Nifty Thrifty Week: Day #5 with Sharon Glasgow
GIVEAWAY CLOSED
Welcome to the final day of our Nifty Thrifty week featuring ideas, stories, recipes and GIVEAWAYS from five frugal guests.
(And it all started with my devotion entitled The Boomerang of Blessing. )
PLEASE NOTE: As with all the posts this week, you have until Sunday night at midnight EST to comment and be entered in the drawing. All the winners will be announced Monday. So, if you haven’t entered each day’s giveaway, you still have time. My guests are giving out fabulous prizes including Amazon cards, books, Target cards and a $100 baking ingredients kit!
We wrap up this series with my Proverbs 31 sister in ministry Sharon Glasgow.
Sharon is an amazing speaker (many churches invite her back again and again!) who is a picture of how to live on faith when times are tough. She has so many real-life stories of how her family has had to do that over the years that I could sit and listen to her for hours!
Today Sharon, along with providing us encouragement in this area, is giving away a copy of our new Real-Life Devotional Bible and a book about a man who lived on faith: George Muller.
(And can you please do me a favor? Will you stick around until the bottom of Sharon’s post and read an update of the couple who was in the horrible accident the day after Christmas and is now having to live on faith? I mentioned that two of our friends were running the Boston Marathon in their honor and many of you wanted to know if they were alright. The update is below.)
Now, here is Sharon on how to live on faith.
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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a one room home like Little House on the Prairie? Well, two years ago, we did it. We moved into an old one room shed without running water, heat, air conditioning, a stove (we had a woodstove) or a kitchen! Yeah, I know—even Little House on the Prairie had a kitchen, didn’t they?
We moved out of our cozy Victorian farm home, and 21 people moved into our house (get more of story here). So, I can tell you from first-hand experience—you can live on less and trust God more.
We lived in the shed for a year and then moved back into our house. People couldn’t believe we would do something so radical, but God led us to do it. In that year I learned that I don’t need as much as I think I do. A lot of us have a lot of space and stuff we don’t need, and it costs us—in more ways than one.
Shed living was the epitome of “nifty thrifty!” There was no heating or cooling bill. (We live in VA, so winters are cold, and summers are hot as fire!) There was no extra space, so we couldn’t buy anything. And cleaning time and supplies were down by 90%.
Hard times bring hard decisions. How do you know when it’s time to sell the house? Change jobs? Bring a renter into the spare room? Sell the car? Tell your child you can’t afford college? Gulp!
I can tell you this with all assurance: God is to be trusted with big decisions. He never fails. Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
How do you lean not on your own understanding but His? Faith.
Here’s how I live by faith: I read His promises in the Bible, believe them and then watch them fulfilled. I’ve seen God do the impossible in our circumstances and in our finances. He’s done things I would never have dreamed. Yet He may not have done them had I not been willing to obey His leading.
If you want your faith built up through others examples, read about George Muller. I love George Muller. Now he lived the life of faith. You’ve got to read his story. He ran an orphanage with hundreds of children; some days there wasn’t food to feed them. George believed in the power of prayer and God’s promises to provide. The children would sit down at the table and pray, and before long the door would knock and someone would deliver food. God always provided.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
You can live on less and trust God more. His promises are not only for other people—they are for you!
Now, to be entered in my giveaway, tell us about a time you had to live on faith or about someone you know who is doing so. I can’t wait to read your comments!
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UPDATE ON LANE AND EMILY: Karen here again. Thanks to so many of you who have responded to the story of the newlyweds who were in an accident during a snowstorm and now are dealing with the husband having a traumatic brain injury.
Emily always knew God called her to be a nurse. Just as she got married and landed her first job, she instead became a full-time nurse to her handsome, courageous, still-witty-and-sees-his-life-as-a-mission-field husband Lane. (You can read the full story by clicking here)
Our mutual friends Cathy and Angie ran the Boston Marathon to raise money for their living and medical expenses.
Here they are with Lane and Emily before the race back in Michigan:
Here they are crossing the finish line.
I knew Cathy and Angie run marathons in under four hours. However, Cathy had told me the last time she cut my hair how many horrible hills there are in the Boston Marathon. She joked and said she hoped that fact didn’t mean they’d cross the line after the four hour mark. (Ahem...I’d be honored to do that. My time might be closer to four days!)
