$12.32 Total for All Three

When Dw resigned from senior pastoring to move to Phoenix for Ruby’s medical needs, we knew that God would faithfully provide.   The Lord had gone before us in such a mighty way to know that it was finally time to launch International Voice of the Orphan.  He will faithfully provide for each of our needs while we devote our days to responding to the needs of the orphan.

Recently a friend wrote to me and asked if I would share what it is like to live without an income, but relying on God to meet our needs instead.  I took that to heart and thought I would share this faith road one day.

As I was pondering and praying about telling this story, I realized that it is part of the ‘faith walk’ journey Dw, the kids and I are on and made me even more excited to share it.

God’s word says that without faith it is impossible to please Him.  {Heb. 11:6}  When we are able to figure everything out, it’s not faith.  Faith is trusting Him when we can’t figure a thing out.  Faith is knowing He will provide.

I think the tricky part comes in when we have a need and we actually can ‘fix’ the situation.  So in our humanness we run out and ‘fix’ the need.  But faith says, “I will rest, trust that you are figuring it out and I will then see your mighty hand work.”

Memorial Box Monday stories are the stories of God’s faithfulness in our lives.  They are a collection of reminders of God’s faithful provision, protection and providence.  Some people think that miracles are a joke and there is no God.

Our lives beg to differ!!!

Almighty God has done “above and beyond all we could think or ask” over and over and over and over.  His acts of power in our lives defy any human reasoning.  He is working on our behalf every single day, without exception.

So why should we be surprised when He does something extraordinary?

We shouldn’t.

This story is fresh.  And it’s a giggly, kind of fun story.

Autumn had asked each of her siblings to be in the wedding.   Having the bulk of that request still living at home, we knew that God would have to do some mighty beautiful things in order for it to all work out in an affordable way.

When our two oldest daughters {Abi and Autumn} were getting married, we said that we would pay for their wedding gowns {within modest reason}.   The girls paid for their own weddings apart from their gowns.

So for Autumn’s wedding, when it was time to buy wedding attire for the siblings who would all be in it we were doing a lot of praying.  “Lord would you provide flower girls dresses for Elizabeth, Jubilee and Ruby?”  Emma looked around some on the web.  There were some very pretty dresses, indeed, with a pretty price tag as well.

We prayed together as a family.

Weeks passed, which turned into months.  We kept praying.  We weren’t frantic, we knew He would do something big.

And about a month before the wedding, Emma had taken a couple of the the kids to the local Goodwill store near our home.  We had looked around thrift stores several times, knowing that it would only be the Lord who would provide matching wedding dresses that would be perfect for this very special celebration.

So this particular day, as Emma was searching one side of the rack, Isaiah was also looking on the other side.  Suddenly Isaiah said, “Hey Emma, look at these!”

And there they were.  Two matching dresses, very similar in style to Autumn’s wedding gown, in the exact sizes Jubilee and Elizabeth needed.

And the icing on the cake?

They were 1/2 off that day.

Elizabeth and Jubilee’s dresses which had been $8.00 were now only $4.00 each.

When the kids brought them home they were giddy.

{Don’t you love when kids walk in faith and see God provide in supernatural ways after having time spent praying for the answer?}

We nearly threw a party we were so excited.

$4.00 each.

We still needed a dress for Ruby.

It was fine with Autumn that it didn’t match perfectly.  Ruby would be riding in here own little chariot.  Of course she would, she’s a regal princess, child of the King!

So whenever we were out we would look around, but I wasn’t sweating it.  If the Lord had provided that miraculously for Elizabeth and Jubilee, He surely had Ruby’s dress covered as well.

Two days before leaving Arizona for Autumn’s wedding in Colorado we went to a different local thrift store.  We hadn’t been there in awhile and I needed to find a port-a-crib for Finn’s visit.  And as I walked by an end cap, there it was.

A beautiful princess dress for Ruby!

Which ‘happened’ to be 1/2 off as well.

It was $4.32.

Can you believe it?

The three flower girl dresses were total $12.32 {+ tax} and they were stunningly beautiful at that!

Just because He loves to provide in supernatural ways.

We could have rushed out and found flower girl dresses for upwards of $80.00 each.  Making a total of over $200.00.  Instead we prayed, we waited, we trusted and we watched and sure enough, in keeping with His miraculous nature, He provided three dresses stunning perfectly done for $12.32.

He is always faithful.

He provides in miraculous ways.

What about you?

I know He’s done the same for you. Provided, protected, shown up in gigantic ways?

For today’s story of the flower girl dresses, I will be putting a photo of the wedding in our Memorial Box to remind ourselves of His $12.32 provision.

Please link your Memorial Box Monday stories below and link back here too!

