joel and i loved the idea of committing to “beans and rice,” but had to adjust to how we could sacrifice together. joel, being a firefighter, is gone multiple days a week at the station where him and his team share meals together, meals that require a little more substance than beans and rice for as hard as they work.

so joel and I spent some time discussing how we could set aside some money to give away. we eventually decided to not spend money on anything but groceries. no eating-out at all. not even a 99 cent taco. while it may seem like a small amount of money, we saw it add up quickly.  though it sometimes felt a little tacky when we would meet our friends for lunch with our pb&j sandwiches and fruit snacks in the restaurant, we ended up saving a lot!

we then considered where God wanted us to see need, and we were so blessed when we finally saw it. our friends had been expecting their first baby, born just 3 days before easter- a beautiful boy. i work with the boy’s mom at a restaurant. when she shared with me her concern for how they’ll make it financially, the Holy Spirit pulled my heart strings. joel and i joyfully committed to their family, excited that our faithfulness found its reward. packing lunches to take to work so i wouldn’t be tempted to buy food there. going to costco and stocking up on food that would last us a long time. we couldn’t believe how much it added up!

just a week or so after easter, we mailed the check to the new beautiful family. we can’t tell you how amazing it is to witness God’s faithfulness and generosity up close. their thank you card to us is one that we will keep forever as a reminder of how good God is and the joy found in being obedient.