The Gift on our Step

When my husband and I were young in our marriage we struggled with finances. I remember back to some of the hard times we went through. The second year we were married, right before Thanksgiving, we were standing in our kitchen looking over a table full of groceries. We were smiling and holding each other. We were speaking of the amazement of the predicament we were in.

All this food was not ours. We were helping collect groceries for needy families to fill Thanksgiving baskets. When, in fact, our cupboards were practically bare. We only had a couple of can goods left in our pantry, and very few odds and ends in the fridge. But, it was just my husband and I, and we would get through until the next payday, which was over a week away.

The following day, we were to take all of this food and deliver it to the ministry that was going to feed those families in need. My husband and I had not told anyone of our own situation. Somehow, when looking over all that food on our table – we knew we would be taken care of anyway. We giggled at the irony of the situation, but knew that God always provides.

When we returned home from the delivery, we found a gift on our doorstep. It was a bag full of groceries. In addition to that wonderful gift, my mom showed up at our home later that day. She told us to come with her. She was being quite secretive. We went with her, and she took us to a grocery store. She began filling her shopping cart, and told us that it was all for us. She and my dad just knew we were struggling; without a word from us. God works in amazing ways.

One of the main reasons we hadn’t told our family that we were struggling, was because we knew our families were not made of money. They were living paycheck to paycheck much like us. We did not want to burden them, and they had more mouths to feed. I am the oldest of 7 children. My parents still had 6 children living at home. The precious gift my parents were able to give to us was more valuable than just the cost of groceries. But, the thought and sacrifice that went along was priceless.

Someone else made a BIG sacrifice for you. Have you thanked Him lately?

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (New American Standard Bible)