Do you want a HARVEST?

Mark 4:14 - The sower soweth the word.

The sower sows the WORD. Yesterday I tweeted out (@amyjmccart) a thought that is so fresh to me right now because I am experiencing it. The tweet said, "Continue to sow seed in faith and your harvest will catch up with you!" 

The sower sows!

Are you desperate? SOW!
Are you in need? SOW!
Do you need healing? SOW!
Do you need financial help? SOW!
Do you need friends? SOW!
Do you need a spouse? SOW!
Do you desire peace? SOW!
Are you sad? SOW!
Are you unhappy? SOW!
Are you searching? SOW!

Whatever you need or desire is right behind the seed that you sow! 

This is so fresh in my life right now. I'm witnessing harvest in so many areas of my life, Tyler's life and even our children's lives. As I watch blessing and blessing and blessing come, I stand amazed and in awe. How is this possible? One blessing shows up, my mouth is still gaping when another one is right on the heels of that blessing. I barely have time to be in awe, because I'm in awe of the next blessing!

BUT…. here's the BUT….

But…. I look back over the last 5-10 years of our life and what comes to mind? SEED. SEED. SEED. We have sown. When we saw a need in someone else's life, when we felt led, we sowed. I recall a girl getting stranded along the interstate. Her car wouldn't work and she was stranded. Her family was 6 hours away. We put her up in a hotel for the night until her family could get to her. Don't get me wrong, I don't tell you this to glorify the action of helping her, but to let you know, that was SEED! We specifically thanked God for the opportunity to SOW. In that seed, we believed God for our children's safety, the children we didn't even have yet. In that seed, we believed that people that LOVED GOD would help our future children if they were ever in a time of need without mom and dad close by to help. We sowed.
___________

SEED of the Word! Over the last 13 years, I've sown seed of the WORD of healing and health! One of my regular confessions has been, "Thank you Lord that my body operates in the perfection to how it was created to operate. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, my body operates perfectly!" Would you like to know a result of that confession? In High School, I had broke or severely jammed my right pinky finger. One day I went to show my niece who had just jammed a finger, "Oh look, I did that too and my finger is still disfigured and permanently bent." When I went to show her, I looked at my finger and it was COMPLETELY HEALED! It had been disfigured, fat at the knuckle and bent for 10-15 years! I looked at my completely NORMAL finger and it looked EXACTLY like my other normal pinky finger! IT WAS HEALED! As I sowed the Word and sowed the Word and sowed the Word, the WORD HEALED MY FINGER! I don't even recall specifically praying for that finger, but it came into line with my confession and the Word!

"Continue to sow seed in faith and your harvest will catch up with you!" 

I'm watching my children be blessed because we have sown. When we had enough and when we didn't have enough, we sowed. We sowed. We sowed. And then….. we sowed some more. In so many areas I am watching harvest come in. Overwhelming harvest.

So… if you are discouraged, if you have been sowing, if you have been believing, if you have been standing in faith, if you have been working, if you have been longing for your dream…. Friend, I am here to tell you, CONTINUE! CONTINUE! Your harvest WILL COME IN! When you continue to sow, you will experience a season of harvest that just keeps coming! And when you CONTINUE to sow (not just sowing once and waiting for that ONE seed to come up), but when you CONTINUE to sow, when your harvest comes in, it will CONTINUE to come in.

Are you in need? SOW!
Sow, sow, sow!!!
Sow the Word. Sow money. Sow time. Sow love. Sow help. Sow encouragement. Sow friendship. Sow loyalty. Sow things.

SOW! As your harvest is coming in and your mouth just stands agape, in AWE of how good God is, you will be thankful that you chose to, in good time and bad, SOW!

Amos 9:13-15 

“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” God’s Decree. 

“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, 

one thing fast on the heels of the other. 

You won’t be able to keep up. 

Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! 

Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. 

I’ll make everything right again for my people… (The Message Bible) 

Friend, GET EXCITED!!! Shout and THANK GOD in advance for your victory and harvest! Praise HIM! Thank Him! AND SHOUT, for the VICTORY IS YOURS!!!!

What is Your True North?

Psalm 67:2 - That Your way may be known upon earth, Your saving power (Your deliverances and Your salvation) among all nations. 

