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If you haven’t noticed yet 2016 was all about obedience and patience for me. God really challenged me to turn some things over to him.

In January 2016, during my church’s New Year’s Revival, I was worshipping God as the choir sang, when I heard the Lord speak to me regarding my tithes. I was at the time only tithing on my net income and our pastor had just preached a sermon regarding tithes and offerings. God was following up to see if I was listening.

Move When God Says Move

God was telling me to trust him and tithe more. He spoke a very specific number to me. I heard the number and I just continued to worship. Later that week at work, I was trying to calculate how I was going to pay this increase of $214 every 2 weeks. Right that was my thought, “how much Lord?”

I just recently moved to the Washington DC area where the cost of living is no joke. I moved with the aspirations of advancing my career a.k.a. “get a promotion”. As I mentioned, I was tithing only on my net-income plus I was giving money to charity bi-weekly through our campaign at work. I thought I was doing good.

But my good wasn’t God’s way or best.

Now, I’m serious about my budget, I’m talking excel spreadsheets that are mapped 5 months in advance. So I started rearranging things trying to figure out how I was going to come up with this increase. Since I was giving to charity at work, the first week after God spoke to me I increased my tithes minus what I was giving to charity.

After I paid my initial increase, I had a nagging thought that I wasn’t being completely obedient. I proceeded to have a small talk with God in my mind, like “Lord, I’m giving to good organizations.” Then a small thought, similar to a gentle whisper going across my mind, said, “Google, is giving to charity tithing?” Ya’ll, the article was like NO and NO – I was like hold on Lord let me click another link. I knew I had to comply, so back to the spreadsheet I went to figure it out.

Well just my luck my pastor recently preached a message about releasing old stuff (Joshua 7:16-26). I had some designer purses that were given to me in a previous relationship, so I posted them online. As a result, I was able to pay off an outstanding loan freeing up the money needed to increase my tithes. Obedience milestone number one complete ✔️.

However, being the analytical person that I am, I needed to know why God gave me that number. My inner spirit said check the pay scale chart. I work for the federal government so our salaries are pretty much pre-calculated. I looked at the salary for the promotion I’ve been seeking and divided it by 26 (# of pay periods in a year) x 10% (my future tithes).  And wouldn’t you know, the number equaled what God gave me for my tithe to the dollar.

I knew at that moment God would promote me if I remained obedient and faithful. I had no idea when and no idea how but I knew it was His promise to me.

Sometimes you just have to be obedient because God is working on something in the background

All the while, I had been conducting presentations at work, expanding my network, and arranging informal interviews trying to shop for a new job with promotion potential.

I was working hard and applying, but nothing seemed to come of it. I often worked long hours since my job was in a high demand environment. Many days as soon as I got to my desk, with bags still in arms, someone from my team would call my name. I liked the work I was doing but the high stress environment was starting to take its toll.

A director in another program noticed my hard work. After one of my team’s many meetings, I provided some insight regarding some new recruitment initiatives that may benefit his office. He asked me to send him the details, which I did right along with my resume. Unfortunately, his team didn’t have any job openings.

Well in December, his office announced a position that was exactly what I was looking for. In the midst of preparing for grad school finals, graduation, and writing a major report for my agency; I mustered up enough energy and brainpower to spruce up my resume.

Not even two weeks later they called to offer me the job. No interview. Just an offer.

It was the Friday before Christmas, I was driving to have lunch with co-worker along with my mom and sister when my phone rang. The lady mentioned she was calling in reference to job number … and that I was selected. I thought I misheard her so I asked her to repeat it. She said, “Yes, they would like to offer you the position.” Trying to contain myself and all the joy I was feeling on the inside. I calmly said ok, she then stated she need to call me back so she could calculate my new salary.

When God Answers Long awaited prayers you praise him like nobody’s business 

As soon as I hung up the phone I started crying tears of joy, praising God to the point I had to take my glasses off. Let me just say, I can’t see a thing without my glasses – but with the tears of joy in my eyes, I didn’t need to see a thing. Let me also say that God is an on time God. I just graduated with my MBA and my student loans were coming due in January. The elation I was feeling was for a multitude of prayers answered with one blessing.

The recruiter called me back moments later to tell me about my salary. I was expecting to receive the salary I was tithing on nothing more, but the God we serve does exceedingly above all. She told me a number that was $6,000 above what I was expecting. I found myself asking the same question as when He gave me the tithe amount, “how much Lord?” Not only will I be able to afford my student loans but I will be able to save again. My God is so good. Great is our God.

During this period of increased tithing, not only did God bless me with a promotion but He also constantly provided cushions in my bank account. I was able to pay for my last three college courses cash. When my car needed a new radiator out the blue I had enough money in my checking account to the penny to pay the unexpected expense.

At the beginning of 2016, God asked me to be obedient with my finances, to make a sacrifice for a blessing I wanted, and trust him to cover me. I answered yes.  And in His perfect timing He provided for me each moment I need him.  God ultimately made good on his promise.

I mentioned several times about hearing God speak to me. If you want to learn more about hearing God’s voice, check out the video section of my resource page.

Are you ready to trust God with your finances? How have you seen God’s hand working in your finances? I would love to hear from you share your story or ask questions in the comments below.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”‭‭ Malachi‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭NASB