Your Daily Bread

To be truthful, I hate change. Right now in my life so many changes are happening that I can’t keep up with them. My youngest son, David, graduated from high school in May. He has decided to go into ministry and has a desire to become a missionary. He will be leaving this fall to go to the Ramp School of Ministry in Hamilton, Alabama.

My oldest son, Ryan, returned from a three-month internship in Israel in June. He was serving at a House of Prayer in Jerusalem. He had the privilege of leading worship and prayer during daily watches and to intercede for Israel and the Middle East. At the end of June, Ryan shared with us that he felt God was calling him to the Ramp as well. So my job as a full-time, homeschool mom has officially ended. I have no idea what God wants me to do next. In two weeks, they both will be walking out the door and my life will be forever changed.

In the meantime, I’m looking at all the financial deadlines the boys have due before they can even get into the school. I’ve been constantly checking with them about how much money they have and how much they still need. I was completely stressing out and somehow forgot that I needed to trust God for their provision and that He is in control.

God reminded me of the time many years ago when I needed a lot of money to attend a private college in another state. As a young single woman, I was living with a couple named Bruce and Jan and their two daughters, Cara and Abby. I remember how stressed out I had become because I needed money for a plane ticket, fees, books, and everything for my dorm room. Bruce came to me and calmly said, “Jennifer, what do you need for today?” I jumped ahead and began to list all the things I needed by certain dates and he stopped me mid-stream.

“Jennifer, what do you need for today?” he asked me again.

I hesitated and answered, “I don’t need anything today, but next week and next month so much is due, I don’t know how I’m going to get all the money I need.”

He then wisely advised me that God promised me my daily bread—not weekly or monthly bread, but daily bread. He told me I needed to focus on what I needed for today and trust that God would meet my needs now and for the days to come.

I really don’t know how it’s all going to work out for my boys, but I am confident that God will provide for them the way He provided for me so many years ago. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. All He has to do is sell a couple of cows for them!

Another huge change in my life is that my husband and I are temporarily relocating to Louisiana after living in Alabama for more than 27 years. My mind is racing with the many details of moving. But God again is saying, “Jennifer, what do you need for today?”

I begin to go into detail about all I am facing. “But I need to figure out where we are going to live, what to bring with us, what to leave and what I’m going to do when I get there.”

“Jennifer, what do you need for today?”

“All my needs have been met for today, Lord,” I answer.

My husband, Paul, reminds me that God has never let us down in all the years we have been married. He asks me why I think He is going to let me down now.

Yes, I am afraid, but He is right here with me. He already has a plan for my future. He has a place for us to live. He knows all the details of what needs to be done. I don’t need to worry because He is already there ahead of us making a path.

Sometimes we all need to be reminded of everything He has done for us in the past so we can rest and lean on Him for whatever is in the future. Trust Him to provide you daily bread and don’t rush ahead of Him, worrying about what you will need for tomorrow. He is already there providing for your needs and caring for you. Be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10). And let Him be God! As much as we may try, we can’t handle life’s challenges as well as He can and will if we leave everything in His capable hands.

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

--Corrie ten Boom