Answered Prayers and the Heart of GivingTo God, the Father, through Jesus Christ—thank You for this beautiful day. For the bird song, for the sun shining, for this quiet moment to sit with You, to renew my mind, and to write about who You are and what You have done in my life. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen. I don’t even know where to begin with this calling. Five years ago—no, maybe seven—God told me to start writing. And when I say that, I know it sounds strange. God *asked* me to write? But I know that was the purpose He put on my heart. He's good at providing purposes in our life... we fostered for years and eventually adopted - due to His calling. After some time had past, I found myself asking God again, “What’s next?” And God answered: *Write about Me.* I laughed. Hard. I was the *last* person who should be writing. I was a meteorologist before this, and my news director in Peoria would be doubled over right now if he knew I was blogging. He used to edit every single grammatical mess I made. So, if I’m writing now, it’s only by God’s strength and wisdom, not mine. And for that, I am thankful. The Unexpected Lesson  Today, I’ll just share the latest way God has worked through prayer. Our church has been doing a five-week study on finances. And let’s be real—who *wants* to work through their money situations? One sermon? Fine. A whole series? That’s digging deep. But I knew it was important. Still, this year, I struggled. In 2024, we had a significant amount of money stolen in an investment—not just a bad investment, but outright *theft.* The person we trusted manipulated assets, moved properties out of company names, and left investors, including us, with nothing. So, walking into 2025, we weren’t exactly thriving financially. When our pastor started talking about generosity, I felt my heart *clench.* How do you give when you’ve been stolen from? That was the posture I found myself in—closed fists, guarded heart. But I knew that wasn’t where I was supposed to be. I believe, fully and completely, that God provides. That’s the trust He asks of us—not just in finances, but in *everything.* Where we live, what we eat, how we care for our children—He *provides.* The Bible tells this story over and over again. In the Old Testament, God sent manna to the Israelites in the desert, but they could only take what they *needed* for that day. If they tried to store it up, it rotted. And I thought… isn’t that us? We store up. We overfill. We hoard possessions. And they sit there, forgotten, growing “moldy” in our lives. So that Sunday, I prayed: *God, show me where You want us to be. How do You want us to use what we have?* And then I let it go. The Answer in a Forgotten Drawer Later that afternoon, I was doing some spring cleaning—going through an old drawer full of forgotten things. Toys. Craft supplies. Pencils. Clutter. All these *possessions* we once thought were important but had been sitting there, unused. And right in the middle of that drawer, not where it was supposed to be, was a book. I picked it up, read the title, and *laughed out loud.* It was a book from my childhood pastor: Giving: Gimmick or Grace? I rocked back on my heels, looked up, and just said, *Thank You.* This is how God answers my prayers—daily, weekly, monthly. I had *forgotten* I even prayed about it, but He hadn’t. In the middle of all my clutter—literal and spiritual—He placed a reminder right in my hands. A book with coins falling from the sky on the cover, reminding me that *He* is the provider. That book didn’t tell me how much to give. It didn’t give me a formula. It didn’t tell me how much to store for my own security. Instead, it asked a simple question: *What is your heart posture when you give?* Do you give begrudgingly? Out of obligation? Under pressure? Or do you give because you *know*—deep in your bones—that God owns all things, knows all things, and provides all things?
Living with Open HandsThat book reminded me of something I had lost sight of. Living with open hands.
God doesn’t ask us to give because He needs our money. He asks us to give so that we can experience freedom. The more we cling to our possessions, the more they own us. But when we hold everything loosely—our money, our homes, our plans—we create space for God to move. And He always does. Even in a cluttered drawer. Even in a forgotten book. Even in the middle of financial uncertainty. He provides. And that’s the story—yesterday, today, and always. Latest Room Reveal: The Primary SuiteIn our latest home renovation project, we turned our attention to the primary suite. This room has undergone a significant transformation to create a cozy, stylish, and functional space. Below is a peek into our primary suite remodel journey and the changes we made to achieve our dream look.  Our Primary Suite Punch ListWhen we first moved into our home, we identified several changes we wanted to make in the primary suite. Here was our punch list:
  Shop our primary suite here
Future Plans: Decluttering and Organizing While the major renovations are complete, we are still planning to declutter the drawers and closets. Stay tuned as I’ll share our organization process this fall!
Discover more home decor tips and room makeover ideas @wideskyliving 🤎 Rachel Ann, Founder WideSkyLiving |
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AuthorRachel Aissen is an award-winning meteorologist, Archives
February 2024
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