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. I have had many people enjoy my home lately, find a peace, and contentment here. I have also had experiences with the following longings expressed...
"My home is not this large." "You have a beautiful place I hope you understand how lucky you are" "That pool table!" So, is it the pool table, the larger house, the fireplaces, the ceilings, that bring contentment into my life? While I am a peasant compared to King Solomon, I live a life of wealth compared to the world. Does this money bring joy? It certainly makes some decisions easier to make, and it also makes other decisions harder. If you ask the wealthy if the have found happiness in their power and money... I think you may be surprised if they answered honestly. Possessions do not bring sustained happiness, nor does power, fame, success, social life, or even health. In fact, these things all bring pseudo-happiness, fleeting and not long lasting. Would you believe me if I told you I was just as happy growing up in my mobile home, as I am in this house that I share on the internet? Would you believe that my favorite house of all time is still the first home I purchased at just 600 sq foot house. I lived there in college. Nothing compares to the contentment I found in that home! Yet the homes are not why I was happy. I was just as happy the years we needed to rent apartments, and the years we rented a house here in Georgia. Where then does this constant source of happiness and contentment flow from? "Not that I speak from want; for I have learned to be content (autarkes) in whatever circumstances I am." - Phil 4:11 The Greek word autrakes translated "contentment" comes closer to describing the biblical concept of true happiness.* Have you searched for happiness? Where do you find it? In things, people, travel, places? I would contest that real happiness is on the inside. A contentment found in our soul. Over 3000 years ago, King Solomon had all that life had to offer, to this day I would argue he was one of the wealthiest men to ever live. So did he find happiness in his power and possessions? NO. I fact at each turn he needed to acquire more. Shipping in peacocks and apes to his kingdom. Creating fabulous gardens. Have incredible sex, hundreds of women at his beaconing. Do you know what he concluded? "All is vanity" Real happiness is on the inside. God designed happiness to be a sustaining, infinite source. If you'd like to know more about where my contentment flows... Read Solomon's early years of faith and his trails when he seeks worldly happiness in the books of Chronicles 1 and 2, then Kings. *Theime, The Pursuit of Happiness (2014), pg. 2 |
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AuthorRachel Aissen is an award-winning meteorologist, Archives
February 2024
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