And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him. Hebrews 11:6 The Passion Translation

Honoring Faith

After my first husband, Bill, moved to Heaven, I faced some financial struggles. I knew I was supposed to write a book about my journey through grief yet remained unsure as to how to support myself. I went on an austerity budget and still, I was significantly short each month. I remembered how I was raised by missionary parents who lived a life of faith so I asked my Dad the following questions:

“How did you and Mom make it when you made so little as missionaries? What did it mean to you to live by faith?”

“Well, you see, it’s like this… You have to hurry up to climb on board the faith train because once the need is met, you will have missed your opportunity. It’s not all that complicated. Start acting like the answer is already there and trust God for His timing and provision.”

The hardest part for me was to fully trust and not return to a sense that everything depended on me. I’m pretty good at waiting for what seems like a long time but then, if nothing happened I would click into “overdrive” and make something happen. Frankly, I was burnt out. I was weary and deeply sad.

I cut back as much as I could on the budget and decided that the worst that could happen would be that I would have to sell my house. I wrote down all the good things that could come from that course of action. Next, I got in touch with dear friends and family and asked them if I could stay with them for short periods of time (just in case I became homeless). I was overwhelmed with the positive response and open doors all over the country and even in other countries. I started to feel rich.

Writing on a regular basis, I was able to finish my book “The Power of Hope in Mourning: Ride the Waves to Comfort. I spent time with my kids and grandkids. I went to visit my Dad for a month so he could make up his mind about leaving his home to live with my sister. I took a trip to Costa Rica and a missions trip to Honduras.

Just like the the widows of the Old Testament, I experienced a series of miracles. When it was time to pay the mortgage, I had enough to do so. Income came from surprising places such a dog and house sitting. Eighteen months later my house was paid off completely. What a blessing!

God brought strength and healing in His time. I never complained about “being broke” because I knew God was my provider. I filled the house with worship and learned to truly trust.

Honor Keys

Faith in God’s plan for your life will allow you to have a very positive approach to what happens day to day. A life of faith is very practical. You believe in people and know that God is working the night shift and from the inside out.

Active Definition

When you have faith you develop an unshakable confidence in God’s Word, visualize God’s will and act upon it. Faith galvanizes your purpose and allows you to move forward knowing that even when you do not see the answer right away – one is on the way.

Synonyms: assurance, certainty, hope, loyalty, sureness, connection, revelation, worship and belief system

Creative Wording

I want to thank you for your consistent faith and trust in God’s provision no matter what it looked like on the surface. You taught me so much during difficult times that our Heavenly Father would come through for us and we would see miracles. Your life is made up of a series of miracles because you expect them and live with the assurance that seeking God is rewarding. You are the wealthiest person I know because you know your true source.

This is day ten of a 31 day writing challenge. For more inspiration on honoring those you love, click here.

Author, speaker, corporate trainer, ordained minister and Hope Catalyst, Karen Sebastian enjoys sharing her rich life experiences with others – engaging them in adventurous discoveries of the beauty of hope in a dark, cloudy world. Her books will inspire you to embrace hope no matter what you are going through. To increase hope and improve relationships with yourself and those that you love, check out her Facebook page – The Power of Hope. Karen’s third book on hope – The Power of Hope for Caregivers: Honor the Ride will be released on 11.20.18.