Weird.

This picture has NOTHING to do with this post. Isn't that weird?

Speaking of weird, David and I are in a weird place in life. Weird, weird, weird. For one, my unemployed pilot husband spends his days calling people to ask them if we can meet to share about our call to France. "And by the way," he tells them, "We will be asking you to pray about joining our support team."

It is really a hard job, if one does not have a sales background; which David does not.

How does he do it? Very prayerfully. After all, times are tough. It is not like people have extra piles of money laying around right now. Yet, people continue to give. Not because they are rich. Not because they have more money than they know what to do with. Not because we are convincing or persuasive. Certainly NOT because they feel guilty or compelled. Nope.

Bottom line? People are giving because God is calling them to be a part of His kingdom-work in France. And they obey.

God delights in obedience. God blesses obedience. God uses obedience. God works through obedience.

And we are blessed. Not so much because people are helping us (which they are!) but because people are listening to God and engaging in His purposes. We are blessed because we know--WE KNOW--that God is faithful. Joining our support team just offers people one more way to experience His faithfulness. He is Jehovah Jireh--our Provider.

Certain that we are going to burst with gratitude for the supporters that God has raised up, we have recently received e-mails from some who are feeling called to INCREASE their current giving levels. Honestly. Have they checked their retirement portfolios? Don't they know how bad the economy is? Apparently, these things aren't their first concern. Weird. They know it all belongs to God and they know that He will provide for all their needs. They are out-doing each other in goodness and grace.

We will never ever be able to thank our supporters enough. It just isn't possible. But with heartfelt appreciation, every Sunday we pray for them. We pray for any specific, individual needs of which we are aware. And then we pray this:

"Lord, please send your blessing on those who are supporting us. We pray that they would feel your pleasure in their giving every bit as much as we feel your pleasure in our going."

People who give money away in the midst of a recession are weird. Every bit as weird as people who drop everything to become missionaries in France. Supporters, we love you for your weirdness--your crazy faith, your costly obedience, your passionate way of living for the kingdom of God. You givers inspire us, and we want to be more like you.

Tweet