The day of the race I was on the phone with my friend Renee. As we were talking, her husband JJ texted her about the bombs. I hung up the phone and began to see the film playing over and over again of the first bomb going off at the finish line.
My heart skipped a beat as I saw the clock ticking above that finish line and it read “4:09” For a few hours I wondered if Cathy & Angie were near that line.
I received an update soon from Emily’s mom that they had thankfully finished before that 4:09 mark. I lifted this update from Angie’s Facebook:
“My heart is just so saddened by what happened in downtown Boston today… So awful. Wanted to give a quick update…We are back at our hotel thanking God for His protection! Cathy and I passed through the finish line several minutes before the explosions-miracle #1 … then Becky and Brent who standing right were the first explosion went off (waiting for me) left only minutes before explosion-to come find me–miracle #2. My parents and Cara witnessed/felt the explosions-right down by the finish line area-again God protected them. Alison and Christy and Amber were also very close and came to find me…another miracle. Again, we praise God for His protection…while our hearts go out to those fellow runners who were injured…and the families of those who lost their lives… Thank you everyone for your prayers… God is real…and God answered them.”
And THANK YOU for your prayers for the race and for Lane’s recovery. Again, you can read the story of their accident and his amazing effort in getting back even the most basics physical skills (thankfully his mind & memory are as sharp as a tack!) by clicking here. (There is also info for how to give online to them)
And if you don’t have time to read the whole story and your heart is just telling you to encourage this couple living on faith, the way that blesses them most is by mailing a hand-written note or card to them. (If you feel led to tuck in a a check, make it out to Lane or Emily Bargeron) And, If you do email, send a note, or mail in a donation, would you please let them know that you heard their story here? We’d love to see how far and wide our little community of blog friends reaches.
Mailing address:
Mary Free Bed
Patient: Lane Bargeron
235 Wealthy SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Send an email directly through any email account:
• In the “To” field, type: [email protected]
• In the “Subject” field, type “Lane Bargeron”
• Type message and send
Now, don’t forget to leave a comment about living on faith. Or, if you’d prefer, you can leave a prayer for this couple living on faith. Sharon, our Nifty Thrifty guest today, is a FAITHFUL prayer warrior and would be thrilled to read your prayers for this couple living on faith too!
This is something that we’ve been going through ourselves lately. This is a great encouragement and a good reminder to keep going.
Also, so glad to hear that your friends who were running in the marathon are ok! We live 25 minutes from Boston, so this whole thing has hit very close to home, but I’m so glad to know that your friends are safe!
We are living on faith now, We feel God wants us to continue homeschooling, but finances are so tight. We are having to live on faith that God will provide the money we need.
Blessings,
I am continually amazed by the faith of my pastor’s family. They live on a limited salary and have faced great health issues including brain surgery, yet their faith in God and his ability to provide for their needs never wavers.
IN 1975 I WAS 30 MY WHOLE WORLD CHANGED MY FATHER AGE 59 HAD A SEVERE STROKE. I LEARNED TO LIVE BY FAITH TAKING CARE OF HIM AND MY MOM AND MY OWN FAMILY.
FATHER GOD I ASK THAT YOU TOUCH THIS YOUNG MAN AND HEAL HIM. FATHER I THANK YOU FOR THE MIRACLES AT THE BOSTON MARATHON. I ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE THIS COUPLE WITH ALL NEEDS MET IN JESUS NAME AMEN
I would like to leave a prayer for Emily and Lane…..
Father, God, I just want to give you praise for having your arms of protection and love around Emily and Lane. I pray that you continue to touch Lane’s body as You are the ultimate healer and Your word declares that “By His stripes we are healed”. I pray that you continue to comfort and strenghthen Emily as she continues to care for her husband. I pray that their love for You and for each other will continue to touch those around them. I pray that you give their entire family peace and strength to continue to endure this time. I ask that you cover them and keep them with your continued grace, mercy and love.
I ask this in the precious name of Your son, Jesus. Amen
About one year ago, I only had 48 cents in my checking account. My husband is disabled and we were done to one check a month for him and my paycheck. I prayed to God to please not let any transactions hit my account until my check was direct deposited on that Friday. My prayer was answered. He did not let anything clear until my check was in the account. I telll this story to the children I teach on Sundays if its fits into what we are teaching that Sunday. The children are always amazed. He is a glorious God and is always with us. When we are in need all we have to do is ask for his help.