Psalm 68:3 - But let the [uncompromisingly] righteous be glad; let them be in high spirits and glory before God, yes, let them [jubilantly] rejoice!

I sit here this morning with a great realization of how much I do not know! After spending the last four days with family and celebrating the life of Tyler's grandfather, I am beginning this week with a lot of things I've learned. As we sat in the funeral on Saturday, I marveled at how great this man was. I marveled at all the many things this man quietly did for the Kingdom of God. The lives he helped, served & invested in. The ministries he impacted because of his generosity and love for the Lord. The obedience he displayed in following the calling that God had specifically on his life. I still sit and marvel.

As I reflect on the simplicity of this great man, I realize how much I do not yet know and the qualities I still have yet to possess. I reflect on the areas God has to mold me, twist and turn, change and recreate, but all the while realizing that it still begins with me. Me. It begins with my willingness to SEE myself. It begins with my willingness to be open to the areas that I need to change. It begins with ME being willing to open my heart, and as difficult as it may be, open myself up to rebuke, to facing the ugly areas in my life that I have been hardened to.

Why? Because the #1 purpose of myself and each believer should be Psalm 67:2. That HIS way may be known upon the earth. That HIS saving power, HIS deliverances and HIS salvation my be known among the nations! How easy it can be to lose sight of the greater importance in life. It is not about the houses, the cars, the money, the trips, the clothes, the jewelry, the purses, the experiences. I learned from a man who was indeed blessed with all of those things, BUT I learned where his heart remained all of these years. I learned that his #1 focus was allowing the saving power of Jesus to be the greatest legacy he left on earth. Through the increase he received, he did not lose sight of his calling. He did not lose sight of blessing the Kingdom of God. He lived out HIS PURPOSE on this earth. With humility, he lived out his calling.

Praise God that we have something to jubilantly rejoice in! Psalm 68:3. We can be in high spirits and glory before God. We can JUBILANTLY rejoice! Why? Why can we be jubilant? Because the end of the story says that WE WIN! The end of the story says that we, believers, win! We will be walking on streets of gold with the King of Kings! We will enter through pearly gates and glory for eternity with our Savior, Jesus Christ.

What about you? Do you have any areas that need to be refocused? Like me, do you have any areas in your life that need to be tweaked? Has "true north" moved off course just a few degrees? I challenge you to take a few minutes to check your true north. Check your direction.

#204 - Are You Happy?

Good morning! I pray you are doing good! I woke up this morning... maybe because I've had two great back-to-back nights of sleep... but I woke up just feeling happy. Happy. Jesus is on the throne and I am HIS daughter! How exciting! I'm the daughter and loved by the King of Kings! What a blessing!

Let's get into some Word!

Proverbs 13:12 - Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:22b - ...and the wealth of the sinner [finds its way eventually] into the hands of the righteous, for whom it was laid up. 

Proverbs 31:18a - She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good...

I was thinking about several different things this morning. My first thoughts...today is July 13th. On July 13th, I'm obviously ALWAYS reminded of what a special day it is & was in my life. You probably know if you've kept up with these devotions, but let me fill you in. July 13th, 1998 in a park in England, God revealed to me that Tyler was going to be my husband. I had only known him for a week, but God showed me an amazing sign that Tyler was "the one." Two years later, July 13th, 2000, Tyler asked me to marry him. "Would you be #2 in my life for the rest of your life?" He asked. Proverbs 13:12 falls on such a perfect day. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life. I remember very well during the 18 months of waiting how my heart just longed to be with him. For 18 months, my heart was sick. But PRAISE GOD for July 13th 2000! My desire was fulfilled! What an accurate verse!

For some reason this morning, I've also been thinking about "happiness." I'm sure like you, "happiness" may differ from day to day. I know for me, there are some days where I feel "happier" than other days. But, I'd ask you the question, "Are you happy?"

As I reflect and look back to a few years ago, I remember most days feeling miserable. I would not have described my life as "happy." I was discontented. I felt unfulfilled. I felt like I was just going through life, not really accomplishing much. Now sure, on paper, our bank accounts were filled up. We had an abundance. We were able to go out to eat and not think about the cost. We were able to bless people financially, and not even think about stroking a check. But, at the end of the day, I was not happy. When I woke up in the morning, I dreaded the day that had not even begun. I was a success in Corporate America, I brought in great bonuses, but I lacked true fulfillment. I chased a ladder to the top until I reached the top of my ladder. It was either sit there, topped out, or find a different ladder that could go higher. I found that I was on the right ladder for a season, but my next ladder would be destined to be leaned up against a completely different building.