17 thoughts on “$12.32 Total for All Three

  1. Oh how I love this!!! God loves to provide and He loves weddings. I'm a firm believer (because I lived it with my daughter), that He loves when we celebrate marriage and weddings. I love that His first miracle was at a wedding…that blesses me. Thanks for sharing your Memorial Box with us.

  2. We too, moved to Arizona on a faith walk that God sent us on. The finalizations of two of our adoptions weren't even completed, nor did my husband officially have a job when we made an offer an a home here. We just knew that God was sending us to Gilbert, Arizona. Because we knew that He sent us here, we sat back to watch as he provided the money to purchase our home here, finalize both of our adoptions, give my husband a management position in his job, and sell our home in California. Even as I type it out it is hard to believe that God moved so many 'mountains' for us as we obeyed him. Moving has not been easy, but we rest in God's peace knowing that we are right where he wants us. Our first order of business in Arizona? Helping to start one of the state's largest church based adoption support networks called Esther's Hope. We are determined to help rid the state of Arizona of foster care children by placing them in Christian homes. Already, we have seen children placed in homes that would have never answered the call had it not been for the support that they receive from Esther's Hope. Isn't God amazing???

  3. Wonderful story, Linny. God truly does provide and here is one more of your stories to show us! To God be the glory. And your family? they all look stunning!!!!!!!!

  4. i love memorial box monday stories! i think the next book you write should be a compilation of these! 🙂 i'm sharing a story for the first time today too…it happened last year to one of my very best friends and still makes me tear up at how God provided. :}

  5. I'm not currently writing a blog, but I just wanted to thank you for your encouragement and for this post! God has done miraculous things in our family in the last few weeks, and I have been in shock, awe and just down right giddy about it! See I was told 4 years ago after 2 years if infertility treatments and many pregnancy losses that I wouldn't have children. In fact one doctor told me I had a less than 3% chance of ever conceiving without treatment! So we gave up, found peace that we would adopt and started the process… We've been waiting for 3 yrs and have had a few failed adoptions and tons of things over the years have happened that have forced us to out our file on hold,… Well, 2 weeks ago I went to the doctor because I had been feeling really bad and so exhausted all the time! And would you believe!!!!! They did an ultrasound without explaining to me why, and I was 8 weeks pregnant! Beautiful, whole, perfect little baby with a strong healthy heartbeat! I know we aren't suppose to be surprised at HIS miraculous workings but I'm human and I was SOOOO shocked! And now almost 2 weeks later I still am… I grateful to this God who loves us SO much to go out of his way to surprise us with something so wonderful when we least expect it! *tears* 🙂

  6. Loved hearing these accounts. I was talking to a friend just last night about amazing works from no other than God and I was so sad to hear him say he though my stories were just coincidences. It instantly made my heart heavy and sad. Then just today I clicked on your link froma friends FB page = someone sharing more of what I KNOW to be true. Faith being rewarded at it's finest. Through reading this I need to share and keep digging my feet into bring some true light to my friend. Thank you for sharing. Your timing, your words and your faith have been a little blessing to me today! Thank you

  7. Thank you for sharing your story about God's provision, Linny! I read and commented on the five stories that were linked. Memorial Box Mondays are always so encouraging and help us remember that God is mighty even in the midst of our discouraging times.

  8. Love, love, love this, my friend! The wedding pix are gorgeous, and who would've guessed the story behind the dresses. Thank you for reminding me yet again what faith can do.

  9. I just LOVE when God does this stuff!!
    I walk to the Hope Center here in our little town to volunteer. (our car kicked the bucket in the spring) Its about 1 1/2 miles each way which doesn't sound like much but for these MS legs its a stretch every day. Well, I didn't have shoes for myself on the radar because everyone else needs them…One day last week a woman I work with opened a bag and asked me what size shoe I wear. She pulled out an awesome pair of fancy running shoes that had never been worn. Just my size!! Don't you just feel sooo Loved when God blesses you with the little details!! Sheri

  10. 3 little girl wedding party dresses for that price (!) That is a miracle! I love how He cares about EVERY detail of our lives. We have the best ABBA FATHER!

    I enjoy reading these memorial box stories about His Faithfulness, He hears our prayers… The God of the Universe… and He cares about every bit… every time I think about it, I am in awe.

    (Praying for wisdom, peace, and grace for your family! Sending much love from Michigan.)

  11. Thank you for these words. I'm about to be 30 in a few weeks and have been struggling because I feel that God is leading me to work in a different field but I can't seem to get a job because I don't have any experience. For the past few months I have repeatedly been thinking and dismissing the idea of leaving my current job and being an intern in the field I actually want to go into. I keep telling myself that it's crazy, I'm almost 30, we (my husband and I) have bills/student loans/car payments/a mortgage but the idea keeps returning. I finally told my husband the other day, fully expecting him to say that I was crazy but he didn't, he simply prayed that we would have peace about whatever path God is leading me down.

    So, thank you again for these words. I needed them.

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