True Prosperity

I look at my life and I feel rich.

I don't own a Jimmy Choo, a mountain of stilletos or a walk-in wardrobe of branded clothes...

My wallet has only 5 bucks in it, I take the public transport as much as I can and the only cars I own are my left "car" and right "car" (read legs).

I don't go for manicures and pedicures (my wedding was an exception) and I don't go to big name salons to do my hair (my favourite salon is in Toa Payoh Central).

I don't own property, and I don't play shares.

I don't carry a bag that costs more than $20 tops. My trusty watch cost me around $20 too and serves me great.

My wedding ring is a surgical steel band that is elegant and beautiful and super meaningful (I am allergic to white gold and I wasn't keen on getting platinum - exorbitant). I don't care for bling bling but I have been blessed with some... and I won't lie and say I don't wear them. But I don't covet to have more and more bling bling all the time. Diamonds are not my best friends =D Lol.

Our living room TV can only be turned off with the remote control - the button must not be touched as it is loose. It takes great effort to get the button to stay in a way that the TV will be turned on. We don't own a Hi-Fi or big ticket items in our house.

But I feel blessed and rich regardless.

I feel this way because Jesus is my everything.

And when Jesus is your everything, no one can steal anything from you... especially your joy!

He is the perfect comforter... and when you feel no one understands you (not even your dearest one), you know He does. He loves you perfectly and is the only one who can love you perfectly.

When our coffers run a little on the low side, Christ has always provided in the most perfect timing. A cheque comes in. A new job comes knocking at our door. Free movie tickets, supermarket vouchers... all at the right time. Jesus provides perfectly.

I used to hold on to my money tightly and I didn't particularly feel inclined to tithe because I felt I had to work so hard to get the cash. Yes. I am ashamed to say I was a bit of a Scrooge McDuck inside my heart. It was partially also due to all the wrong teaching I sat under in my youth...

But now, now that I understand where my grace comes from, where my true riches lie, who my first love is, who I am in Christ - I give happily knowing that He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow - and He will provide again for my family with more than enough left over to bless other people.

Money isn't all that. =) There are things you can't put a price to because they are priceless. (I sound like the Master Card campaign...)

It is not in the area of money that I feel richest in...

I feel rich because I sit under the right teachings of God. I feel rich because the scales have fallen off my eyes so that I can read the Word of God and actually understand it a whole lot better than before. I actually have a very strong and confident relationship with Jesus, and that is "riches beyond my wildest dreams" for me.

I feel rich because where I was one shamed (single mum... birth out of wedlock episode. .. retained in sec 3... etc etc) , Jesus has lifted my head. He has also given me a really wonderful hubby who truly tries to love me like Christ loves the church.

I feel rich because my son has a love and passion for Christ. What a passion it is too!

I feel rich because I have a great family - paternal, maternal and in-laws. I enjoy spending time with them.

I feel rich because where I did not have godly friends, I now have friends who share my faith walk and who are very caring and are an edifying presence in my life. You know who you are. It doesn't mean I have abandoned my old friends, I haven't, but I pray that the lost ones will be found. They might have been painted the wrong image of Christ by the Pharisees of our world today, and they are just hurting themselves by choosing not to take a closer look at the true picture of Christ in the bible.

I feel rich because of the library of books I have accumulated over the years that supplement my spiritual nourishment from the bible. These books prosper my soul so I can reach out to others and help their soul to prosper too in whatever way I can - as a listening ear, just blogging or when I bump into them just when they have a need.

I feel rich because I know who I am now - the beloved of Jesus... the heir to the blessings of Abraham through the righteousness of Christ Jesus who died for me so that I may have grace - undeserved favour - in every area of my life. I know where I will be for all of eternity! Yay!

To be fair, it doesn't mean that I don't hope for financial blessings too...

I do hope for financial blessings but not really because I want to be some Tai Tai than can flaunt her extensive collection of Birkins. I don't think I want money for that sort of foolish reason. It doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves or pamper ourselves, but I hope I don't crave materialism more than I crave the message and passing the message on. You know what I mean?

I hope for financial blessings so we can plant seeds in ministries, spend more time with our family and most importantly, in the Word of God. And... so that we can have more kids hahaha. I remember my prayer to God still - LORD provide us with the wisdom and the finances so that we can have more children who can be prayer warriors and to help Jesus with the harvest of souls. =) So that we can rest more... I am not talking about slacking, but resting in the mind and spirit after a good job done.

My poor hubby can be so tired out from the week that he falls asleep during the Sunday sermon. I feel that the devil is trying to rob his rest and by doing that, his spiritual growth.

Why is robbing rest and spiritual growth key to stumbling us?

Well, when your soul prospers, everything else prospers. This is because you have the knowledge and wisdom of the Word to get you through all the issues in life ie. you have mind of Christ. You are able to discern the right choices and God blesses your bread bowl and kneading basket as you walk in His will and not in your will. That doesn't augur well for the devil who is out to rob you, destroy you and kill you... our prosperity is not part of his plan.

I believe Ian will have the promises of Psalm 23, 91 and Deuteronomy 28. =) Amen! I pray for his company to be blessed on all fronts and especially in having good and loyal helpers.

Ditto blessings for Kae and I too. =D ( AND YES FOR YOU TOO!)

Gotta go finish up a script that I am writing, but here is a thought to leave you with -

Prosperity is how much of a blessing are you to someone else. That’s the way that God evaluates it. - Andrew Womack

May we see beyond the world's equation of prosperity in our daily lives. =)