I've had so many incredible experiences with paying tithing that I feel it's important for me to share another experience. A few days ago, I got a collection notice in the mail saying that we owed some money on a doctor bill. A bill I had never seen before it reached collections. Had I been in a normal state of mind (ie not pregnant and sick all the time) I'm sure I would've remembered to look into why I hadn't seen a bill for it, but there you have it. I didn't and now it has to be taken care of urgently. We're in the process of building up our savings and don't have a ton of extra money for unexpected things like this so we just decided that once I got the official bill, we would use our credit card to pay it off.
Every quarter James gets a small bonus from work. It varies every time depending on certain factors so we never know exactly what he is going to get. Well he informed me earlier today what he earned on his next paycheck in terms of the bonus. And I kid you not, his bonus is the same exact amount that we owe on these medical bills. Down to the dollar! I knew immediately that God was blessing us for being faithful and paying our tithing even though there were times that it was very difficult to do.
One time I was having financial hardships and got a call from the bishop to come and see him. He said a gentleman in our stake came to see him the day before and gave him money to give to someone in our YSA ward that needed some help. The bishop felt immediately impressed to call me and the amount of money was exactly what I needed to make it through another month. All because I paid tithing.
Another time during a financial hardship I needed an extra $100 to make it through until my next paycheck. Otherwise I would have no food and no gas money for 2 weeks. I came home from school and there was an envelope at the front door addressed to me. Inside was a card. I opened it and $100 fell out and all the card said was, "Love God". All because I paid tithing.
And there are more wonderful stories just like the ones I've shared. I've been incredibly blessed because I pay tithing. I know that Heavenly Father takes care of His children when we obey his commandments and I am incredibly humbled whenever I have an experience like this. It helps me to keep things in perspective of just how wonderfully blessed our family is. We are not in need of anything that is essential to our being and I am so so grateful for that!
I love your stories. They are really inspiring, and it's nice to know that kind of stuff happens to "real" people, not just ones in the Ensign.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were going through, gosh, probably 4 years of hardship, I used to get annoyed by stories like those because they never happened to me and I have always paid my tithing. I wondered why others and not me. It was only after some time had passed and I had some space to see that all along I was being blessed.
It took 4 years, some mistakes, some bad luck, a lot of credit card debt, and a few collections agencies, but the Lord led Nathan to join the military which changed our lives. Without paying our tithing, I am not convinced that would have happened as it wasn't something even remotely on the radar.
Now the only debt we have is a student loan. We have a savings. We have our first home. And because of that we get along better as a couple too. Sometimes miracles happen so slowly, so bit by bit, that we don't see them until after the fact. And sometimes they are big and obvious and wonderful. Either way, they are still miracles.
Amanda
I have always been told that paying tithing is a commandment of sacrifice ... but I have never felt that it was a sacrifice in the long run. Sometimes it is hard, but everything seems to work out (even if only barely) when I pay my tithing. It is a blessing to have a testimony of this commandment. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful stories! I, too, have had many times in my life where I know I only got through to the next paycheck because I have been faithful in paying my tithing. What a blessing! Thank you for sharing these with us.
ReplyDeleteNeat stories Jessica. Thanks for sharing :)
ReplyDelete