A Cool Tithe Story From My G'Ma

To: Andrea
From: Gramma


Grampa was studying at Fuller ---Alan and Jon were in Middle school and Lisa in elementary school. We spent all the money we had for our tithe, the first semester of school for Grampa, our rent, His books and food. We had nothing left to pay for second semester, and only enough cash to either buy a big bag of rice for food that month, or a decent meal for us and two friends who were coming for dinner the next day. I was studying Isaiah that morning and came to the verses below. In the version I was reading they read:

"When the poor and needy search for water, and THERE IS NONE, and their tongues are parched with thirst
I the Lord will answer them
I the God of Israel will not forsake them
I will make rivers flow on barren heights
and springs within the valleys
I will turn the desert into pools of water
and the parched ground into springs" (Is 41:17-18)

I felt a nudge from God that he would supply our need when we had nothing and that I was not to cancel the dinner date we had made with our two friends, so I spent what we had on food for the dinner. During the meal, the husband casually said:

"So Jack, how good it is that Fuller doesn't charge anything for missionaries to study"
"Oh," Grampa said casually, "Actually they do charge missionaries."
"What!" gasped our guest, "They charge you???"
"Yes," said Grampa simply.
"How much do they charge you?" The guest persisted.
"Oh more or less----" And Grampa gave the sum that it was back then.

Our guest fell silent and nothing more was said about it.
We had a lovely afternoon and then they left

When I cleaned up the table, I found a check wrapped in the cloth napkin I had used. It was written for the full price of the whole year at Fuller----We had enough to pay the next semester and to buy food and meet other needs as well. God had indeed poured water on thirsty ground.

That is only one story of many many others.

May you come to love this Holy God whose name includes: Jehova Jireh- The Lord our provider.