stewardship testimonies
Meredith Evans
Faith Promise 2005
Psalm 145 captures my faith promise testimony this year — “One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts…They shall speak of the might of your awesome acts and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness…”
My faith promise testimony is a direct result of a faith promise testimony that I heard shared from the pulpit last year. I remember sitting in the congregation last February as I heard my parents give their faith promise story. During the year God had led them to give systematically and sacrificially, while trusting Him to provide supernaturally. I had not known until that morning that my parents had dipped into their savings accounts to sacrificially complete the remainder of their faith promise pledge. Their sacrificial giving challenged my heart.
As I prayed about how the Lord would have me participate in faith promise this year, He led me to follow my parents’ example: to give a specific amount each month, to ask Him to provide in a supernatural manner, and to give sacrificially. As I considered how much to give sacrificially and how much to ask Him for supernaturally, the Lord laid on my heart to give one month of my savings account and to trust Him to provide the equal amount. At the time, this seemed enormous, but He enabled me to make the pledge in faith.
As a staff accountant for a Birmingham company, I was required to work an unusual amount of overtime during the summer as the company went through its June 30th year-end. Since I am a salaried employee, overtime pay never crossed my mind. In September 2005 my manager brought me a check in appreciation for the hours I had worked throughout year-end. I was surprised and grateful but barely glanced at the check since it was a busy day.
I left the office at 8 p.m. that night and walked alone in the dark to my car, frustrated at having to work late again. God brought to mind the verse from Psalm 50 that says, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.” My first reaction was, “What? I’m working late and you want me to thank You?” But again, He brought to mind the same verse. So, out loud and by myself in the dark, I said, “ God, thank you for my job.”
As soon as I said that, He opened my eyes to see that my overtime check was to the exact penny the amount I asked Him to provide supernaturally, plus one month of my savings account. Praise God!!
I’ve heard faith promise testimonies shared at Briarwood since I was an eight-year old little girl. I’ve heard the Barker’s faith promise testimonies, my parents’ faith promise testimonies, and now as a part of Briarwood’s third generation, I have my own faith promise testimony to share with the fourth generation and the generations yet to come! God has acted mightily, and now I have the privilege of declaring His greatness and abundant goodness.