Take a "happiness" survey on your life. Are you happy? Are you fulfilled? I know God's timing is perfect, and we surely have seasons of our lives where we are called to be in a certain place. I have a list of goals that I wrote out over 10 years ago. It had secret dreams that I wished to accomplish one day. I had visions of who I saw myself being one day. The picture of "Who Amy was" was in my mind. I saw myself living out my dreams. Living in the center of my calling. I could close my eyes and see the "Dream Me" and I could even sense how fulfilled that "me" was. I could sense a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. When I closed my eyes and went to that place, I could tell that "that Amy" was truly happy. I've always wanted to go there. About 18 months ago, I officially got onto that path of becoming that Amy. Sure, I have had some off days, but for the most part for the last 18 months I have been HAPPY! I have been pursuing the dream and calling that God placed in my heart. I have been in the pursuit and that has brought fulfillment AND happiness. God put me on this earth to write, teach, help people & to impact the world for Christ. I may not be climbing the Corporate America ladder anymore, but God did not call me to climb that ladder forever, but just for a season. I am now climbing the ladder that leads to my Vision! The vision I've seen for 10 years. The vision I've seen when I closed my eyes. I'm not there yet, but I'm on the path. I'm on the right ladder to get me there.

The Proverbs 31 woman "tastes & sees" that the gain from her work with and for God is good. She enjoys the fruit. She sees that what she is doing is good. I anticipate that SHE is happy. She has found the ladder that gets her to "her" happiness, "her" calling. She is on the ladder that is good! She is not traveling in vain. She is not working in vain. She is working towards the purpose which she was created for, her calling.

For me, I've found that in this place is where true happiness is.

What about you? Are you happy? Is now the time for change?

#181 - A Way of Life for Others

Good morning! I pray you are blessed today! We are excited about a blessed day, being led and directed by the Lord and being in the right place at the right time! God has great things for you too today, are you ready? 


Let's get in the Word...

Proverbs 10:4 - He becomes poor who works with a slack and idle hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

Proverbs 10:16a-17 - The earnings of the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) lead to life....¹⁷ He who heeds instruction and correction is [not only himself] in the way of life [but also] is a way of life for others. And he who neglects or refuses reproof [not only himself] goes astray [but also] causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others.

Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit]. 

Wow... this morning I was reminded of what continued to bring me to tears just over a week ago. I had the opportunity to attend a conference where I witnessed about one thousand people on a Sunday morning give their life to Christ. To watch as young and old made their way down coliseum steps to make a bold proclamation that they were committing their life to Jesus was enough to make tears roll down my eyes... but that was just the icing on the cake that morning. Earlier an offering was taken up for several different ministries, one of those ministries was for a music group called Day One. Day One introduced a new project they were working on called Operation Haiti. We watched a video that brought me to tears, and the tears kept coming for the next several days... even just thinking about it brings tears. The video showed children after the earthquake wandering the streets of Haiti for food. On the screen flashed a child, maybe 1 year old, or 18 months old, wandering the streets for food. No home, no family, no care, nothing. As I sat there thinking about my almost 18 month old son, Tyler Junior, I could help but picture my son there. Roaming for food, putting anything in his mouth hoping that it would be something good. It was amazing to me. I just couldn't help but think, these kids are special too. Just like Tyler Jr is so precious and special to me, these children are also special. They also deserve a chance. 


I cried further as an offering was taken up, not being able to give the amount of money that I wanted. I just wanted it to be for more. I wanted to give more, to do more, to help more, to make more of an impact, to provide food & shelter for these children roaming the streets. 

The verses this morning provide us with HOPE, that when we are diligent, it does matter! 

The hand of the diligent makes rich.... The earnings of the righteous lead to life.... He who heeds instruction is not only himself in the way of life, but is also a way of life for others...

We look at the life of the Proverbs 31 woman, she opens up FILLED hands to the poor, she is helping the needy in a variety of ways. Be it with food or shelter, emotional support, love, she is a beacon of light to the poor. 


