewards. If we truly want all that God has Destined for our lives and the Abundance of His Goodness, Intimacy and Provision, we must keep our eyes fixed on him, our ears open and attentive and our hands open to how He leads. If He means to help a hurting world through the Church, then we need to be a Church that cares about Spiritual Wealth and Prosperity more so than earthly accomplishment or comforts.

How is God leading you? Are there areas of your life you have been holding back from God? Take time to press in to Him today and seek His guidance and help. He wants you to overcome. He desires breakthrough for you in everything you do. The vats to overflowing blessing cannot pour out on you if you keep the barn doors closed. Taking risk and being used by God is sometimes scary, but even more so it is an exhilarating adventure! Embrace it and ditch the status quo! You've got more.

Trust and Obey, there is no greater way, to be happy in Jesus, than to trust and obey.

~Nicole