Just before our first wedding
Anniversary, my hubby prayed, "You know me I'm romantically
challenged... our first Anniversary is coming up, so I give you
control."
Afterwards he came
to me and said. "Our first Anniversary is coming up. What
would you like for me to get you?"
To my surprise I heard myself saying, "I'd like a ring... size 7,
silver.. with a heart in the middle of it, an antique... or antique
looking."
Because I had not thought about it in advance ... I remember my
response very well. I supposed I said this... because when we
were married, because of the suddenness of it, my hubby forgot to buy us
a wedding ring.
My hubby said he thought... 'Good, something solid to work
with, that should be easy'....and immediately took me out to some
antique shops in pursuit of it. We never found such a ring... and even
if we found one, we could only wonder how HE would provide for it and
after a while, we both let the desire go.
When our first Anniversary arrived, my hubby said,
"Since we could not find the ring, what do you want to do for our
Anniversary?"
I said, "We are going to be buying this house at the end of the
month, and since it has been revealed to us our home is
going to be a reflection of our relationship, let's work on fixing it
up with us in mind."
Through divine intervention, within a few weeks we were going to
be purchasing a small cottage my hubby had been renovating on a
barter basis for a Christian for the past year, and there were still a
lot of unfinished projects.
My hubby said, "Great! I will work on any project you want."
I suggested he work on the step leading up from the mud
room which needed to be replaced ... As he pulled out some old
wood and insulation, we talked while I watched from above. He told me
later he noticed something shiny behind the insulation ... when he
pulled it out and saw what it was... he blew it off and offered it to
me with an awareness he was kneeling with one knee on the
floor (like he was about to propose), as he said, "Happy
Anniversary!"
We were both in awe as to what
he found... A silver antique ring... size 7, with a heart in the middle
of it!
The spiritual principle...
Seek first the Kingdom of God
and His righteousness and all your needs will be met... God goes before
us and prepares the way... HE answers our prayers before we even ask
them, came to mind. Truly... HE knew this day would come and had
planned it in advance according to HIS ever unfolding plan for us!
Once again He proved His faithfulness to us... and revealed His romantic
heart... a new aspect of HIM for us to experience. Plus... as an added
bonus, since that day... my hubby has been romantic... even when he
is unaware he is being such! We have discovered... Father cares for
even the little details of our lives.
I sense I am to expound and offer background details related to
this testimony because promises HE had made previously were also being
fulfilled, and they are linked to the ring story above.
That which is particularly relevant
about this is... since the 80's we both knew we were called to live by
faith ... Independent of one another He made alive to us the scripture "You
cannot serve God and Mammon" and revealed He desired to
provide for us... in super-natural ways.... and HE gave me promises
which are connected to this testimony, which as indicated above were also
being fulfilled... I sense I am to include them as well, with the
insight HE gave me below, to encourage many as that which is taking
place worldwide continues to unfold according to HIS plan for us, which He
intends for the good, even though it may not always 'feel' like it as we go
through that which unfolds before us. He told me before we met, my
husband and I would be forerunners, so by way of testimony, when tumultuous
times come upon the earth (to include economically)... HIS Spiritual
truth and light would shine forth through our testimonies of HIS
goodness/faithfulness/power and...........................
Remarkably (before my
hubby and I met), eventually Father told me that I was not
to work for money, but was to rest in HIS control over my life... . with
the promise HE would provide all I needed, moment to moment, in HIS
timing, in unexpected ways, as HE trained me for that which was yet to be.
He showed me the future and His plan for my life... revealing to
me someday I would be married to a believer... of HIS choice, for HIS
Kingdom sake, and not just for our benefit... He said we would be very
much in love... and HE would keep us together and in the faith. He
assured me, as one of HIS Sheep, I can hear HIS voice... and asked
me to simply seek to trust HIM to fulfill His promises, as I entered into HIS
rest.... HIS manifested will.
HE made me aware we would
eventually see we have been/are on a parallel journey... and HE
would knit our hearts... first spiritually, then intellectually, then
emotionally, and after we were married, we'd come together physically. (More
was revealed regarding others plans HE has... which I will write about as led
at a later date, Lord willing). That which HE promised... was made so
alive in me... I could not, not believe... I was given a measure of faith...
so I could walk this out in it's fullness. HE asked me to let
go of.............. with promises of what would take place in the future. Two
of the many things I was to let go of, was my Home and the Business HE
had given me after I was born on HIS Spirit. He revealed to me after
I was married... Father would provide a Home/Rental Property for us....
and we would not need to be concerned about financing it, since
we would be living by faith! It was also revealed we would barter at
times, (earning an income not being our motivation) as HE provided in ways
which showed, by way of examples HE is in control and the tool of
money would not always be a necessary resource.
He told me, as HE revealed
the future to me, He was going to pick me up and cause me to live in the
country and teach me how to live off the land... because tumultuous times
were coming world wide... (I have more to share on that at a later date, Lord
willing), as eventually money/mammon would not have the power it once
had.... He said this was necessary for the spiritual growth of mankind. I
surrendered to HIS will...
