Praying is believing...

This past Monday, I sat there in my truck as I always do before going into work. I usually do this just to get a little quiet time whether it be time in the Word, journaling, and/or praying. On this day I was kind of fretting, okay....not kind of, I was fretting, sweating bullets just to be honest about this Friday's Homeless event that our Singles group helps out with each month. I recently acquired leadership to some degree of our group's part of this monthly event, which for the most part is mostly logistical but also a motivational role to encourage participation from within our Singles group.

This month it is our turn to provide the food for the meal on Friday night. Doesn't really matter where it comes from, whether we take up donations from within or ask a local restaurant or store to help us out with the meal. I had been somewhat working on this for about a good solid week prior to Monday and coming up with nothing. This month I really did not want to try to reach into the pockets of the Singles group because of other things knowingly going on that was already costing money, so I was calling and going to see various restaurant and store managers around the area. "Man, wish we could, but we're pretty squeezed right now", or "I definitely want to help, but our budget will not allow it this month. How about in a month or two?" are the things I was hearing just about everywhere I went. Don't get me wrong here...what I did see was that people all over town are generally compassionate about this type of ministry and really do want to help, but timing is key in all situations. It was great to see more compassionate views than negative, because honestly I thought I would run into a lot more negativity.

To the point now...As I was sitting there in my truck Monday working up a calling strategy and thinking about what I could say to those I talked to I thought to myself suddenly, "have I even prayed about this need specifically?" I really had not. Honestly I had been praying those walking or driving prayers that I think most do where you mumble to the Lord that you need help with this or that, but I had not specifically asked God to provide for this need and even going as far as telling exactly what we needed and then trusting in Him just to provide it.

So I prayed and from what I recall it went something like this...Lord, you know the worries in my heart over this and I ask Your forgiveness for that, and I pray as I lay these needs down at the foot of Your Cross, that You, Oh Lord would provide for this event. I pray specifically Lord that you would provide whatever possible but our need is for enough food to feed 50-75 homeless people. I know You can provide this and now I specifically ask that You would. I also pray Lord that this part of the logistics could even be wrapped up today sometime it would be wonderful but even if it is a last second commitment, praise be to You. In Your Son's Gracious Name, Amen.

I know this is getting long but stick with me here. I spent a really good bit of time on the phone calling folks and even another friend was checking with a store or two on his end of town for me. Then at 3:30 I talked to the manager of a particular Italian restaurant in the area. Really nice guy again, and he even said that he really wasn't sure what he could do but to go ahead and send him over a letter, and he would give me a call back on my cell in a couple of hours or so. I told him I'd be glad to and faxed him a letter right over. I think almost an hour went by and my cell rang and it was him. He said, Jason I reviewed your letter and check our budget and we're going to take care of your needs this month! I was honestly chocked up so the only thing I heard him say past that was that he was going to provide spaghetti and marinara sauce for 60 people (which if need be can easily be stretched). I thanked him graciously and we hung up. "Praise God!" were the first words from my mouth and honestly, I was still in a bit of shock. A little later I was talking to the other friend that was helping me earlier and he asked about salad, dressing and all that...I told him that I thought he had said salad, but I thought we may need to come up with some bread. So I ended up calling the restaurant manager back. I told him that I thought I was so happy and chocked up that I must not have heard everything he said, and if he could repeat what all they were going to provide...He said sure, that they were going to do the spaghetti with marinara sauce, salads, dressings, and bread sticks too. Can you believe it? Because I still am a little overwhelmed by it all. Mostly, I am just thankful to the Lord, for His provision, His generous provision in this need.