It reminds me of other verses, "The Lord give us POWER TO GET WEALTH." "The wealth of the wicked is stored up for the just." The list could go on. I feel like we, as believers have a RESPONSIBILITY. A responsibility to be more and do more, to achieve more. God has ideas just WAITING for a believer who will take hold of it and run with it. Ideas, inventions, business' that will create great wealth and in turn will allow US, Children of God to give to the needy, to help the poor. It should not be up to the government to tax us on this or that to raise money, but in the Bible the body of Christ did it! They were not mandated to pay money into a program, they supported children and widows, poor and needy who could not provide for themselves. The BODY did that. I'm just reminded of the great opportunities that we have here in the U.S. Opportunities to make ideas a reality. There are not a shortage of Million Dollar Ideas.... they are there! There is not a shortage of talent.... there are cooks and bakers, seamstresses & designers who have not been discovered yet.... who are sitting in a cubicle somewhere entering data into a spreadsheet and doing something COMPLETELY unfulfilling with their life. Not operating in their gift, but just making a dollar bill. There is not a shortage of Million Dollar Business', business ideas are out there! Business' that are going to succeed! Business' that people need, that is going to provide a great service or product! The ideas are out there, there is no shortage. 


I'm reminded of a verse in Isaiah 6:8 that says, "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." Sure, there are people needed to GO. Missionaries needed to GO. But... there are also people who are equally important on that mission field, sure they may be in the comfort of their own home, but they are the people that are PROVIDING! SUPPLYING the funds! SUPPORTING! There are people equally important who maybe aren't called to work in an orphanage in Haiti, but you are called to fund it. You are called to create wealth with the talents God has given you. YOU can be a way of life to others!


Receive your idea! Receive your invention! Receive your business! Now, take hold, have faith, pray, listen and GO!

#165 - A Winner GETS BACK UP!

Good morning! We were surprised yesterday evening... I got a phone call and "Maamaa & Paapaa" wanted to see if "the boy" could come over and spend the night. :) HELLO! OF COURSE! :) "Maamaa & Paapaa" watch Tyler Junior once a week and are like grandparents to him. They love him and he loves them! What a blessing! SO... I sit here in a quiet, empty home. Just me, my typing and chirps from the birds outside.

Let's get going...

Proverbs 8:10,14,17,18,21 - Receive my instruction in preference to [striving for] silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold... ¹⁴I have counsel and sound knowledge, I have understanding, I have might and power. ¹⁷I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. ¹⁸ Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness ... ²¹That I may cause those who love me to inherit [true] riches and that I may fill their treasuries.

Let's quick jump into some Hebrew as a foundation of what we are going to read...

• Riches (Proverbs 8:18) - wealth & riches
• Honor (Proverbs 8:18) - abundance, riches, honor, reverence, dignity, glory, splendour, reputation
• Inherit (Proverbs 8:21) - to get as a possession, to TAKE possession, to acquire, to be allotted
• Fill (Proverbs 8:21) - fullness, abundance, to be full, to be accomplished, to be satisfied, complete, to be filled
• Treasuries (Proverbs 8:21) - treasure, storehouse, store, supplies of food & drink, magazine of weapons, treasure-house

Wow! That really gives us a good foundation of what is in store! Sometimes in life we go through comfortable stages... all is well, all is easy. No ruffling of feathers. Each day, fairly a walk through the park. Still things we may be believing for, but for all intensive purposes, we are relaxed and not really in the battle... not really in a fight.

I have heard the statement before, "If a winner gets pushed in a corner, they will come out fighting." As I was reading this morning, that was a statement that kept coming to mind. A winner doesn't stay down, they come out fighting! Each time the winner gets up, the courage of the opponent is weakened. "He keeps getting back up! Why doesn't he just stay down?!" But as that winner keeps getting back up, the enemy realizes that his tactics are not working. His punches are not holding, they aren't strong enough. He's not fast enough, or he just isn't powerful enough. The winner keeps getting back up! Praise the Lord! Is anyone else out there with me a WINNER??!?!?! It's like I can see hands raised from winners all over who are reading this! A winner gets back up! A winner keeps getting back up! Another verse in Proverbs talks about, I may fall 7 times, but will rise again! As believers, since we have the Holy Spirit on the INSIDE of us, we can't help but be a winner! Even when we are tired, even when we feel knocked down or defeated, the Holy Spirit already knows the end of the story, HE IS the Greater One on the inside of us! He has created ALL THINGS, and knows that WE HAVE VICTORY! In our flesh, when we feel weak, that Inner Voice RISES UP, "YOU ARE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR! GET UP!" GET UP! GET UP! And we drag ourselves back to our feet and get up yet again, yet another time! 

