A Girl, a Woman, a Sofa, and their God the Creator of All

There was once a girl, about 14-15 years old, who was given $100 from relatives for Christmas. Let’s call her…Lucy. Lucy was excited about what she was going to buy with this money, as there were many things she wanted. Soon after she received this money, she came across an orphanage for kids with HIV/AIDS and was very touched. Feeling like God wanted her to give up her $100 for this orphanage, she began to see all the things she had and the fact that she needed nothing more – but this orphanage was definitely in need. So with joy and excitement, feeling like it was the only thing she desired to do with her Christmas money, Lucy gave her $100 to the orphanage.

Many years later, Lucy was married and in a situation where she and her family were struggling with not enough money. She had been praying for a sofa for her house because she didn’t have the money to buy one, and some days she spoke out in faith saying “It’s OK, when it’s time, God will send someone to buy one for us” – sometimes she didn’t know if that was how it would happen, but she was sure God would provide because He promises to give His children what they ask for when they surrender to Him. There were a few things Lucy was praying for: a microwave, a mini freezer for her room to give her and her husband privacy in their full house, and a sofa. But she was praying for the sofa the longest.

After about 3 months of praying, a family (close friends of Lucy) came to visit her house and felt like the house really needed a sofa. The woman from this family (we’ll call her Nina) was about to receive $100 for Christmas – to buy something that she needed. But after praying, Nina felt like God wanted her to give up her $100 and buy a sofa for Lucy’s family. Nina had also been praying about buying a microwave or a mini freezer for Lucy (because she knew that was something Lucy needed) but she felt like the sofa was what God wanted to give at this time. Nina felt like it would be like her own gift to see her friend receive a sofa, and also felt that she herself needed nothing and had only one desire as to what to do with this $100 Christmas money.

Knowing that $100 Christmas money is a big thing to give up, as it is a gift, Lucy struggled to receive what Nina’s family wanted to give her. But then she heard God speak: “Remember those years back when you gave $100, your Christmas money, to an orphanage? Now I want to thank you and give it back to you.” Before God spoke this, Lucy had forgotten all about the Christmas money she had given all those years ago. But upon hearing God’s voice and remembering, she realized that the exact amount of money she gave up all those years ago (her Christmas money) was the exact amount of money Nina wanted to give up to buy a sofa for her (with Nina’s Christmas money). And what a co-incidence (or not?) that the thing Lucy had been focusing on praying for the most was the very thing that Nina felt God wanted her to buy.

Yes; God hears your prayers. And yes; they sure do make a difference. And another yes; God wants to give His children good things. One more yes; when you give something up to God, He will give it back to you – sometimes the exact amount (to show that He is interested in the little things) and sometimes more. But He never gives back less.

Oh, and by the way – this is a true story :-)