| It's both simple and solid: God can be trusted to provide. — by Michele Cushatt, I Am  I Am Provided For by Michele Cushatt, from I Am   Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? — Matthew 6:26
I will provide for them a land renowned for its crops, and they will no longer be victims of famine in the land or bear the scorn of the nations. — Ezekiel 34:29
It's a terrifying thing not to know whether you'll get another paycheck. I've experienced this only twice in my adult life, thank heavens. Twice is more than enough.
The first time? When I suddenly found myself a young single mom of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy. Six days before Christmas, I moved from stay-at-home mom to single mom, with a car payment and a house payment due in less than two weeks. Where exactly would I get the money to pay those bills, not to mention for food, utilities, and everything else? Merry Christmas to us.
By February, I'd found a full-time job, secured child care, and begun the never-ending cycle of trying to stay on top of never-ending expenses. Cell phone? Cable television? New shoes or clothes? Not a chance. Splurges I couldn't afford. Even trips to the grocery store turned into a maze of tough decisions. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and meat were often crossed off the list, replaced by less expensive options like beans, pasta, and applesauce.
For two years, I worked long, hard hours and scrimped. Every month I wondered whether I'd make it, causing a chronic state of anxiety. If the unexpected happened, I had few if any resources to tap.
Somehow, we made it. To tell you the truth, I never quite figured out how the numbers added up. I knew my income as well as the nonnegotiable expenses. Each month the latter proved far more than the former. And yet somehow we always had enough.
My son never went without clothes, food, and a place to call home. My used Toyota Camry held up without needing any significant repairs. Even more astounding, I came out of those lean years with zero debt, aside from my mortgage and car payment, and my bank account boasted a small savings.
I'd love to tell you this miracle was a result of my mad budgeting skills. But I know better.
The second season of financial unpredictability came several years into my second marriage. After nearly twenty years in the same career, my hardworking husband left his job to reach for a long-held dream: to start his own business.
I couldn't have been more thrilled or supportive. He had more than enough talent and know-how to make it work, not to mention the passion to fuel his dream. Still, we both knew the risk. We were about to walk away from a regular paycheck and dive into an unpredictable endeavor. What if we couldn't make it work? What if we couldn't round up enough business to keep our family going? What if our best efforts weren't enough?
It's now been thirteen years since my husband started his business.
It has surpassed our wildest dreams of success. Yes, we walked through some lean years and more than a moment or two of uncertainty. Once again, there were months when the numbers just didn't add up. We could pat ourselves on the back and assume our survival had something to do with our amazing entrepreneurial skills.
But we both know better.
In my first season of financial insecurity, the cause of the crisis sat outside myself. It wasn't something I chose. The second season was a choice. In both cases, however, I ended up with what I needed, when I needed it. No more. No less.
I learned something during those two seasons of financial famine.
It's both simple and solid: God can be trusted to provide.
He can be trusted to see our needs and do something about them. What concerns us concerns Him, and He will provide what we need in ways we often don't expect.
This comes in handy when my need for provision extends beyond the financial. When my needs include peace, forgiving love, patience with my family, and wisdom for a complicated relationship.
And yet, to my great relief, God reaches deep to meet those needs as well, providing the wisdom or will or truth to soothe my anxiety. Just as He delivered daily manna to a group of wandering Israelites, God promises to dish up what we need.
Rarely enough for tomorrow, but always enough for today.
No, the numbers don't add up.
But it's never been about the math. It's always been about the Provider.
Patience asks us to live the moment to the fullest, to be completely present to the moment, to taste the here and now, to be where we are. When we are impatient, we try to get away from where we are. We behave as if the real thing will happen tomorrow, later, and somewhere else. Be patient and trust that the treasure you are looking for is hidden in the ground on which you stand.
—Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey
Who Am I?
Out of all Creation — the fish, plants, trees, frogs, insects, elephants, and sparrows — only humans struggle with a chronic and debilitating case of anxiety. We are the pinnacle of God's creation, the culmination of His creative efforts. And yet we, alone, struggle to trust His provision. We could learn a thing or two from the creatures of the land and sea and sky. What do you need most right now? Financial provision? Comfort? Renewed relationships? Consider how the creatures of the earth trust their Creator's provision. Ask God to reassure you of His care and build up your trust. He knows your needs even before you do. Excerpted with permission from I Am by Michele Cushatt, copyright Michele Cushatt.
Your Turn
God can be trusted to provide. This Christmas, if you're going through a time of financial insecurity, pinching pennies, and worrying about how you'll make ends meet, God can be trusted to see our needs and do something about them. He's got your back. Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you about our Great Provider! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. Your Value Doesn't Depend Upon You It's Based Upon Who God Says You Are
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by Michele Cushatt  Hardcover, Regular: $16.99 + free U.S. shipping* on orders of $35 or more I Am helps women end the barrage of negative self-talk and replace it with an empowering new narrative. You'll exchange lies for truth, insecurity for a rock-solid identity, and break free from the distorted messages that have held you hostage for too long.
From the moment a woman wakes until she falls, exhausted, on her pillow, one question plagues her at every turn: Am I enough? The pressure to do more, be more has never been more intense.
Online marketing. Self-help books. Movies, magazines, and gym memberships. Even church attendance and social media streams have become a means of comparing ourselves to impossible standards. Am I pretty enough? Hip enough? Spiritual enough?
We fear the answer is "No."
When a brutal bout with cancer changed how she looked, talked, and lived, Michele Cushatt embarked on a soul-deep journey to rediscover herself. The typical self-esteem strategies and positivity plans weren't enough. Instead, she needed a new foundation, one that wouldn't prove flimsy when faced with the onslaught of day-to-day life.
With raw personal stories, profound biblical teaching, and radical truths on which to rebuild your life, I Am will help you: Refuse to ride the rollercoaster of others' opinions and start believing what God says about you.
Stop agonizing over past regrets and failures and make peace with God's sovereign plan for your life.
Leave insecurity behind as you exchange temporary fixes for an identity established on God's unchanging affection.
I Am reminds us that our value isn't found in our talents, achievements, relationships, or appearance. It is instead found in a God who chose us, sent us, and promised to be with us--forever. What readers are saying...  The book is encouraging and thought-provoking as it is leading me into a place of peace. I am going through a period of not feeling good enough, pretty enough, capable enough, or just enough. This book is pulling me up out of this hole, by reassuring me of who I am in Christ Jesus. I thank God for inspiring the author to write this book — Carol M., reader review
I ordered 6 copies for friends and family. My granddaughter and I are going through this together, and both of us are enjoying our time together talking about each day's verse and focus. — Eileen B., reader review One word: Relatable. Every day in this book is another part of myself that she writes about. It's so encouraging and inspiring! If you've ever had problems with finding yourself or figuring out who you are (basically everyone) you need this book. It is a daily reminder that you are not alone in your struggles and that you are God's perfect creation. — Jenny W., reader review
*Sale prices valid through 12/31/2021, ending at 11:59pm EST, excluding eBooks and audiobooks. eBooks and audiobook purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Free U.S. shipping, on orders of $35 or more at checkout, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
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