Week Two

The Thirty Day Giving Challenge is halfway over, and so far it has just been an amazing experience.

I have done five free photoshoots for friends, which has been awesome. I love taking pictures and I really love being able to bless others with my passion.

My gifts this week haven’t been huge– a very small donation to a family in need, a pair of shoes given to a friend, cupcakes baked for my sweet family.

Our blessings this week have been huge. A medical bill that has been hanging over our head was paid down to a much more manageable rate. Our utilities bills are caught up. And our sons have shown, over and over, that God is working in their hearts, teaching them the joys of generosity.

My sister has made me laugh, my daughter has been ridiculously cute, and even the dog got in on making me smile this week.

There have been moments (and more than moments) of discouragement this week, but the outpouring of love and encouragement from you wonderful people and from others in my life has been overwhelming. Thursday night I prayed that God would remind me in a tangible way of His love for me. I know that that is a prayer of weakness– that I should trust His promises and His Word and wait on His timing for His blessings, but as one of my dear Sunday School ladies says, He knows I’m dust and He loves me anyway.

Friday morning we found out about our medical bill.

God is good. He is incredibly good, and faithful, and even when we are in seasons of difficulty, reaping the harvest of our own sin, He is always there, always pouring out blessings.

Always.

And it’s very possible that a deeper knowledge of His mercies– new every morning– is the greatest blessing I will receive as a result of participating in this challenge.

And that is enough– more than enough– far more than I, in my weakness and failings, deserve.

God is good, all the time.