How the Lord provided for Tenerife (Warm Weather Training)
In two weeks’ time, I will be off to sunny Tenerife for my first warm weather training trip in 4 years! (Excited much? LOL). Not only will it be my final preparation before I begin my first outdoor season (again in 4 years), but it is also a time for a MUCH-needed holiday. These past 4 years have been the most difficult and most pressing of my entire life, but God is truly so faithful. The pain has been real, but so has the growth and I am so excited to see the bountiful harvest that the Father is going to produce through my life. His ways are truly not our ways; His ways are long, they are painful and they honestly don’t make any sense to the carnal mind. However, the outcome of His ways is so SWEET and so FRUITFUL. I am so grateful that He would choose me to know Him in this way and YES, I can honestly say I would go through the pain of it all again simply for the reward of knowing Him. ❤
1. To go or not to go? I started with my new training group mid-September of 2016, almost immediately after the Lord revealed to me who He wanted me to train with. Not only was starting with this group a huge step of faith financially, but if I had things my own way, this would honestly have been the LAST group I would have wanted to train with. Lol. But my Daddy knows best and I’m glad I obeyed because I have improved and grown so much as an athlete and the set-up is truly what I’ve never had before, but one I need and appreciate. Shortly after starting, talks about warm weather training commenced (as they do). In my mind, this wasn’t even an option for me, I mean how could it be? God was already stretching me past my limits, could I even be bothered to add Tenerife to my list of what to believe Him for. After a little pressing from my coach and head coach of the training system, I decided to take it to the Lord. The outcome of this was that I would send a message out to family and friends and see what God would do. To my absolute ASTOUNDMENT, I received £1,250 from just 6 people!! I literally couldn’t believe it; Abba wanted me to go and He had provided. One of my friends gave me £500! £500! I literally cried when I got home and opened the envelope. This was stage one of this testimony. 2. Booking my trip Having received the money, next I needed to book my trip (but of course, the story can never be that simple when you walk by faith). The end of 2016 saw the Lord move me from the last “secure work” that I had left. Time to live off this daily manna full time.
At the time of booking my trip (January 2017), I had already used £300 towards my living expenses and so, through wisdom, I was led to book a 2-week trip (even though the majority of my group were going for 3 weeks). After detailed research, I found exactly what I wanted, extras included and the Lord told me to book it. I could have paid in full that day; however, on seeing that half board (as opposed to bed and breakfast) would be only £95 more for the 15 nights, I knew this would be more economical in the long run. I asked my mum, and she said she could give me the £95 the following month. Sweet, I thought, as there would be 3 payments in the installment option: my initial deposit, then a further payment towards the flight (14 days later) and the final big bulk on the 12th March 2017. That would be plenty of time, right? So, I booked it happily, thanking God and truly thinking that I had no more tests of faith concerning this trip. But of course, Abba (God) was laughing because there were still many lessons I would have to learn over the next 2 months. 3. Faith and Unbelief Did you know that you can have faith and unbelief at the same time? Have a look at this scripture:
Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24)
The father in this story had faith that Jesus could heal his son, but he was also struggling with unbelief at the same time. This was my biggest battle during the month of February and March.
One night in February, I woke up in the middle of the night.
“Lord, seriously, I need money… I’ve had no income for a whole month.” I said. The Holy Ghost responded so clearly, “You have money in your other account.” He said as a matter of fact. "What?! But that’s my warm weather money!” I really didn’t like His answer, but He said it so authoritatively that what else could I say? “Ahh man. Fine! But you have to come through because I have to pay the final £813 in March,” I protested. “Trust in Me with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding,” He concluded. "Hmm… okay, Lord. Please help me.”
End of conversation and I went back to sleep.
For the rest of February, I used my warm weather money to pay my bills and meet my needs, just as the Lord told me to. I had a peace that surpassed all understanding, but at the same time I also had to CONSTANTLY fight unbelief. It was a vicious cycle and to be honest it tired me out that month. But deep down I really wanted to see this miracle. I couldn’t wait to have a testimony to share.
4. Unexpected Turn-Around
On Boxing Day night (2016), my car was hit by another car. To cut a long story short, that car drove off and, therefore, I had to make a claim on my own policy. My insurance company concluded my car a write-off for economic reasons and took my car. However, they were still trying to get me to pay the remainder of my premium which was just under £400 (after deductions). After realising it would be more cost-effective for me to keep my car and continue paying my insurance monthly (which I already did by faith), I decided not to go through with my claim and get my car back. Things seemed to be okay until another department from my insurance company began calling me saying I owed just over £400 in tow fees. Due to this payment request, my old claim also remained open. So basically, I was being hounded for about 2 months straight for money! But throughout the whole thing, I just decided to hand it over to the Lord. Then one day I received a phone call from yet another department of my car insurance company. This man had good news for me! He told me that he “shouldn’t really be doing this”, but to clear up the whole misunderstanding, he was going to give me just under £400 and then just trust that I will continue paying my insurance monthly like a good customer. I literally couldn’t believe it! I knew this was God immediately because it didn’t even make sense lol. The man himself said that he couldn’t even explain it.
After Abba turned that situation around at the end of February (with only 2 weeks before my final Tenerife payment due), I just knew He would provide for me.
5. The Last Day
The day before my final payment would be automatically taken, I still needed £360. I hadn’t told anybody what I needed as I honestly wanted to see the Lord work this one out (and I would) — just not the way I expected. I literally felt like I was in a place where I had exhausted my asking privileges. There was no one left who I could ask for help in my eyes (surely everyone was tired of me being a beggar), but the Lord had willing givers ready, I just needed to obey Him. Leading up to this final day, the Lord had bumped my warm weather fund back up through the car insurance miracle. He had also given me instructions two weeks prior, but I had half missed it. He told me (through a dream this time) that He had told somebody to help me; however, in my own understanding, I was sure that this person was not in a position to help me. That is why I hadn’t acted out of faith and asked them. However, on that last day, I HAD to step out in faith. If it was God, then they would be able to help, just like He had shown. And to my surprise (but God’s foreknowledge), they did help me. They gave me £100.
That same morning, the Lord had also given me another dream, again about a very specific person. I stepped out in faith, once again. At first, they said they didn’t think they could help, but that they would try to give something. To be honest, I never expected them to give more than £50. But when later that evening they gave me the full £260 that I had said I still needed. At that point, I had to fall on my knees and glorify the God of heaven. He had kept me on my toes, but I had once again seen His hand and learned a VALUABLE lesson about His provision and obedience: God can provide in MANY ways, all He wants me to do was OBEY His instructions. On the 12.03.17 the final payment of £813.70 went out first thing in the morning and it was the sweetest feeling to know that I was OFFICIALLY going to Tenerife. However, it was even sweeter to know the LORD had done it. I felt like a woman out of battle, but my scars had once again given me a deeper revelation of Him. God can do things the simple/quick way, but He often does things in a way that keeps you on your toes and causes a few scuffles, because this is where we gain experiential knowledge of Him and I am grateful for that. ❤