Proverbs 8:17 is one way that we come out fighting! When things look tough, we dig in, we fight, we go deeper! Verse 17 says, I love those who love me, and those who seek me early and diligently shall find me. When our strength is weak, when our flesh is tired, when we don't have the answers and what we SEE with our natural eye does not look good we DIG INTO THE WORD! We DILIGENTLY seek the ONE with ALL the answers! We do what a FIGHTER would do, we do what may be UNCOMFORTABLE! That may mean, waking up EARLY to fight! Waking up EARLY to prepare! Waking up EARLY to SEEK out the answers! Rising up EARLY to press in! Our diligence in our FIGHT is the PREREQUISITE of our Victory! 

Check this out! It says, when we DO that very thing, SEEK our Father early & diligently, WE WILL FIND HIM! WE WILL! And as we continue to read in Proverbs, it goes on to say those things He will bring with Him. RICHES. HONOR. ENDURING WEALTH. DIGNITY. REPUTATION. ABUNDANCE. WE WILL BE SATISFIED. 

WE ARE FILLED WITH GOOD THINGS! We are BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING! Take Heart! Have PEACE! WALK OUT YOUR VICTORY! 

GET AGGRESSIVE WITH YOUR COVENANT, CHILD OF GOD! 

SATAN! YOU ARE DEFEATED! THE BLESSING OF THE LORD, THEY OVERTAKE ME! I AM A WINNER! YOU ARE DEFEATED! I AM A TITHER, THEREFORE ACCORDING TO MALACHI 3, I HAVE THE TITHERS RIGHTS! THE WINDOWS OF HEAVEN ARE OPEN OVER ME, THE DEVOURER HAS BEEN REBUKED FOR MY SAKE!!! SATAN, SINCE I AM A TITHER, THE WORD SAYS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN REBUKED! YOU ARE DONE! I CLAIM MY VICTORY! I GET BACK UP! I'M NOT STAYING DOWN! I'M A FIGHTER AND I CLAIM MY VICTORY! JESUS HAS ALREADY DEFEATED YOU AND SO HAVE I! NATIONS ARE CALLING ME BLESSED! 

Take what is yours, VICTORY!

___________________

Malachi 3:10-12 Bring all the tithes (the whole tenth of your income) into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and prove Me now by it, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.¹¹And I will rebuke the devourer [insects and plagues] for your sakes and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine drop its fruit before the time in the field, says the Lord of hosts. ¹²And all nations shall call you happy and blessed, for you shall be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts. 

#146 - My God SHALL SUPPLY!

Good morning! Man! It feels so good to have gotten a really good night sleep. I just feel great this morning! My husband took me out for my birthday last night, so that was nice. We had a great time and enjoyed a yummy dinner at one of our favorites, Carrabba's. 


Well... we're going to change things up a little bit with these devotions. As the Lord leads, I'm just going to uncover some truths I/we've learned along the way. Some of those truths that really either built our faith or rocked our foundation. SO... I hope you enjoy. Our Proverbs/Psalms journey has temporarily come to an end, but feel free to continue reading them. 

Phil. 4:19 - And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

I was in college, this was over 10 years ago that the realization of this truth first became alive to me. So will you travel back with me.... it was somewhere around 1999.


Indiana Tournament of Champions. One day. 9 events & scholarship money to the top 4 contenders. This would be the 3rd year that I participated, and I was coming back as the returning Champion. The previous year, I had walked away with the grand prize of $2500 in scholarship money, and boy did that help. My track and cross country scholarships did not pay for everything, so I worked through college, had loans, applied for grants, and looked for any type of scholarships I could acquire. 


