Pay it forward

I got a thank you note this past week, in it was a message about "paying it forward". Many times over the last few years, I've seen how paying it forward is real, and a wonderful perspective for doing good for others.

When Al first found out he had to start dialysis, our family and friends put together a fundraiser for my family. It was so incredibly touching and it helped us tremendously in a time that was emotionally devastating and could have been financially devastating as well.

Since that day, I vowed to myself that when anyone falls on hard times financially, it is my family's personal duty to help in any way we can. The kindness that you feel when people rally around to support you, is unexplainable. We have attended a few fundraisers, along with sending donations to people in need, whenever the opportunity arises! God provides. He really does!

Fast forward to when Al and I underwent the actual transplant surgery. We had made plans ahead of time for him to stay with his parents for the first week after surgery, so he could rest in a peaceful atmosphere and have his mom's TLC. As I recovered, my mom came to stay with me and the kids, she did all of the work in the house that I usually do along with keeping the kids cared for and managed. I was able to rest comfortably and then came the meals!! The families at Acilia's school at the time, set up a dinner schedule, we had meals for the whole first week after surgery!! It was amazing! The meals would have continued, infact they were scheduled to, but I was feeling much better and able to make meals from that point on.

It was from that point that I had my eyes opened to what a homecooked meal can do for a person that is recovering. Since then, I've delivered a few dinners to others that were recovering from a surgery. Paying it forward.

Recently, with my God Story, the thank you I mentioned above, came as a result of that experience. The fact that the recipient of God's blessing was moved to remember this donation as much more than just money.

These are the moments that I am thankful and proud to be a part of God's ultimate plan for all of us. To love and help others, especially in times of need.

I will close with something simple, when I was awakened to a deeper relationship with God, I clearly remember a day when I was driving, flipping through radio stations, nothing really appealing, I was seeking a radio station that was "safe" to listen to with the kids in the car, and each station I had listened to, had "cringe worthy" songs or conversation. I happened to see a bumper sticker on someone's car, it was a KLOVE sticker, curiously, I turned the radio to that station and I've been hooked ever since, it's all we listen to when in the car! I felt it was my duty to then put a sticker on my car, to share this wonderful ministry with others. I can't help but wonder, every time I drive, who has seen that sticker and tried that station.

God's urging is all around us!!!