He Will Provide

 A few months ago I took Ella to her annual cardiologist visit.  It's expensive but necessary.  It costs us about $4,000 every January for that 2 hr visit.  And since it's January that means our deductible just started over so we have to pay the whole thing ourselves. On top of all the other medical bills and medications that keep us going.  

We are incredibly grateful for her doctors and on this particular day her EKG looked much better and they didn't come and tell us any terrible news.  Which felt like great news.  

But the bills always loom there and because we know it will just repeat each year it's a heavy weight.  God has always managed to provide and then some, and we do the best we can.  But I will be honest - it's just hard.  

On this day as I was leaving, my friend Anastasia sent me this text:

"That’s awesome! So glad it was a great appointment!! 🥰 Thank you Jesus!! I’ll be praying for provision to get all the tests paid for. Our Daddy owns a cattle on a thousand hills.  (Psalm 50:10) I’m excited to see how God provides for this. 🎉"

As I read it, the phrase "I'm excited to see how God provides for this" gave me the quick attitude adjustment I needed. 

Isaiah 50:10 reads: For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Everything is His and He has all resources needed to provide if it's His will and in His way.

I could moan and groan and worry my way while I waited for Him to help us or I could get to work and watch with excitement to see how God would provide!  I liked the second one better.

So we looked for ways to cut back in some things.  George picked up some extra shifts like he does so often to help keep those bills under control.  

And then just a few days later, as I was waiting with my colleagues for a leadership meeting my phone rang.  I glanced down and saw the cardiologist's name pop up.  My own heart froze and I slowly stood up and stepped out into the hall.  I braced myself for the usual occurrence following tests of more bad news.  "I can handle this," I thought.  

Only that's not what she said.  She said that Ella's heart had completely healed.  Not just the rhythm issues, but the leaky valves in her heart.  No more concerns with muscle damage.  Everything looked completely normal and she was being dismissed as a patient.  

I sobbed tears of joy right there in front of my team.  But it didn't end there.  After the meeting my principal asked me to stay for a minute and then asked if I would be willing to increase my work schedule from four days a week to five next year.  I would have to put in the work, but Heavenly Father had certainly provided.  

I am so thankful for the wisdom in looking with enthusiasm for the many ways in which He provides, not just financially, but socially, emotionally, and spiritually.  The answers won't always come this quickly or how we think and they will almost always involve investment and work on our part.  But when you recognize them you will feel the unmistakable fire of faith and testimony.  

(And if you are interested,  Anastasia writes her own faith-based blog at anastasiacorbin.com).