I am no accountant or financial advisor and I will only speak on my own personal experiences, what I know, and what the Bible says on faith in finances.
Being a missionary in training has come at a cost and is financially risky. When I chose to give up a lucrative career in cooking to be a part of the Great Commission, I knew I'd be broke longer than I'd like. Worrying where the money is going to come from with my current and future time with YWAM but what worried me the most is wondering how in the world is my mom going to take care of herself. But for the last 10 months of not being financially secure, God has taught me to trust and fully rely on Him to provide for my needs and my mom's needs. My Father is so much bigger.
When I first started fund raising, I disliked it. Growing up, I watched my mom beg, at times, people to provide for us and when I was old enough, I vowed that I will never beg for what I need and I will be as independent as possible. So when I started fund raising, I trusted God but a part of me felt shameful. Of course, it was my pride getting in the way. But my mustard sized faith in God to equip and provide for my journey was bigger and still is bigger than my pride. I'm glad for that first time experience. It forced me to step out of my shy comfort zone and talk to people I didn't personally know or the people I have known for years. When I came back home in February and started fund raising again for this current DTS I'm on, not only has my faith given me a confidence in myself but it has also forced me to clearly share my vision of my long term goals in missions. It forced me to deal with people, even pastors, who questioned my worth and different aspects of who I am. I have learned I AM NOT A BEGGAR. Children of the Most High never have to beg.
A week and a half before leaving for my first DTS, I had emailed staff in Vancouver on a Saturday that I would not be able to participate in the program because I didn't have enough finances to even cover a plane ticket, let alone the school fees. That night, bawling in the shower, I prayed out. "God, if this is where you're calling me, why are You making it so hard? I have $190. That can't cover my medication or a plane ticket. I have 11 days before the program starts. This seems incredibly impossible but I have faith in You to do the incredible." On Sunday, I was invited up by my senior pastor to tell the congregation that I was joining YWAM and to pray for me while I was gone. After the service, people I have never met or seen at church came up to me and gave what they could. I walked into church that morning expecting nothing and walked out with $900+! I was so surprised and dumbfounded, a part of me didn't believe it. I actually thought I was still at home sleeping and it was dream. I knew God would work but I never thought that fast! But I shouldn't have been surprised at the faithfulness of God. I have multiple "11th hour" stories where God never fails and I have come to learn that when you're living on the edge; trusting God and not knowing where the next dollar is coming from, the surprise never gets routine.
Matthew 6:26 says:
Church, God wants us to enjoy a full, abundant life free from the cares and stresses that confidence in money and other material possessions brings. Rather than trusting in a worldly system that cannot assure our welfare of relying on our own weak capabilities to provide for our own needs, He calls us to depend entirely on Him.
6) Take a step of faith
Being a missionary in training has come at a cost and is financially risky. When I chose to give up a lucrative career in cooking to be a part of the Great Commission, I knew I'd be broke longer than I'd like. Worrying where the money is going to come from with my current and future time with YWAM but what worried me the most is wondering how in the world is my mom going to take care of herself. But for the last 10 months of not being financially secure, God has taught me to trust and fully rely on Him to provide for my needs and my mom's needs. My Father is so much bigger.
When I first started fund raising, I disliked it. Growing up, I watched my mom beg, at times, people to provide for us and when I was old enough, I vowed that I will never beg for what I need and I will be as independent as possible. So when I started fund raising, I trusted God but a part of me felt shameful. Of course, it was my pride getting in the way. But my mustard sized faith in God to equip and provide for my journey was bigger and still is bigger than my pride. I'm glad for that first time experience. It forced me to step out of my shy comfort zone and talk to people I didn't personally know or the people I have known for years. When I came back home in February and started fund raising again for this current DTS I'm on, not only has my faith given me a confidence in myself but it has also forced me to clearly share my vision of my long term goals in missions. It forced me to deal with people, even pastors, who questioned my worth and different aspects of who I am. I have learned I AM NOT A BEGGAR. Children of the Most High never have to beg.