Shortly after, through
circumstances beyond my control I became homeless and found myself needing
to accept an invitation to take refuge with a Lawyer and his
family in the country on the top of Aaron's Mountain, (they had a
Ministry for the homeless). They had only just recently moved from the
city and were home schooling their 5 children.
About 6 months earlier... through
circumstances beyond his control, my hubby to be, indeed on a parallel journey
lost his place of residence and was invited to live with this same family, in
exchange he built on their log home and helped to set up their land
for back to the basics type of living.
Eventually we found ourselves
being sent out (independent of one another) as forerunners living in the
same residences on a barter basis for different reasons, as we began to
learn how to live off the land in the country. For example I
became a midwife/Shepherdess at one place and then he was asked to come and
build birthing stalls... as they were having more sheep than they had places
to keep them ... on another occasion, we were asked to move from VA to WI...
he was asked to convert a cow dairy to a goat and sheep dairy and I was asked
to help with the Shepherding/farm/gardening/family chores ... our
relationship was platonic and remained so... for 7 years. During such
times... we always shared as HE lead spiritually... and HE continued to deal
with us regarding our inner transformation.
As this was taking place he continued to reveal to me we were
forerunners... (at the same time we were called out of organized religion to
home fellowship), as in the future many would be homeless and
would also be called out, we came to understand what we were walking
out would cause us to have testimonies/experiences/compassion to
encourage/teach others who would find themselves in similar circumstances in
the future; during the season when Father brought down the god of
Mammon/greed/false religions, causing others to become dependent
upon HIM as HE exposed corruption worldwide and......... (more
about that later, Lord willing).
We found after this, we
were sent to the same places for various reasons on 13 different occasions, to
develop different skills, to go through more training/inner transformation...
and to receive more intimate testimonies of HIS
goodness/faithfulness/power. Through the process our hearts were
knit, exactly as HE said in advance it would be, (just not how I
first imagined) until 7 years later we found ourselves in love, with
a knowing Father had brought this about .. we were married by the
Pastor who prayed for my hubby to find a wife of HIS choice 8 years prior.
Truly when we first met,
neither of us were attracted to one another, except for what we had in
common spiritually. Nor was my hubby looking for a wife... nor had Father told him,
HE was bringing him one. As we worked alongside one another we became
best friends and grew spiritually, and learned to love each other
unconditionally... then the knowing came: HE had done this, as a fulfillment
of HIS eternal plan which was unfolding before us daily.
Fast forward to the time
of the ring testimony: Just
before our first Anniversary, while driving down the road, unexpectedly our
landlord was told by the Spirit of the Lord to sell us an acre of land
and the cottage my hubby was fixing up on a barter basis, (throughout the
past year she was giving him money to go toward renovating
it in exchange for living there) ... She did not want to sell it...
because she liked having rental property and wanted to
maintain control of the looks of the front entrance to her farm and
she told HIM so. HE kept telling her to sell it to us and the
details of how much and how she was to do it... but she kept arguing
with HIM until she lost control of her car... when she regained control
of her car she said to Him, "Ok, I get it... I surrender and give
You control!".
He assured her we'd cherish it and He'd
provide for us so we could improve it... and since we have been told to live
by faith, doing whatever our hand finds to do, (earning money not being our
motivation), HE told her not to go through the bank, but to hold the
mortgage and have us pay her directly and to only ask for $500 down and
$500 a month for 15 years and to let us begin buying it whenever
we wanted.
When she came to us and
told us this just before our first Anniversary of Dec 14th.... although
I had just reminded the Lord of this aspect of His promise... and am use
to HIM answering prayers, I was shocked. She was thrilled to hear I had
just reminded the Spirit of the Lord that HE had told me before I
met my hubby, that he had a hubby HE had ordained for me
since the foundation of the world and after we were married,
He'd provide a home for us, and we would not have to be concerned about financing
it, that He'd make a way.... for me to simply trust HIM to fulfill
HIS promises in due season and to do what my hand finds to do from moment
to moment, with HIS revealed will as my motivation.
She was also thrilled to
discover on the day we signed our contract... my hubby initially intended
to work through Christmas to earn the down payment on another renovation project,
which would, to our amazement turn into a Bed and Breakfast
Christian Ministry we'd be asked to run as we rented our cottage
out for 3 years.... this too was the fulfillment of part of the future HE
had revealed to me, HE would bring into being. (The Christian he worked
for traveled and my hubby could set his own hours as he went
from project to project for her.), but he did not have to work
through Christmas... because when he showed up Christmas Eve he discovered, to our
amazement... a bonus check of $1,000.00. Not only had the
Lord provided the down payment, but HE also provided the first months payment
without my hubby having to earn it.... proving once again to us how truly
faithful HE is to provide ... to keep HIS promises to us ... and how HIS
ways/plans are not like ours... and the actual fulfillment of HIS promises are
nothing like we imagine... and HIS timing is always perfect!
I am led to share this at this
time... because of the recession we are in... I sense this is only the
beginning... I see in my spirit the Dominos are lined up and are already
falling... according to the unfolding of HIS plan for man... as HE pulls down
the strongholds which keep many bound to the lusts of the flesh, lusts of
the eye and pride of life.... I will share more... as HE leads.
Questions are welcome... I will answer the best I am enabled.