Do you want to hear a really cool God story? My last post (The Best of Times) talked about how we are witnessing stories everyday of these difficult times driving people closer and closer to God. Check this one out…
For two months, we had been working to raise $35,000 in pledges for a Matching Gifts program to support our work at WorkMatters. Five days before our self-imposed deadline, we had been blessed to raise $29,000. Only $6,000 to go.
I had a meeting that day with a close personal and corporate supporter of WorkMatters. For the first 30 minutes of our time together, he shared an extremely serious personal financial story with me that had taken place over the last three weeks as the market had plummeted. At an appropriate pause in our conversation, I literally started laughing as I told him that I had come to discuss financial support. We both had a hard laugh, but then he said, “well, go ahead.” I uncomfortably laid out our need for $6,000 to reach our Matching Gifts goal. Then, I swallowed hard and asked him if he could possible invest $5,000. I could hardly get the words out of my mouth after hearing his gut wrenching financial story.
After an awkward period of silence, he quietly said, “I think we can do that. Let me pray about it and talk with my wife.”
What! I could not have been more shocked. I asked him why he would do that after the story I had just heard from him. He said, “I have been praying, begging God over the past few weeks to save me from my own personal turmoil. And now, after he listened to those prayers, I am supposed to say no to a Kingdom building request that God is bringing me?” We prayed a mighty prayer together and he said he would call me on Tuesday. But the story gets better.
On Tuesday, no word from him. Wednesday, nothing. On Thursday, less than 24 hours before our Friday Matching Gifts announcement, I received an email from my friend. It had only two words on it…“Six thousand”.
Not only did he commit to the $5,000 pledge, but without my request and deep in his own personal turmoil, he went the extra mile to pledge $6,000, which allowed us to hit our goal!
During these difficult economic times, we need to hear these kinds of stories. Not because he gave money to WorkMatters. But because of this powerful testimony of faith and obedience from a leader whose own faith has been stretched to the limits. To keep his eyes focused on God, in spite of the firestorm he was/is living through.
May this story encourage you today…
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9





