No one has
offered me a penny for my thoughts today so the following ones are free to you
to have and do with as you see fit. :-)
A statement has been haunting me since
I heard it this past week:
"... maybe I will just become a
missionary and live off of other people's money. "
I do not know enough about the person
who said it to know what their intentions behind it were. And really it does
not make any difference to me at this point for the words have led me far past
the initial hearing to all the thoughts and questions I have been asking myself,
not just on the long drive to and from our ministry activities, but also
looking back on this month that is now coming to a close.
To say that money concerns hindered
our hearts and attitudes this past month would be a gross understatement. It was such a distraction that it even caused
frustrations and hurt feelings between the two of us. That is something that in
nearly 9 years of living as faith based missionaries, has only occurred one or
two times in the past. We resolved years ago that this is the way we wanted to
live. To trust and to serve the Lord fully no matter what may come. It has by
no means been easy. Many, many times we have struggled with what has been laid
before us, but the Lord has seen us through each time and each time our faith
has grown stronger.
I really do not know what it was that
tipped us over the edge of faith this past month. We have seen many, many
months that started out really rough and ended ok. This should have been no exception.
For me I do think one of the things that really troubled me was to have had to
send out an update letting folks know we were having some difficulties. It is
something both of us really loath to do. If you have ever seen the movie Oliver
Twist you will understand when I say, I do not like to be the one who is sent
up to say, "Please sir, can I have
some more..." At the same time I also know that if we do not
share when we do have a pressing need we could be robbing someone else of an opportunity
to serve the Lord and receive their blessings. It is an internal struggle I
have long since dealt with. I guess that is why I took it especially hurtful
when friends from back home wrote to ask to be taken off the weekly update. Was
it the info about needs, was it something else? I just don't know and it
bothered me. More so than it normally would but it did.
Am I and my wife," just living
off of other people's money?"
The reality
is we would have a lot more of these, "other people's money" if we
just used it for our own needs. But that is far from who we are. Each month we
send at least $100 to our ministries in Africa. Whether we have anyone send a designated
gift for them in or not we have set that aside each month to make sure that no
matter what, the children are fed and their needs are met. We also travel 5
hours each week for our services for the Deaf and their families living in a
town 60+ miles from our home as we also pick up, drop off, and even try to
provide something for them to eat; it
makes for a long taxing day in more ways than 1. We do collect an offering each
week. This week it came from my daughter's allowance. She gave her $.30 from
this past week's allowance. Can't tell you how proud of her I am.
The reality is the people we reach
just do not have much to give. They are just trying to make it by and the food
and coupons we give them help them to make it that much further. It is Sunday currently June 30th, 2013 at 8:30 in the evening as I am writing this. I had much to think about on the long drive home. Today my wife paid the last of this month's bills and nothing will be carried into the next month unpaid and overdue. We also made the journey and back from church, bought bread and meat for sandwiches and everyone had their fill, and we made it back home safely. There is currently $2 left in the church account and that is fine. We have made it through the month and are ready for the new one to begin when we will start the process all over again. In a way it has already begun as the first donation for this next month is going through the process of clearing the bank in the next couple days.
Tonight as we were coming home
Heather put in a CD from Ray Boltz that I have owned for 20 years now. We have
not listened to it for a long time and thought we would listen to something
different. As we were traveling home and I was alone with my thoughts I was
thinking about those words I had heard earlier, "... maybe I will just
become a missionary and live off of other people's money. " When the 9th
song on the CD began to play, "Thank you, for giving to the
Lord....." I had once loved the song years ago but had long since
forgotten it, or so I thought. It did not take long for the lyrics to all come
back to me. What a great song to put it all back in to perspective. Is it
really other people's money, is it just to live off of? I have never believed
that but hearing it so often has made me weary. As the song ended I was
reminded of a verse, "Each of you should give what you have decided in
your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7
This verse
is often cited in reference to a monetary gift but in the context of sewing and
reaping to means far more.
Nine years ago this Oct. 4th, Heather
and I landed in PR following our request of the Lord," Here we are Lord,
send us." We set out to give the Lord our lives, we sold off our possessions,
and left our home, our family, our friends, and many of our comforts and we did
so without reluctance, not under compulsion, with great joy in our hearts.
Tonight, thinking back on all that has
transpired, at the pain of loved ones lost, debts accrued, hassles, and
headaches all pale in comparison to the
loves, joys, achievements, the thrill of changed lives, and the excitement of
what lies just up ahead around the next bend.
"All that has come and gone, and all
that lies ahead may we continue to give it all to thee as cheerful and not
reluctant givers, is my prayer and my plea to you my Lord today, and forever
may it always be. "
May the Lord
bless you and make you a blessing,
David Ingram
New Day
Christian Ministry
Isa.
43:18-21
PS if you
have never heard the song, "Thank you" or would like to be encouraged
by the words once more you can view it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFrdJ2V3r7Y
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