My God shall Supply All Your Needs

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your

needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

As a new school year begins albeit behind schedule for those of us in Nigeria  due to the deadly ebola virus scare.  We are thankful to God for the way the spread of the disease was contained as Nigeria has successfully managed the disease and is now declared ebola free. Now the children can go back to begin a new school year. However for many parents the beginning of a new school year signifies a time of  financial pressure as school fees are being sought for the list goes from new uniforms, new sets of books for the year to school bags  and other supplies and sometimes upward reviews of school fees. Some children are going to High School or the University which means more money to be spent.

This is often a demanding time for parents even in cases where both parents are there. Now consider the widow who is the sole provider and breadwinner whose children have to go back to school. For many it's like a nightmare  with bills ,bills,bills and limited resources. We can however draw hope from Philippians 4:19. God  can and is willing to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. I know this because he has done so for me over and over again since my husband died. Looking at this verse again I sense God calling us to take His word literally. He is mindful of our need to pay school fees and get other school supplies for our children and very willing and able to provide our needs.

I am sharing how God paid all my children's school fees hoping if you are a widow raising children alone and wondering where the the school fees etc will come from,you will be encouraged. I know that the same God that has done it for me will do much more fore you. First thing I did was to get my children involved in praying to God to provide because I know He hears and answers the prayers of children. So we  pray together  requesting His  provision. I can't give the full details but God answered wonderfully. First it was my youngest fees that needed to be paid to secure her admission to Secondary(High) School. I filled out a form to take a loan from my Church women Cooperative but God provided. Then again we were paid money for something my husband did over two years ago and hadn't been paid for and that took care of others. I later took the loan but less just to add up and in doing so realized so many of the women with husbands had loans so i am not doing badly for a widow. 

What really blew our minds was when on Friday we needed to pick up a few last minute supplies. At the Thursday prayer meeting in Church the pastor asked that widows should be prayed for asking God  to met their financial needs . Friday Morning I get a credit alert from  a family friend whose birthday was on Thursday and I had sent a text to say HBD. Usually the celebrant should be given gifts but God turned it around for me. Later that evening as we left the market another alert ...I had to ask my son to check to be sure I was seeing well. This time it was a friend of my husband. As at today 3 of the children are back to school and the fourth will go on Thursday. All fees paid and all needs met. 

As the Lord who owns all the silver and gold and the cattle on a thousand hills raised helpers for me. I pray for you that He will raise help for you. Our circumstances will be different but God is the same and will work through your circumstances to meet your needs and pay your bills. After all He is your husband and your children are His. If earthly men can provide for their families then God will provide for His! 

He knows the Way that I Take

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake them.

Isaiah 42: 16

One of my pastors’s told us about a brother who would go to motor parks to evangelize. He would walk up to a traveller and ask ‘Where are you going?’The brother meant where they would spend eternity after death but the question was a good way to get people’s attention. It is a thought provoking question. Where are we really all going in life? We all have our dreams, plans, goals and aspirations but more often than not life doesn’t go as we plan. Things happen, events we can’t control adversely affect our lives things we don’t understand but are forced to accept. Life is full of uncertainties.

Even when like Joseph God lets us know where He is taking us we will likelynot know the way he will take us through to get there. Joseph knew he was going to be great based on his dreams but he didn’t know there would be a pit orprison, never imagined his brothers would want to kill him and then sell him; he didn’t know he would attain that greatness in a foreign land or be a servant. What of having his master’s wife lusting after him and lying about him. But God knew each one of those details if he keeps track of the number of hairs on our head then he knows everything we experience. He is never taken unawares

Isa 42 Speaks so much to my heart because many times in this journey of widowhood I feel like a blind person. I didn’t bargain for this life, don’t want to bring up my children alone and face all the other challenges of life alone. This is why Isa 42 is such a beautiful promise. God is leading us as widows through this way we have not known, along unfamiliar paths. He guides us saying ‘nothis way my dear, a little to the left, no to the right, yes there you are!’ He is turning the darkness around us to light. We all know there are many rough places along this road but he will make them smooth. It ends so beautifully with what I consider a double confirmation ‘this are the things I will do; I will not forsake them ‘do you feel forsaken? God says he will not forsake you. Job23:10 says ’but he knows the way I am going, and when he tests me I will come out as pure gold’.

God knows where you are going but you probably don’t and because he knows he will go ahead of you. You may have been through the fire of affliction but you are coming out as pure, strong and beautiful as gold. Job lost all he had including ten children in one day. I can’t even begin to imagine his grief but he was able to trust God and came forth as gold. God restored twice as much as what he had in the beginning. God gave him double for his trouble though your beginning of widowhood may be challenging, dark and difficult God will give you double for your trouble. For every tear, fear and heart break God will restore and your latter days will be exceedingly great. Go ahead and put your hands and your life in his hands and follow him for he knows the way you take and when he has tested you shall come forth as gold!