He Provides

What is one word you would use to describe God? It's kind of a loaded question. Maybe you have many words you might use. Maybe you do have one word but it's not a very friendly or flattering adjective. Maybe it changes from day to day, from season to season. For me, in the past several months, I have personally rejoiced in naming him Provider. It's easy for me to say that when every day I have food in the cabinets, gas in my car, a computer in my lap. It's not so easy when I'm out of my comfort zone or when things are not easily in my grasp, my control.

Ben and I are involved with a great organization called Global Connections. GC puts on these wonderful events (among other things) for international students at BGSU to help them become more familiar with our culture, customs and traditions all the while making friendships so these students can have a family of sorts away from home. For each of these events different churches or ministries bring different food items or provide volunteers for various roles. Being the GC representative for Brookside, it is my responsibility to make sure we get the volunteers that we are expected to provide as a church. While there are a handful of people who always seem to arise to the occasion, there's also always an uncertainty that lingers in the back of my mind. Are we really going to be able to provide these 10 salads, or should I just make them all myself to be sure... For one instance we really didn't have enough people bringing food and showed up at the event with less than we were hoping for (quite a bit less, actually). But you know what, there were leftovers. He provides.

The last time our church was responsible for providing drivers for a shopping trip, it was looking like we weren't going to pull it off. Then the day before, I was contacted by just the amount of people that were needed. He provides.

Yesterday I was helping to organize a Friends and Family Fun Night for Brookside. I was in a bit of a tizzy that afternoon making sure I had all the things we needed. At one point I realized that I was going to need another person to help me carry and load some things from the church office, but kept running into dead ends when looking for help. I really didn't know what I was going to do other than induce labor lugging coffee pots up and down those dreaded stairs, but just when I needed it, I got help. It wasn't the planned-out-knew-for-sure-and-in-advance help that I would have liked to have, but He provides.

Then there was the food. How many hot dogs does one buy for an event that requires no RSVPing but has been announced to a church in which there's about 300 people there on any given Sunday? I went with 100 dogs, second guessing myself the whole time. At the end of the night there were 6 hot dogs left. I don't consider myself a good estimator, I consider my God a GREAT PROVIDER.

Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the LORD;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and compassionate.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
giving them the lands of other nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are steadfast for ever and ever,
done in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
-Psalm 111