Exceedingly Thankful

My eyelids are about to fall and stay closed for, I think, a good solid 10 hours.  Sleep.  It's what my body needs at the moment.  But I think I will wait and instead pen a work that God has done in my heart this past few weeks.

This past weekend, my family embarked on a one-of-a-kind journey.  In reality, it actually started over 2 months ago -- when I signed up my family of five to sleep in our car for a night.  It was a sleep-in-your-car-athon called 24 In Your Car, organized by a local shelter for battered women and children known as Shepherd's Gate.

An "outside of the box" approach to raise awareness for homelessness and to raise funds for Shepherd's Gate by gathering sponsorships or pledges just as you would in a walk-a-thon. We were to become homeless for 24 hours and sleep in our car for a night.

Little did I know that God would show Himself real to me throughout this journey.  It was a divine appointment.

We set a sponsorship goal of $350 for our entire family (Shepherd's Gate recommended 10 sponsorships at $24 each).  In my thinking, this was a lofty goal.  Do I really know at least 15 people who would donate $24 each to this cause?  I am not the sales type who has no problem approaching people in person.  But I was up for the challenge.  So I typed up a template sponsorship letter and sent it individually to most of my friends on Facebook (Yes, the non-sales type sent a message over Facebook!)  I thought, maybe at least some of my family will say yes!  And this is where God showed up.  And He showed up big!

The sponsorships started coming in slowly, online and by mail.  Two weeks after I emailed the letters, we were really close to our goal of $350.  So I adjusted the goal to $400 ... then to $450 ... then to $500 ... then to $700. (Do you see it?  I had such little faith, yet God kept showing up!)  Two weeks before the event, I raised the goal one last time to $1000.  Can God fill in the gap less than two weeks before the event and with the amount almost as big as our original goal?

You bet.

Our donation tally actually closed at $1,103!  A testament that we serve a God "who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20).

God, thank you.

But this was more than just the amount of money raised.  Yes, God indeed increased my faith in Him because He is faithful!  But He also blessed me in ways I did not expect.

I was overwhelmed by people's generosity.  In times like these where it's hard to make ends meet sometimes, people opened up their finances and gave -- out of the goodness of their hearts, and perhaps because of the leading of the Holy Spirit, they sowed into something impactful.  And they were grateful that I asked them to be a part of a worthy cause.  That blessed me exceedingly.

God, again, I thank you.

He, who is sovereign, added one more layer to this homelessness experience.

On May 13th, we received the long-awaited letter from our mortgage lender stating that our loan is in default, and that they are intending to proceed with the foreclosure proceedings unless we pay our outstanding balance - 2 years worth of mortgage payments.

The thought of losing our home made 24inyourcar such a surreal experience.  God had me in such a vulnerable moment that I really have no choice but to trust in a God who is FAITHFUL.  I was about to live in my car for 24 hours and have a taste of what it is like to be homeless, with the news hanging over my head that losing our home might become a reality.

Saturday night, I slept restless and uncomfortable in the driver seat of our Honda Pilot, while the rest of my family slept in the back, with all the seats down flat.  We couldn't all fit in the back, so one of us had to sleep on a seat that barely reclined.  It reminded me of a non-stop 16-hour flight to the Philippines.  At moments, I was cold.  Other times, I wanted to stretch my legs but couldn't.  The bright street lights glared all night.  I barely slept.  It was rest-less.  I could not imagine doing this for more than a day.

That evening, I was humbled.  And grateful that we have a home to go home to still. 

Thank you Lord.  Thank you.

I have no doubt that God will provide all our needs (Philippians 4:19).  He said so and I believe it.  But my job to trust is not an easy task, I know.  But to trust Him, I must.

I came away from this experience changed.  Knowing a little more how ...

To empathize ... with those without a home.

To have faith ... that God will fill in the gap.

To trust ... that God will supply all of our needs.

To say thanks ... in all things.

I hope and pray that I do not take anything for granted.  I am thankful that tonight I will be sleeping on a bed instead of on the driver seat of an SUV - completely stretched out instead of curled up in an uncomfortable ball.  I am thankful that my children are healthy.  I am thankful that I have a husband who loves me.  I am thankful for all the days (6 years and counting) that I was and am privileged to stay in our home.

Everyday is a gift.  Every moment is a gift.

Lord help me lift up my heart to You and say ...