God's Faithful Provision: A 2009 Fiscal Report

The end of the year is also a good time to evaluate our finances (though we do it on a regular basis as well).  As I look over the numbers I am reminded of God’s faithful provision for us as we have taken this step of faith.  We ended 2009 at 51% of our annual funding goal.  That may raise the obvious question, how in the world can we keep doing this?  Well, that is a good question.  I have discovered that when we rely on God, money seems to go farther and doors of provision open in unexpected ways.  For example, this fall (by a series of Divine coincidences) Laura landed a part time job at a dental office.  That has been a blessing in many ways.  Also, last January, I had the opportunity to teach a class on spiritual formation for undergraduates at Spring Arbor University.  This year, SAU has extended an invitation again and I’ll be teaching Worldviews.  These part-time opportunities have seemingly fallen into our laps and we have God to thank.  Additionally, we’ve enjoyed periodic “surprise gifts” that have ironically (or better, Divinely) come at our times of greatest need.  Experiencing God’s faithful provision strengthens our hearts and encourages us to continue placing our faith in Him.  So, know that I’ve included this fiscal report not as a plea for cash, but as a testimony of how we believe God has cared and will continue to care for us.