A Memorial To God

Throughout the Old Testament God asks His people to raise up memorials as physical reminders of what God did in the lives of His people. For example…

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen- one from each of the tribes of Israel. He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.’

Before this passage the Israelites find themselves in an “inciting incident”. They have made a decision that has forced them towards movement. They either cross the high fast moving waters and walk by faith or they stay put and miss out on the blessings of the land that God promised to them dozens of times previously. Thankfully they moved and God showed up in a way that they had to stop and acknowledge His miraculous hand, His faithfulness, and His ability to come through when it mattered. In my current season, I find myself identifying with the Isrealites. Mostly their lack of faith in the promises of God, but today (and really all year) I have seen God move in such a clear God way that I couldn't help but keep silent.

I can’t ignore God’s faithfulness and provision in my life. And I want to lift His name high. I want to raise His banner of FAITHFULNESS and declare HIS praises from the highest mountain top and scream…“HE IS TRUSTWORTHY, HE IS GOOD, HE IS FAITHFUL, HE IS PROVIDER!” So this post, simple and mostly written for me, is my own memorial to God.

Today, I had a phone interview for a job that kind of fell in my lap, literally. I didn’t seek it out, it found me. The man interviewing me is a businessman that is a part of the core that is helping to plant Bayou City Fellowship. He had a position as his assistant open and I sent in my resume. This morning I talked to him on the phone. I didn’t get the job I originally “applied” for because they need someone to fill that position this week. However, he did offer me an opportunity to interview me for another position within his company when I arrive in Texas next month! So I walked away today not with a job, but a promise of a job interview and with a recommendation from one of the executives of the company! God you are good.

Secondly, my original intent was to transfer to Starbucks in Houston. Still my plan if the other falls through, and my manager was saying that it was going to be really hard for me to transfer and find a store that would take me. Today, I made 2 phone calls and the second one I made the manager told me I could transfer to her store! Ha, nothing is too difficult for our God.

By 9 am this morning, I have a promise of two jobs. I am still hoping for the non-Starbucks job because it will be reliable hours and put me in a great position to start paying of my student debt!

These are stones in my life that God has used that remind me of what God had done in my life:
Stone #1: Unemployment Insurance
Stone #2: Job at Starbucks
Stone #3: Random checks that kept me afloat from random people at just the right time.
Stone #4: A call from Curtis and Amanda offering me a job in Texas.
Stone #5: Someone offered to pay off my credit card debt! This still brings tears to my eyes.
Stone #6: YMCA job for the spring.
Stone #7: I somehow work part-time, still collect on unemployment, and for the first time in my life have a small savings and no credit card debt! Yep, the math doesn’t add up. That’s how God works.
Stone #8: He provided a place for me to live practically for free with another family in our church plant.
Stone #9: He has provided a place for me to transfer for a job and a potential other job that will pay a lot more than Starbucks and help me get a good place financially for the first time in a long time!

Jehovah Jireh,
Thank you for being a Father that takes care of His children. Thank you for not forgetting about me but showing your faithfulness to me through loss, promise, and purpose. You are worthy and you are good despite my sin and my faithlessness. God, your movement and love for me keeps me chasing even when I have no idea where I am going. I pray my life is always an offering that I lay at your feet. Use me as a living banner and memorial of your love and faithfulness to the nations. May you use me in ways that are utterly disproportionate to who I am.