Stewardship

It is not everyday a check for $20,000 comes my way. It Is not everyday God chooses to show up and affirm and encourage me in a huge way. Most of the time He works through the little things in my life - making a headache go away, helping me through a test - but once in awhile he is suddenly there in a way which is big and powerful and awesome and leaves me speechless. When those times happen, I get a glimpse of just how awesome and amazing He is! And as infinitely wonderful as He is, God cares intimately about the people here on Earth.

So, as you may now by now - a few weeks ago we were blessed with a donation of $20,000. I was thinking about what we can do with that money at The Torch. We have been in a fundraising campaign for awhile raising money to purchase the food truck. Suddenly, we have a truck, and not long after that, the money to customize it is available to us. I don't believe in coincidences and I don't know how anyone could think anything different than we are blessed! Sarah and I have spent a lot of time discussing how to wisely utilize the money. We were already working to acquire donations of equipment and etc to complete the food truck. There are a ton of items we need - like wiring and stainless steel and appliances and a paint job.

We had devised a plan to go to various vendors and stores and ask for donations of the specific items we need for the truck. When we got the money, we discussed whether or not we should continue with that plan and we decided we should. It is already in place and we are prepared to go and it will give us the opportunity to talk about The Torch if nothing else! But I think God will be faithful and provide those donations, because He answers prayers. There are plenty of other expenses we need to cover anyway - and whatever ends up being left over from the $20,000 gift will certainly help to cover those needs.

It is our goal to be wise stewards with the blessings God gives us. We hope to eventually purchase a motor home which cannot only be used for meeting with people in private at whatever location we find ourselves; but also to have a hair-washing bowl and styling chair so people can receive haircuts and some pampering as just one more way to show love to people.  In addition to that, Craig has already begun to talk about food truck number two. He is a big dreamer like us.

But we have a God who is even bigger than our dreams. Sarah and I were talking about The Torch last January. I had all the projected numbers because I filled out the paperwork for the IRS and that was part of the requirement. She asked me how much money we were going to need to get the food truck and cover initial operating expenses. I told her $25,000. She asked a friend if she knew about any effective fundraising strategies. Her friend asked how much money we were trying to raise. Sarah told her $25,000. Her friend asked when we hoped to raise the money by. Sarah told her June. Her friend thought that was an awful lot of money to be raised in a very short time.

Thinking about it like that - $25,000 in six months - it does appear impossible. But, fortunately, the bigger picture only marginally includes Sarah and I and a fundraising scheme. The bigger picture includes a God Who loves deeply the people we are going to reach out to. It encompasses a God Who is at work in the world now and always. 

God doesn't want people to go hungry or to feel unloved and unaccepted. And neither do we. This is our chance to go to people and show them love without judgment, and share the Hope we have. 

---