from ashes to beauty ~ Cinderella Released
Lessons in Life from the World’s Wealthiest Single Mom!

“The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22

God has a purpose when it comes to the resources He provides in my life. Wealth is viewed very differently in every culture.  I’ve had the blessing to visit other countries and places in the United States and to really realize how blessed I am and surrounded by such wealth.   This post is about God’s provision for  me. For many years, I felt being a single mom was one of the most difficult professions on the planet. But, today I am so thankful for all that God has provided for me and my family.

Life’s Lesson # 1 – Provision

“But My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

In 1991 after a financial crisis, my husband and I separated and my two youngest boys and I went to Tallahassee, Florida to live with my older brother, his wife and my nieces Dena and Adrienne. After a few weeks, the Lord provided me with a good job and a one bedroom apartment. My sister-in-law helped me figure out a weekly budget and so I would cash my check and put money aside each week in an envelope, one for each of my bills.  10% of my gross income went directly into the offering plate and $35 per week was our food budget.  It seemed I always had more envelopes than money at the end of the end of the week but I knew God would provide.

Then our first month’s electric bill arrived and I went to get my envelope for the electric.

To my dismay, I had only put away $6. I thought to myself, “How did that happen?”

Holding my breath, I opened the bill and a big cry of relief came when I saw the charge of only $6. But, I did call the electric company immediately. They said the bill was correct and it was probably because it was just the first month’s bill.

I promised myself to put away more the next month. When the next month came, and I opened the electric  bill it was only $12 this time. As you can imagine, I didn’t waste any time calling the electric company.

Their response was,

“Mrs. Hoenig, yes there is a problem. We never got your payment from last month!  This is why it’s $12.”

I said, no, you don’t understand, “This has been the coldest winter in Tallahassee and I run my heat all the time.” The operator said, “I will check the meter and get back with you.”

Well, the fact is I never got a bill that went over $6 a month for the first nine months (the entire time we were in this little apartment).  Our God supplied for our needs abundantly and above anything I could dream or imagine at the time.

God also supplied us with friends and family who provided food, fellowship and lots of fun! We opened up our home each week for dinner on Saturday nights where the boys and I provided the main course. Usually I got the BOGO which always provided a great meal and our friends brought side dishes, desserts and drinks. We always had plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week. Another way we saved money and had fun was going to a local restaurant which had a “Kids Eat Free” night on Wednesday nights. It was a hot food buffet and salad bar. My boys loaded their bellies with plenty of good food and we also had fellowship with many of the families we knew would eat there also.

 

 

This Life Lesson on Provision helped me become the World’s Wealthiest Single Mom!

 

** Blog post inspired from the series Uncommon Cents  – The Church on the Rock in Wasilla, Alaska

Sign up to receive my blog for continued thoughts on this subject!