This year, this time it was different. For some reason, over the last month I felt the Holy Spirit leading me to just dig into the Word. In my flesh, it seemed natural that I should be training, I should be practicing. Swimming, tennis, running, basketball, golf... I should be working on my skills. I really needed that $2500.  But, this time, this year, I wasn't released to spend all that time practicing. Matthew. The Holy Spirit had me just devouring the book of Matthew. I was reading it. And re-reading it. It was becoming real and alive to me. Mornings at my parents house, out by the pool, sitting in the gazebo just taking notes, journaling, reading. A whole month worth. 


I traveled to Michigan to a friends graduation reception. Her uncle had come in from Las Vegas.... wouldn't you know, that one night we were in the living room and the door opened and he just began asking questions about God, Jesus... about specific things I had been reading and studying for the whole month. Each question went right back to an area in Matthew where I had studied, and I was able to share, chapter & verse, answers to his questions. I believed I was placed there for that time, ready, prepared to share with him. 


Back home... the Saturday had come. The Tournament of Champions was here. I returned, the hope of another victory in my heart. I really needed this money for school. As the day flew by, event after event, it all came to a close. Me, the returning Champion, turned in a 4th place performance. $500. I got in my car and the tears began to come. They were streaming down my face. I remember banging on my steering wheel. "LORD! I needed that money! I need that for school!" 


Tears streaming down my face, I drove home, stopped at the mail box on my way in the drive. An envelope addressed to me caught my attention. I opened it. Inside was a check for $2500. 'Congratulations. You have received this grant for school.' Tears began to stream again. The Lord hadn't forgotten me. It wasn't his plan for me to win the Tournament of Champions this year. He had provided! 


And Phil. 4:19 was real to me, AND MY GOD shall LIBERALLY supply ALL of my needs according to HIS RICHES in glory in Christ Jesus! Praise the Lord! It hadn't happened how I thought it would, but God had supplied and met more than my need. He had LIBERALLY supplied me. I was so thankful. What a wonderful lesson. And I have continued to watch His Word be real and alive to me. His Word come to life. His Word be true! 


So today.... will you trust. Will you trust that God WILL supply your need! He won't let you down. 

#57 - The Joy of Giving

Good morning! I take my brother to the airport today. He flies back to LA. We have had a nice time visiting. I'm definitely excited about taking a DOR. It will be nice! I guess once you get used to taking one day out of every week where you don't do ANY work... don't spend hours in the car driving places, you don't try to get things "done" off of your to-do list, you don't do laundry or wake up early... you truly just rest. Sleep in, maybe watch a movie, and just don't have that pressure (usually self-inflicted) to do do do or go go go! Accomplish! Work! Move forward! Well.... I am in need of a DOR. Tomorrow or Friday. :) Ok... well, here we go.... 

Proverbs 25:9 - Argue your cause with your neighbor himself; discover not and disclose not another's secret.

Proverbs 31:20 - She opens her hand to the poor, yes, she reaches out her filled hands to the needy [whether in body, mind, or spirit].

So... I recently had someone tell me about some money they received. Someone was really nice and just felt led to give them some money. I was so excited for the recipient, and though they wouldn't tell me who the money was from, I being the nosey friend started guessing. How appropriate to read the verse in Proverbs 25:9. Discover not & disclose not another's secret. Bottom line, it was none of my business who gave the money. But what a blessing to the recipient! I'm not suppose to try to "discover" it. It was a secret for me not to know. Even amidst my "nosiness", it was none of my business. 


I remember a time in college.... I was broke! I had some needs coming up and didn't have money to cover them. Well, at church a lady came up to me and gave me $50.00. She said she felt led to give me the money. What a blessing!!! It could've been $1000.00! At the time, $50 was like the "mother-load"!!! I just started crying that my need would be met right at a time where I needed it met! What a blessing! 


Our Proverbs 31 woman and friend often is this giver. She is often the one seeking out those to give to and bless. In Proverbs 31:20, it says she reaches out her FILLED hands to the needy. It doesn't just mean the person sitting along side the road holding up a sign, "Will work for food." There are often needy people around us all the time. People who in their minds are wondering where the money is going to come from to pay for their rent or electric bill, groceries for their families, food for themselves, a car payment. In Proverbs it talks about when you give to the poor or those in need, the LORD will repay you! It may be a gift that you pray about and the Lord leads you to buy... or it may be money, or picking up the tab when you go out to dinner with someone. When we are not giving, the Lord has nothing to work with in order to multiply back to us! 


