As a small business owner, this season of maneuvering new regulations to remain open during COVID-19 has been a challenge to say the least.  As a result of keeping up with new licensing guidelines, our overhead has more than doubled.  I was thankful when I learned that the government would be helping small businesses during this difficult time.  While I completely trust that God is in control of every part of my life, I know that He also has a myriad of ways that He blesses and provides for us.  In this case, I knew one way I could receive help would be through a Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) loan.

Upon learning about the PPP I prayed, and I was proactive in setting up an appointment with my bank prior to the application date.  At that time, the banks were uncertain about many things and said they were unable to help.  On the day of the launch of the PPP program, my bank decided they would only help companies that they had previously helped, and because of the chaos, no other banks would help me either.  Although I was disheartened by the process, I shared it with Dad, and was assured that He knew what was going on and was taking care of it.  The first round of money came and went, and I was left without any financial help through the PPP.  Upon learning that some companies received $20,000,000 each, I grew frustrated, but I knew that the Lord was in charge and I needed to keep surrendering it to Him.  I wondered why He would not just do it the easy way and then we could move on, but I said, “Lord, I trust You in all things, although it would be really nice if we could do things the easy way sometimes.  Just every now and then.”

After the first wave of loans came and went, the SBA received more funds and was ready to assist more small businesses that didn’t receive help in the first round.  A couple of weeks into the second round, I finally received a PPP loan.  Now why, you may ask, would God have me wait until the second round?  Upon receiving the funds, which came with stipulations, I realized that during the time of the first round of loans, our preschool had very few children attending.  We also had staff members that had not been working and our payroll was lower than usual.  At the time that we did receive the funds, more children had returned to school and our teachers were working full-time again.  Therefore, this was the time that we needed the PPP.  God gives us opportunities to use our faith muscles and show that we believe that He is going to do it and live it out in that manner.  We can act like spoiled brats (and I have done that many times), or we can walk in confidence (aka “Godfidence”) that God is in charge and will take care of us every single time.

You may say, well, many people received a PPP loan so that isn’t a spectacular event.  In reality, our school could have been closed down when we lost our lease years ago.  I’ll share more about that later.  I know that every single day that we are open it is because He allows it.

What are you hoping for that hasn’t happened?  Are you having a hard time believing for it?

What have you been worried about?  I would imagine it’s easy to think of things to worry about.  Worry is not faith.  But that thing that is bothering you, walk it through so you can get it out of your mind.  Let’s say that you are worried about your job.  If you lose your job, what is the worst thing that can happen?  If that “worst thing” happens, will God still provide for you? Feed you?  Give you everything that you need?  My life experiences tell me that the answer is yes!!  Talk it through with God.  What is He telling you about it?  Are you listening?  I know that I do not like walking the hard things out time and time again, but God has always been faithful to me in each situation and He will do it for you.  This is an opportunity to grow those faith muscles.

Do you think He answers at the same speed that you answer Him?  How many times has God let you down?  I made a list all the times that He let me down.  It’s on a blank piece of paper.  Even the entire reem of paper.  The answer is NEVER.  His answers don’t always (actually close to never) look the way we think they will; they are better.  Do you make a list of the times that He has been faithful to you?  This year I started a new journal.  Each day I write 1-2 sentences in it about what God did for me on that day.  At the end of the year I will go back and read about His goodness towards me for the past 365 days.  Most of the things He has done I will have already forgotten by then, but since I am writing them down I will be able to hear about them again.  Are you writing down the things that He does for you to help you remember His goodness towards you each day?

God wants us to trust Him.  To exercise those faith muscles.  When we worry we are telling Him, and others, that we do not trust Him.  Philippians 4:6 (NLT) says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”  God DOES NOT disappoint!  It doesn’t ever look the way I think it will; thank God it’s always so much better.  I can easily give 1,000 more examples.  At the end of the year I will reflect on the last 365.

I can remember a few years ago when we lost the lease to the building that we were in. Our lease ended and a large company was taking over the whole building.  Everyone that was still in the building had to leave when their lease expired.  This was a very difficult season to walk through.  For the first time, the possibility of losing my school became a reality.  There were many times when I just cried because of the difficulty of the situation.  However, in every moment I knew that He was going to be faithful.  I just was not sure how it was going to look.  I remember needing a large amount of money to move to a new location.  I did not have this money.  After meeting with the new landlord, I asked God how this was going to happen.  As I made my way back to my old office, I cried out to God and told Him how I felt.  When I walked into my office and sat at my desk, I saw an envelope.  Inside the envelope was a card that said, “We feel that we are supposed to give you our tithing for the month.  We only ask that you not tell anyone that it was us.”  Inside was a check for the full amount that I needed.  I know this sounds like a crazy story, but I challenge you to give God a chance to show you that He will do this for you and so much more.  Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”  Give it a try.  I don’t just run to Him when I need something, but I run to Him all of the time; because I want to.  He honors those who honor Him.  (1 Samuel 2:30.)

If you’re feeling disappointed in something, talk to Him about it.  If you’re frustrated, talk to Him about it.  Do you believe that He’s listening?  Then why don’t you tell Him everything?  Don’t be like some teenagers that think they don’t need to talk to their parents.  Just like other parents, God wants to hear from His kids.  Did you know that it is His desire to give us the kingdom?  Luke 12:32 (NKJV) says, “Do not fear, little flock, for it’s your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”  It doesn’t say part of the kingdom.  It says “the kingdom.”  All of it.  Do you want it?  Do you trust Him to give it to you?  Do you wait on Him?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”  (Romans 10:17 NKJV.)  If you want more faith, then you have to be in the Word of God.  If you are worrying, it is because you are not exercising those faith muscles.  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV.)  God’s Word is incredible.  He wants to give us the kingdom AND He rewards those who diligently seek Him.  Have you been seeking Him?  How can you be more diligent in seeking Him?

God has given us everything we need to walk in kingdom authority.  Now it’s up to us whether or not we choose it.  Do you choose to walk in it or outside of it?  It’s your choice.  He gives us everything that we need.  Trust Him with the process.  Partner with Him.  It’s up to us to walk in it and pursue it.  He is faithful to respond.  He does not force Himself on us.  Your commitment decides your levels of trust, faith and peace.  Only you can decide which levels you will pursue.  You are accountable for you.

Recently my sweet friends and I went to the beach to see the beautiful bioluminescence. We didn’t know which waves would light up in blue so we couldn’t take our eyes off of the water.  We didn’t want to miss any of it.  I kept my eyes on the water, my video camera in hand, and my hand on the start button so I wouldn’t miss anything.  Are we like that with God?  Do we keep our eyes on Him, with expectation, ready and waiting for His every move?  Or do we expect Him to constantly try to get our attention?

Ways to grow your faith:

1. Have a mentor.  Someone to call and pray with.  Have someone on your team to support and encourage you.  Build faith through fellowship.

2. What are you feeding your brain?  Speak life, not death.

3. Memorize these scriptures.  Make them daily declarations!

This is a great daily declaration:  “It is my Father’s good pleasure to give me the kingdom.  I will not worry about anything; instead, I will pray about everything.  I will tell God what I need and thank Him for all He has done for me.”

You might say, well I’ll start tomorrow.  We say we will start tomorrow and then when the alarm goes off, we say “I will start tomorrow.”  Do you want the first voice you hear in the morning to be from the enemy?  Start today.  Start right now.

You have heard it said that we are to steward our time, talent and treasure.  However, God is calling us to steward our faith as well.  I challenge you to take inventory of your faith.  Are you stewarding faith well?  Will He say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant?”