Extravagance

God is so stinking extravagant!!

I’ve spent days and weeks laying certain needs before the throne of God. I know He knows my needs and I know He is so glad when I give them over to Him but I’m seeing a little pattern here. I lay them down and He leaves them there only to walk over to the other side of the throne and pick up something even better-even bigger-even more than I would think of- and He delivers. Not only does God seem to be filling my needs, He’s fueling my dreams!

For example: last week. Friday to be exact. I needed $550 for application fees for the adoption. I told Him “Hey, you got this, right? It’ll be in the checking account?” And He said “Actually, I’d like to take you out to coffee since you haven’t done that in a while.” (Free Coffee? Well, OK!) “And while we’re out to coffee, I’d like to remind you that I haven’t forgotten your dream kitchen that’s been put on hold indefinitely. I’m working on that, don’t worry. Here’s a multiple-thousand-dollar appliance just to remind you. Oh, and those family pictures you dream of updating but couldn’t quite bring yourself to do? I’d like to offer the best photographer at the lowest price. And don’t get all worked up and crazy about outfitting and coordinating. Let’s just do it now before the crazy sets in and you scream at your family and their hairstyle choices making the experience miserable AND documented for eternity. I know you. I love the things you love. I like making your wildest dreams come true.”

And just like that, literally within 4 hours I had the beginnings of a kitchen makeover and the first glimpse of our finished and practically stress-less photo shoot. To top it off, my family was eating gifted pizza from our favorite pizzeria to celebrate by 5:00. BAM! Extravagant, no? That $550 has nothin’ on my Pappa.

My friend from Africa tells me all the time how much “I owe her.” She “charges” me for translating at each judge and government office and every restaurant we eat at. I go with her to the market and she “charges” me for recommending the best vendor. I offer her a compliment and she says “Well, you DO owe me.” When I say “How could I ever repay you!? (wink wink)” she says “You can’t. It is too much! BUT I know your Pappa and He is very rich. I think maybe He will pay me with…(wait for it)… a car. Or maybe a nice house. I think maybe He will pay me 1 million US dollars and I will be very rich too.” Of course I laugh and say yes and her response is even more honest. “But if your Pappa does not pay, I know MY Pappa will. You see, my Pappa is very rich too!” ha ha ha. Of course we die laughing at this point. And I agree that yes, I owe her everything and thank goodness our Pappa pays up so we don’t have to.

I have such relief to know it’s not on me to bring in this $550-or the kitchen renovation for that matter. It’s not up to me to force something or to scrounge and figure and add and subtract. I will do as much as I possibly can, and the rest is up to Him. Not only that, but He WANTS to do it.

Now the enemy is wiley and I have to admit I’ve had a moment or two where I thought “BUT God…. that’s not what I asked for! What I need is money and these pictures won’t pay an adoption agency.” But how selfish is that!? Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? Who am I to demand what I want and nothing less? And what kind of big picture do I have-to know that this is not the best and what I was asking for was 2nd rate? Humility takes a step back and reevaluates. Do I really need the thing I was asking for? Is there nothing I can do to bring that money to fruition? And is His provision already what I was asking for on another level?

When I asked God, I knew lots of places the money COULD come from (in my I’m-the-center-of-the-universe dream world), but my real worry was whether God saw the whole enchilada. $550 is nothing compared to the tens of thousands we will still need to pay. Does God see all those zeros? Is He going to come through for each one of them? And is He going to do it quickly so my boy doesn’t have to wait eons for me to come back to Africa?

Yes. His answer was a resounding yes.

He’s going to come through for this adoption and also for all the sacrifices we’ve made to get this adoption to where it is. I’ve sacrificed lots of coffee and that might as well be my love language. He knows that. I’ve sacrificed other dreams and plans and hopes for this thing and God knows that too. And He doesn’t forget. Instead He promises MORE. Because He’s extravagant like that!