Blessed

Life for the last few months has been stressful.  Summer shouldn't be that way right? Well when you are self employed and your job is suppose to bring in more than 60% of your families income the stress levels rise.  For that past year and half I have been challenged to walk with people in their lives.  I have loved really getting to know some dear friends that have changed me forever.  I love the thought of living in community, serving each other, praying for one another and walking with each person as they are.  Some of those walks have been walks in joy, strength, trust, mourning, waiting, love, compassion and encouragement.  All of which have been a huge blessing to me as a person in Christ. I have been intentional about loving people where they are at, and for those of you who know me best, you know that showing love is a hard thing for me.

As many friends have come by our house and blessed us with food, gifts, love and prayer this week I have been challenged in the area of community.  I was willing to allow myself to walk with my friends and their lives but when the tables turned in my own life it was difficult for me to share my own brokenness.  On Thursday last week, I posted that I needed work.  I was desperate to work again and provide for my family.  But what my pray was that morning was that my family needed food to get us to the 1st of the month.  An hour last I got a text, "hey Cristina I want to stop by and bring your family food." And this is where God began to draw me closer to Him.  I honestly thought to myself, I should say no, but I had prayed for God to provide and here he was as clear as the sky providing.  What happened in the next 24 hours was is a testimony of God's love for His people. 

• Thursday morning: "Here I brought you a treat" from my dear friend, coffee! 
• A swim day with great little ones and more food than they could eat! 
• Voice mail "My company is looking to hire someone to do some design work." 

Oh dear friends it truly gets better:

• Making dinner the food gets dropped off and there was a moment of teaching our kids about Christ and his love for us.  "Mommy it is so awesome that our friends love us, Thank you Jesus" CMR & RRR.
• Friday morning: Email "hey will you be home later I have some stuff I want to drop off." TOILET PAPER, Coke, popcorn and cereal!
• Kids running around saying "Thank you Jesus for toilet paper!!!" 
• Phone call from a dear friend "Is everything ok?" 
• Me: "No." And then the spirit began to work on my heart.
• "Come to my house tomorrow and get food out of the pantry and freezer." Ribs, 3 lbs of a pork shoulder and stuff to cook with! 
• A dream that blessed my life more than I can tell.  Our God is faithful and with us. 
• Saturday: Card with $100 cash & $60 gift card to Albertsons
• $100 gift card to Albertsons
• 4 amazing box lunches and a picnic at the beach
• Giving one of the box lunches to a person in need
• Giving $60 in cash and the $100 gift card to friends in need
• Meals brought to our 2 a week for the next two weeks from our church! 
• Sunday: 2 Kings 4, 2 Chron. 20:21
• The most amazing rib dinner! 
• Monday:  Genesis 16 :13
• Work flooding in 
• Lunch with two amazing gals at our house, time of prayer for them, amazing talking of truths and struggles and a messy kitchen!
• Pizza delivered to our house by a friend
• A room being used by a friend for the next 4 days! Love this one! 
• Love from a good friend via text messages
• Laughing and listening to worship music with one of my favorite chics in my office until 12:30am!
• Tuesday: meeting with client -- more work
• "Mommy I love you" kids
• A past client "Cristina we need you to take over a project for us."
• More work
• Psalm 23
• Wednesday: Being found in the presence of my Lord and Saviour
• More work
• Kids not getting into trouble
• Giving toy trucks to a beautiful little boy
• Sitting on the couch with a loved friend as we talked about God and His faithfulness
• Awesome dinner brought to the house and prepared by JM!!! 
• JM started classes today
• Paid 1 out of 3 late payments on our house. TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER AMEN!
• A reminder that the house we live in belongs to the Lord and it is for His people to dwell in His presence.

Oh Lord let them come and be feed, clothed, have a place of slumber and that you may touch their hearts as they walk in your presence.  May all that pass through these doors be given to you and may then know you are with them always. Amen & Amen.

2 Kinds 4: 43

...'They will eat and have some left over.'