A week and a half before leaving for my first DTS, I had emailed staff in Vancouver on a Saturday that I would not be able to participate in the program because I didn't have enough finances to even cover a plane ticket, let alone the school fees. That night, bawling in the shower, I prayed out. "God, if this is where you're calling me, why are You making it so hard? I have $190. That can't cover my medication or a plane ticket. I have 11 days before the program starts. This seems incredibly impossible but I have faith in You to do the incredible." On Sunday, I was invited up by my senior pastor to tell the congregation that I was joining YWAM and to pray for me while I was gone. After the service, people I have never met or seen at church came up to me and gave what they could. I walked into church that morning expecting nothing and walked out with $900+! I was so surprised and dumbfounded, a part of me didn't believe it. I actually thought I was still at home sleeping and it was dream. I knew God would work but I never thought that fast! But I shouldn't have been surprised at the faithfulness of God. I have multiple "11th hour" stories where God never fails and I have come to learn that when you're living on the edge; trusting God and not knowing where the next dollar is coming from, the surprise never gets routine.
Matthew 6:26 says:
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away to barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
Have you ever seen a worried bird? No! Now, mind you, I know people are not peanut brain sized birds but Jesus told us we should be anxious for nothing. The Bible says "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is believing that you will have what you need even if you have nothing. Bible faith is not wishful thinking; it is not based on wanting your selfish desires so badly that you somehow get "faith" and get them. The Father is not a genie.
I bet you're reading this and saying, "Well Adriana, having this living on the edge faith sounds good and all but there are things I've prayed for for years, including my finances, and I haven't seen any change." Well I have 4 questions:
1)Do you trust your Father to give good gifts? (Matt.7:11)
2) What's your heart motive behind the things you pray for? (Proverbs 21:2, Matt.6:1)
3) Are you taking steps of obedience? (Luke 6:46)
4) Are you combing faith-filled prayer with fearless communication? (Jeremiah 33:3, Matt.7:7)
Here are 6 steps I use to help you release your faith in God and develop your trust in Him for your finances.
1) Recognize God is worthy of your trust - You can count on God to do as He says because the One who created the heavens and earth and who established the laws that govern the universe actually owns everything and is far more capable of providing for your needs than you could ever imagine.
2) Realize God wants you to live a full and abundant life - Our Lord promises to give every obedient Christian an overflowing, joyous life regardless of his financial position. Jesus told His followers, "I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." (John 10:10b). This generous assurance includes financial freedom.
3) Substitute Faith with Fear - One emotion that can undermine your faith and throw you back into financial bondage is fear. When anxiety over the future grips you, you lose the ability to trust God for your needs. By obeying God's will for your life, however, you establish your faith firmly and open your life to His abundant blessings. Surrender your fear and place your future into His capable hands.
4) Ask God to supply your needs - The apostle James observes, "You do not have because you do not ask." (James 4:2). Our Lord says, "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you." (John 15:7) Faith requires action. Ask God, as an act of your will, to supply your needs. Then expect Him, as an expression of your faith, to provide for your needs. God's Word says that whatever we ask according to faith and in harmony with His will, he promises to answer.
5) Keep your heart and motives pure - To truly trust in God for your finances, you must also keep your heart and motives pure. Even if you ask by faith, you will fail to receive if you ask out of wrong motives. When motives displeasing to our Lord creep into your heart, confess these wrongful attitudes, then claim the power of the Holy Spirit to help you rely on Him to supply your needs.
All that being said, as of right now, I owe $5,000 in school fees for this DTS. We are going into week 6 of lectures which means we are half way through lectures and will be going on outreach in another 6 weeks. We need to have our outreach fees (which do not exceed $4,000) by week 9 at the latest. I heard God call me back to Vancouver, I obeyed, and I trust and have been fearlessly faith praying to God to provide for these fees. I pray that as you have read my story that God opens your heart to the possibilities and the freedom of living in faith in the area of finances. I also ask that you pray for my new team and I as we get closer to outreach and all our funds come in and that God continues to tune our hearts to His. If you would like to make a donation, there are 3 ways: 1) Through my PayPal account on the left side bar. 2) Go to www.ywamvancouver.com and make a donation in my name. 3) Or email me at adrianamcpherson@hotmail.com, subject line "Donation" to get my personal account and make a donation through your bank.
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As always, thank you for your love, support, and prayers these last few months. God is doing big things in my life and it's all for His glory and honour and I am humbled everyday to know that my Father loves me.
I end with this quote from Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM, "The key to living by faith is not in a method. The key is to hear, obey, and trust God. As we obey Him, He gets intricately involved in our lives. And since money affects almost all areas of life, God will enter into our finances in many exciting ways, if we let Him. You have heard the saying "That is something you can take to the bank!" Faith in God and His word to you is that certain - you can literally take it to the bank."
-Adriana
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