When my husband and I said "yes" to God's call on our lives to missions, we understood it meant saying goodbye to people, places, and many of the luxuries we've come to take for granted. With this in mind, we quickly began to realize just how many unnecessary things we had. So, we decided to have a yard sale. We figured this sale would be an opportunity to get rid of excess, minimize down to things we only use regularly, and begin preparing to live with less.
As I began collecting items and setting them aside, I felt the Lord impressing on my heart to price everything very low, regardless of its monetary value. Many of our possessions have been gifted to us, and I felt as though it was our turn to bless others just as we have been blessed. Joey, my husband, questioned this decision, reminding me this sale was a fundraising opportunity for our upcoming mission trips. I was so convinced of my conviction, though, that he didn't push the matter much.
The first day of the sale came, and everything went even better than I had hoped. The weather was beautiful, everything came together nicely, and we were even given some last-minute donations to sell. We had a steady flow of customers, and I couldn't help but smile when their faces would light up after asking about prices.
Most people, when learning of our plans to step into the mission field, were quite supportive. Some shared stories of their own mission trips, some offered to pray for us, and others gave a donation along with their purchase. It was encouraging to connect with other brothers and sisters in Christ within our community, and to feel supported by the church body at large. The way God Himself showed up in this yard sale was, however, even more profound.
We went into this endeavor with little expectation as to the amount of money it would raise. I didn't wish to have a goal amount because my heart was to bless people with quality items at a fraction of the original cost. Most things were priced between fifty cents and three dollars, so I didn't foresee making a huge profit, yet I knew God would bless our faithfulness in following His lead with this sale.
A couple hours before closing on the first day, we did a money count and found we had over five hundred dollars. Joey and I were both completely overwhelmed, knowing there was no way we had sold that much. We had only a few more customers after that point, yet by the end of the day, we had well over six hundred dollars. There is absolutely no way we can explain it except God.
The second and final day of the sale came, and it was rather slow, with just a few spurts of people here and there. But yet again, God pulled through. We made another five hundred-plus dollars that day, with no natural explanation.
It has been a few days since the yard sale now, but I still get chills and am overwhelmed when thinking about it. I truly believe God took an act of obedience and multiplied it. This just goes to show that when we walk in God's will, He makes a way, He provides, and He moves in miraculous ways. I can't wait to see what He does next!