I really enjoyed reading the inspiring stories. I have been living by faith since 2003. I am a single parent my daughter is now 18. The same year I bought my house. I lost feeling waist down and started having vision problems. I was put in the hospital for a couple of months. The doctors said I had Multiple Sclerosis. It was a shock. I did not know how I was going to provide for my 8 year old daughter. I needed to work and drive so many thing crossed my mind. How could I just get out of the Army in 2000 running 2-3 miles to not having any feeling and having a disease of the brain and spinal cord. I have had to live and trust God to help me raise my daughter. Now I get to see her walk across the stage and graduate in a couple of months but I still have to trust God everyday because this disease is so unpredictable. God bless you all
A couple things stick out in my mind. I was scheduled to be induced with our second child and I DID not want to go in. I called the hospital and the nurse told me I did not have to come in if I didn’t want to. I prayed about it, open the Bible, didn’t see anything, went outside, hung up some laundry, came back in and flipped the Bible again. The verse that I saw said, “The stork in the heaven knoweth his own time.” Jeremiah 8:7. Who knew??? I did not go to the hospital until the next week.
Another time I was praying about having the LASIK eye surgery. The verse that gave me the green light was, “Open thine eyes and see.” I Kings
I admire our daughter’s faith example while her husband was unemployed – many encouraged them to go on food stamps etc. She trusted that they would be provided forand did not go that route. Thankfully he is employed now but at low pay.
I have several friends running on faith as they struggle through infertility. I lift them up in prayer every morning as I can’t even imagine their heartache.
And thank you for the update on Lane and Emily. We serve a mighty, healing God!
The most notable time that I had to live on faith was when my husband of 8 years admitted that he was having an affair with his coworker. I had to move and it was very challenging but I had God and my friends to keep me safe as well as my saintly parents!
Three years ago our son came to us and told us he wanted to go on a year long mission trip to Slovakia. I didn’t even know where that was at the time. He said according to the mission group he was working with he would need to raise $20,000. Times were tough back in 2010 and I told him it would be hard to raise that kind of money but if God wanted him to go he would provide the way. Well did God ever provide the way! We had a local church (one that we did not attend and was a different religion than ours) approach my son about sponsering him. One day while at work a friend of mine handed me an envelope and said her mother wanted my son to have it. Well I didn’t really even know her mother. When I got home the envelope had a thousand dollars inside. The money was raised faster than I ever expected. The last church my son spoke at, a man approached him and said he was from the same city my son would be working in. He was very reassuring and told my son the types of things to expect and what he might want to bring from home. Later we found out that this man did not even attend this church and nobody knew who he was, but I know God sent him to my son to reassure us this was God’s will. It is amazing when God has his hand in something how everything comes together and how doors are opened.
faith to begin my relationship with the Lord. I was brought up on a “catholic” home, but never really understood the meaning of being a christian. I’m trying to pursui the life God intended for me.
I’m struggling to completely find my faith againand live the life I was meant to.
My husband left his job when we had just moved into a home and our fifth child was 9 months old He felt that it was time to leave that job and did want to renew his contract. We had very little savings and now no income. He was without a job for 3 months and we never had to borrow money or get assistance to get by. His place of employment gave him all his sick and vacation days that he did not use and that money carried us through.
Right now my husband and I are living on faith. His company shut down. He found another job, but our bills are more than our income. So for right now we are relying on our dwindling savings and God. But even though our circumstances feel so difficult, I am reminded of others who are in much greater need. We have our health, each other, and a big God. My heart goes out to so many right now along with my prayers.
Four and a half years ago, my husband and I had our faith tested. We were in a financial situation of either being able to pay our rent or our car payment. There just wasnt enough money that month to pay both. I told my husband about our predicament (we needed $500 to pay both and break even) 5 days before the bills were due. He wanted to think about it and pray about it. And pray we did. 2 days after I told him how much money we needed, we received a wedding card in the mail (7 MONTHS AFTER WE MARRIED!) from my moms former (NOT CURRENT!) boss. In a way that only God can, he provided for our every need. There was a check inside that card for $500!! We praise God for the unusual ways he will provide for us!