What a joy to give. And how IMPORTANT it is to give with a cheerful heart!! 


I also remember a time when Tyler & I gave a pretty large sum of money to a ministry we support. Tyler felt led to give this money. At the time I remember thinking, "Ahhhh! Are you sure we want to give that much." My attitude when we gave was done a bit begrudgingly. I like seeing the numbers when I pulled up the bank account. Well... just NOW I realized I still "held" onto that money a little bit. So, what did I do? I just released that money! Vocally I released it with a JOYFUL heart! I asked for forgiveness for not giving cheerfully! I believe that money is finally in the place where it can be pressed down, shaken together & running over. - Luke 6:38


So... I guess today, just be open to where the Lord leads. Where you can give into the life of someone else. Even if it's small. Where you can bless someone. The car in the drive-through behind you, picking up their tab, someone at Blockbuster, a friend or family member. See if the Lord leads you today. And.... who knows, maybe He leads you to just not pry and try to find things out that may be none of your business, like He did me. :) 


Have a blessed day! :)

#21 - Plan to Prosper

Good morning to all! Already taken down 2 cups of yummy coffee, and have done a lot this morning. It's amazing how much you can do when you wake up early!! Love it! Well... I am guessing that many of you that are reading this blog have been reading it on a somewhat regular basis. Would you consider "following" the blog? Or... when something really jumps out to you let your friends know about it... forward the link. (www.amyjmccart.blogspot.com) I'm excited about what God is doing & is going to do as I am in the process of writing a few books right now. "Blog followers" help when I do get to the point of talking to publishers. So only IF you feel these posts have added value to you and are beneficial, JOIN as a follower & invite your friends! :)  


Well, let's go ahead and get rolling. Yesterday's post really just floored me. To me, it was quite a revelation.  Quite a revelation that God truly wants us to get past having to "sacrifice" things in our life. That he wants to know He already has our Isaac, that He already has all of those things closest to our heart. And with Him already having ALL of those things it truly makes "sacrifice" a null thing. He already has it all. Then, it just gives us the opportunity to walk in the blessing, being directed by Him. I'm still getting stuff out of it! It's amazing how the written word can really make revelation jump out at you! Now today.... there was a TON of stuff in Proverbs 22... but, the Lord led me down a certain path.... it wasn't the "fun" path that "I" wanted to choose...but I guess He feels like it's an important one. So, if you have some steel-toed boots, you may want to get them out. I may be stepping on toes this morning! :( I guess ultimately it will be good. Let's get started...

Proverbs 22:7, 26-27 - The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. Be not one of those who strike hands and pledge themselves, or of those who become security for another's debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?

Proverbs 31:16b - ...with her savings she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard.

The American Way. That is a source of our conversation today. How "The American Way" is different from "The Biblical Way." So, as we read... we see how the borrower is servant to the lender. Or another plain way to put it is this.... the credit card owner who does not pay their balance off every month is a SLAVE to the credit card company. Here Martin Luther King went to great lengths for the Civil Rights movement... to bring about full freedom to the African American population and here we are, white & black alike, walking right back into the bondage of slavery. We have chosen to enslave ourselves. We have put the shackles on our wrists, the shackles on our ankles... we are marching in a straight line all the while typing quickly on our new iPhone, carrying our iPad or new NetBook. As we are walking in line, we turn around to see the person who is shackled behind us, and check it out... the lady behind us pushes up her Chanel sunglasses and slings her Kate Spade purse over her shoulder to show us her new Droid she is playing on. As she pulls out her Coach wallet, she says "Pick a Card, any card".... we see an array of credit cards, lots of pretty colors in lots of styles... Visa, MasterCard, Discover.... oooohhh and the pretty one..... American Express. She puts them back in her Kate Spade, and we all continue trudging along, chains clinking & dragging as we walk. 


As I was reading & listening to the Holy Spirit about this... hum.... what seems a bit of an "un-fun" topic, He revealed to me this: 

Amy, many people who have a $30,000 or $40,000 income will never have more. Not because I don't want to bless them with more, but because they can not manage what they have. They live beyond their means, not below their means. They seek to please themselves instead of pleasing Me. It takes having a plan. Most people do not have a plan so they will continue to live in the land of "not enough." I have laid out a plan for them. I have also laid out a plan through many men, many books. The resources are available. If people would become resourceful, I will lead them to what is right for them. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. I am ready. Will My People ever decide to appear? 

