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I remember being on a team that was going to Romania, it was led by my dad. Before we went, we met several times. On the first occasion we were asked to tell our stories, how did we become a Christian? And what does that mean for us today? My Dad started, telling the story of before I was born, he and my mum thought they had lost me, but it turned out I was still alive and it was likely a twin who was lost. I had never heard that story before, it challenged and saddened me but also gave me a renewed sense of purpose.
Earlier this year, I went into my local coffee shop to do some work and came across a couple from our church, they bought me a coffee and then we began to chat. About anything and everything, and ultimately the wife told me her story, so many bits of which I had never heard. I felt inspired to find out more about the people that I know, to hear their untold stories.
Then this week I was reading a book by Pete Greig called 'Dirty Glory' - it's been a fabulous book so far (I'll post a review on here when I'm done). One story in it reminded me of my own untold story. In brief, the story involved a lady who worked for the 24/7 prayer movement and struggled for money but trusted God in spite of this lack in her life. One day she found a large sum of notes in her cleaning cupboard and after exploring several possibilities the only possible answer to where it came from was that it came from God. She subsequently found more money in the cupboard until one final time another large sum arrived there too. Yes, I did get home and check our cleaning cupboard, but this story also reminded me of one untold from a month or so ago.
It was my son's birthday this particular weekend, and yet our bank account did not make good reading for throwing a party and making a day of his 1st birthday. We had been away camping and although keeping costs down, extras like this take their toll. Beth and I chatted and we needed to buy food for the party we had arranged, but there was also a need to leave some money for the other things we needed like petrol and the bills that would come in in a day or twos time. I sat on our bed that Saturday morning feeling totally deflated, how hadn't I planned better so we could comfortably celebrate Judah's first birthday. I felt so frustrated, all I had left was to pray, but no words could come out. So I let out a deep 'giving this to you God' sigh while thinking in my head 'God I need you to help us or this overspending is going to get out of control'. Beth went out to get the food and I took my frustration out on our overgrown garden.
Beth was back about an hour later and came straight out to the garden saying 'you'll never believe what happened... Someone from our church was in the shop and at the checkout insisted on paying for my shopping'. It wasn't an enormous amount but it was a significant sum for us. I hadn't told Beth about my exhale prayer until this point, we thanked God and the frustration and worry eased, but the financial worry was still there like a dull thud beneath the surface. The next day at church right at the start of the day another person from our church gave me an envelope with a cheque in. I got the message - don't worry. I was due to go away to Sri Lanka later that week and our burden had been taken from us, but I was still worried we wouldn't have enough for Beth to manage food etc. while I was gone. Then, when I was away, 3 days into our trip, Beth messaged to say another gift had been put in Beth's pushchair, I knew God had our backs, as he always has.
I know some might read my story and think why would God do this and not end global poverty? Why would he not do this for the world, but my experience of God is that he is doing it, day after day, he just chooses to use people, many of whom aren't all that compliant. God often changes the world by changing our world. Pete Greig again in 'Dirty Glory' points out how money is also called currency, like the word current, it represents movement, money is transactional be it buying and selling or giving and receiving. The week I was worried about money, as I said, I was leaving for Sri Lanka, and I had some major reservations, leaving my family and spending money on it we did not have. God's provision for me and my family gave me the courage I needed. Then when we got to Sri Lanka we met person after person who we were able to bless financially and spiritually, and we were only able to do so because we met them and we heard their stories. Stories that had previously gone untold, but inspired us to make a change. I hope in reading my untold story, you are encouraged to trust God, or to give, or to share your untold story.
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