A Hundred Times Over

I was weary and tired as I climbed into bed after a long day of sorting through clothes and household items that would be sold or given away. God had made it clear to my husband Dave and me that He had a call on our lives to serve Him as missionaries in Central America. It meant getting rid of almost everything we owned. I sighed as I thought about how far away Tegucigalpa, Honduras would be from friends and family – especially far away from our three children who had chosen to remain in the U.S. They were young adults at the time, and we had left the decision with them.

As tired as I was, my thoughts took over, and sleep evaded me. “Lord,” I wept and  prayed silently, “I've given up almost all I own on this earth, surely you’re not asking me to leave my children behind too?!” I desperately needed God’s peace and I knew it would only come when I had fully yielded my children and their future to Him.

Reaching over to the nightstand, I picked up my Bible as I prayed, "Lord, give me direction." While propping up pillows, I opened it randomly. The page fell open to Matthew 19 and my eyes were drawn to verse 29; “And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or CHILDREN or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold and inherit everlasting life.” The word “children” seemed magnified on the page and I knew God was giving me a special word in answer to my prayer.

That night I fully yielded my children to the Lord. Was my heart still broken and hurting? Yes, but I can say in all honesty that over time God proved to me that He could be trusted. I shudder to think what blessings I would have missed if I had said no to God. I’ve learned from this experience that by being obedient to what the Lord was calling me to do, despite my circumstances, He was able to fulfill His promise in Matthew 19:29; “And everyone who has left….. CHILDREN…shall receive a hundredfold.” In time, not only did I get back my children, but I have been blessed with hundreds of spiritual children in return. God is faithful to His promises!

Whatever you’re going through today, you can trust Him to walk with you through the hardest times. You may not be able to see the outcome today, but by trusting and believing in Him, despite your circumstances, you will one day see it. And your obedience will yield you blessings a hundred times over.