If you know me or Tyler well, you know that we like quality things. I enjoy my Kate Spade diaper bag, Coach purse, Maui Jim sunglasses (and Coach sunglasses before they got lost in Las Vegas)... we enjoy quality things. We enjoy the best of life. And, I believe that the good things are made to enjoy. They are made especially for people like me (and you) who love the Lord, who are ministers of the Gospel (in our respective fields of work). I believe God WANTS us to have the best. Let me add this... those items above, we paid cash for. If it was on a credit card, it was paid off when the bill came in the mail. And for us.... most things are acquired after we have set and accomplished a goal. 


But let me be transparent... some of our mistakes..... maybe you can learn from & apply a solution now? Before resigning from my job in Corporate America, I made more than most people, more than the "average" income. When you added my income, my husbands income & the income of our business that we run.... that most definitely added up. Transparency: in retrospect, over the last 10 years if we could go back and do anything different, what could we have done differently during those years? It's one word, one plan, operating off a what? A BUDGET. 


Tyler was reading recently that out of a large selected group of millionaires, many of them brought home only between $70,000-$90,000/year. Well... obvious math, Tyler and I easily brought more than that home. What is different from these millionaires & Tyler & I? They had a plan. Yes... we were still living below our means, but without a true budget, without a true plan. As I was listening, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that many people have the ability and income to be millionaires, but never will be simply because they do not know how to handle the income they bring in now. They have NO plan. 


So, what did we decide to do? We decided to itemize our income & spending... as we looked through our bank statement, categorizing where money was going... we found what was not too surprising: $5.00 to fast food here, $15.00 to fast food there, $46.00 to a decent restaurant here, $35.00 to a decent restaurant there.... another $7.00 to Firehouse Sub here, a quick $8.00 to Chick-Fil-A there. Our money had quickly dwindled, disappeared with nothing much to show for it. Not much additional in savings. No "rocketing" investment portfolio. Not to mention our waistline increased as well. All due to one thing, Lack of Planning. Lack of a Budget. Lack of having groceries in the house, fruits & vegetables for a healthy snack, breads & meat for sandwiches.... healthy food for a good dinner. We were operating like the article said, and were indeed on our way to become a statistic. 


Resources are available. People that have been called by God to write anointed books & material in the realm of finances. They are there for you. 


We know that our Proverbs 31 friend was not a woman of the "World's Statistic." Not only did she buy land, own business'.... but we see in Proverbs 31:16 that she did have a SAVINGS. She did set money aside. Their is wisdom in setting money aside. Their is wisdom in preparing & planning. When the Lord does call you to complete your assignment, or brings you to the next position in life, will you have been prepared for it? If your assignment calls for money, He may not even move you to the next position in life until you are able to get your finances in order. 


I believe that the best of the best was made for Men & Women of God to have & use. But, I also believe that IF we are going to partake in these goods, we should be able to pay for it now. "The borrower is subject to the lender." I prefer not to put myself back in the shackles of bondage. I enjoy being out of debt. And I am excited to be on the path where we are responsible and diligent with what God has given us, so He is able to bless us with more. Like the servants who were given the "talents" (Matthew 25:14-30), the servant who buried his talent and did not increase it was called a "wicked & lazy servant." His master said: "...at least if you had put it on deposit with bankers I would have received it back with interest..."


I believe their are million dollar ideas, inventions, business', and books within the Men & Women of God. Money can do a lot of good thing. Will you be one that will be able to take care of more than just yourself. Will you be able to help others & bless others with your overflow? 


So... make a plan. Plan to take an inventory of your income. What comes in and what goes out. Make a budget. Use the "envelope system" if you need too.... put cash in an envelope... label them: "Groceries", "Date Night", "Bills", etc, until you get your finances under control. 


Make a plan. Set a budget. The best is there for you. Will you position yourself to have it? To stroke a check cash for that designer pocket book? For your next car? For your next house? Do you believe God can do it? I do.


Are you "planning" in order that you may prosper?


________________________________


A few books that have helped us:

• Richest Man in Babylon
• Become a Millionaire God's Way
• Trust God with your Finances