Faith.. I see it in so many people I know that have struggles in their lives. I have a wonderful friend, that is a pillar of strength and faith. Her son was 17 when he was diganosed with a rare cancer and lived for six months. She kept him at home when there was nothing else doctors could do for him and cared for him until his death. The whole time she thought she didn’t feel well herself and thought it was allergies or upper respiratory, but, she herself had cancer and didn’t know it. She was a stage four when she found out, and years later, afer many battles, will be cancer free if her next test are good. Thats not the end, her mother has had breast cancer, and her sister has had lung cancer. Thats a whole family living from Gods faithfulness and the greast part is, not one of them have ever ask God why, or pitied themselves. They know this home is temporary, but they live each day thanking God for the life he has given them!
I am humbled right now. I started reading today’s post thinking about how much I would enjoy having the Real Life Devotional Bible and wondering how much it cost. I ended the post being thankful for all that God has provided. My husband and I are recently married ( a second marriage for both of us) and I have become a stepmom to three wonderful boys. My car died two weeks ago and we are managing right now with one vehicle. I realized after reading the post today that I may SAY I am living by faith, but inside I am trying to work out how we can afford a second vehicle. Lord I pray right now not for my situation but for this newly married couple. Thank you for using their tragedy for your glory. Strengthen them as they walk with you, hold them when they feel as if they cannot go on, embrace them when they feel alone. You are the mighty One and I praise you.
When I was a young teenager, my father was in a devastating accident out of state. At the time, we were “occasional” church attenders but not living a christian life. Dad was touch and go for three months. During this time, my grandma, a Godly woman, and my mom bonded in a way only tragedy can bring. She reminded us of God’s love and healing. Dad ended up coming home. Severe brain trauma caused him to forget his life and us. It was a long uphill road for dad, mom, and us kids but through Christ, we not only survived as a family but now each of us kids and our kids are all serving the Lord. My brother is a pastor, my husband and I work in missions in our church and my sister is on her church missions board. Our family has lived a miracle for 40 years. Every day is a miracle. My dad should not be alive. My dad should not have his memory back. But God restored that which was lost and so much more. Thanks for allowing me to share this story that is so precious to me!
I found my faith again after many, many years of it being absent in my life, about 2 years ago. And now, with a struggling marriage, I am depending on it more than ever. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many faithful sisters in Christ and that has been God’s mercy – right in front of me. I know that without my faith, I could not deal with this on my own.
Lived on faith that He would make us parents one day. After 8 years of unexplained infertility (no medical reason why shouldn’t be happening) we were blessed through adoption, then two years later I gave birth to our second child. God needs no explanation to His ways. People always say “that happens all the time, and it’s because you relaxed.” (actually only 8-10% of people who adopt first, have a child biologically afterwards.) No, it’s exactly how God wanted our family to be. While engaged and talking about having kids we said we’d adopt if we couldn’t have them biologically. So the Lord knew we were open to doing just that. There was a little boy, miles away who needed us to be his parents. We followed the Lord’s lead and adopted and then because of our faithfulness He blessed us with a pregnancy and we had our girl. We wouldn’t change for a minute how He brought both of our beautiful blessings into our lives!
My husband and I signed up for cake decorating classes, which were on Monday nights. As the classes wore on, making and prepping the cakes was becoming burdensome, especially since my husband insisited on helping me (making us have to fit around his schedule, so lots of late nights and rush-jobs!). It was the day before our last class, and I was dreading all the prep work, the late night, and having to make a dinner for my family. As I was leaving church, I was stopped by another church member. She had family unexpectedly show up. She prepurchased two dinners for a fundraiser, and she realized she wouldn’t be able to use them with her family there. She gave them to me! I was elated! All I needed to do for dinner that night was make a pot of mac-n-cheese for my kids! That helped my night go much more smoothly! It also showed me how the Lord will not only provide for us, but also provide for us abundantly!
As a child I can remember my dad coming home and the company he was with down sized again and he lost his job he went through a few jobs. But We went to Church every Sunday and Mom kept reading to us our daily devotions, and as I look back I don’t really feel like I ever went without, We always had food and shelter. I know that was the Lord taking care of us!
Faith….. I have always thought I had it, but now during my Chronic illness and I may be stopping work to,go on disability, Faith is wha will get me through it. I know The Lord has a plan for me and I am going to have the Faith to listen. I have RA which means I have good days and bad days, (bad days seem to be more than good days), but I know The Lord will see my family through this SPRITUALLY, Financiallly, and mentally. Praise The Lord Always!!! Faith!! It takes to to go,through each day.
Praise God! I love hearing the way God is faithful to work miracles! My prayers go out to Lane & Emily! May they be strengthened by God’s faithfulness & the love shown to them by so many.