Spoiled by God

I was going through my closet today to put my shirts in color order. (that is about the only thing I really like organized other than that I am a mess freak Poor Joel) Any way I counted 16 shirts that I wear to look nice. 16!!!! Now to some of you you might think that is NOT a lot but if you truly think about it I wouldn't have to look the same twice in two weeks but by choice. And I am not even counting the shirts I wear for work or shirts I wear for pajamas. AND I have 3 cute jackets/coats and lots of cute shoes. NOT counting my work coat and shoes.

And yesterday I went on a date with God for lunch. It was my day off and in the morning God asked me to go on a date with him. So on our way to my favorite restaurant RED ROBIN to go on my dates with God I passed by a JC Penny's and God said after lunch I want to take you shopping for anything you want. "AnyTHING?" I thought. At first I was really apprehensive like God you know how much money is in our account and it really isn't the time to go shopping and I don't NEED anything. But He persisted and I knew that it was Trust issue. To trust Him with our finances. Because for me I would never ever buy any clothes at this moment in my life for a lot of reasons. A LOT!!! But after a wonderful lunch with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit I drove to JC Penny's and on my way there God kept saying "Get what ever you want. I want you to get what you WANT." Because I sure didn't need anything. I said just as I pulled up to park "I don't know what I want." He said "You will" And as soon as I stepped in the door I saw what I had been wanting in the back of my mind. I had thought about it a few days ago but pushed it out of my mind because of finances and knowing I had a lot in my closet. But what I saw was dresses for Easter. I had wanted a new Easter dress. And then I knew God wanted to bless me.

I tried on 10 and none worked they were either too short for my comfort or too showing in the cleavage range. I am very picky when it comes to modesty. God wired/created guys way different than girls. One time a group of guys told a group of us a girls when I was at Friend Ships (www.friendships.org) if we could be more careful what we wear so not to show any cleavage, midriff, and too much leg. From then on it was in my heart to always watch out for my brothers. It it is hard because so much clothes have at least one of those three if not all but it is worth it. SO then I tried on about 10 to 12 more and found one that was so wonderful. I am really excited to wear it and it was 50% off.

So any way I am saying all of this because one Joel and I do not make any money. We do not have a job that pays we rely solely on GOd. And Guess what he takes care of us above and beyond anything we could hope or imagine. Most the clothes in my closet someone happen to want to take me shopping one day and said buy as much and what ever you want. Then we have food food food over flowing. Do not have room enough to hold it all. We have totes and totes of food in the garage and freezers full and a fridge full. All our bills get paid. We FILL our car up with gas. Did you get that FILL the car not just 5 dollar not just 10 but all the way full.

God spoils not just with our needs but our wants. We are so blessed materially.

So I will leave you with this the point and motto of this whole entry:

"And this same God that takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:19

Out of Thin air :)

God can do whatever He wants to do when ever He wants to do it. He is God!!! He blows my mind.

It has been a tight month for personal finances. I am not saying this to say "Oh poor Joel, oh poor Dess" I am leading up to something so follow me. As I was saying things with finances have been tight. Not out of impulse buying by any means but out of obedience to God. There are things we need to buy because of our church and there are people that God has put on our hearts to help with straight finances or buy things for. Also it just so happen at the same time that we needed our every two year physical for our truckers license, not cheap by any means.

I have a balance in our bank account that I call ground zero where I have a certain balance that I like to keep at all times and if we pass it then we have over spent. It has not gone under that balance until now and again not because of impulse buying because we would have put a lid on that thing but out of sheer obedience to God, and needs. It started to worry me a little BUT I had to give it to God and say "You know our bank account and the exact dollar, you know what we will need in the future (gas, bills etc)"

We go to the mail 3 times a week Mon, Wed, and Fri. I had mentioned to Joel during the week that we were a bit low on our finances (I take care of our person finances he takes care of Supplying Needs finances) So on Thursday Joel went and picked up a donation and on the way home decided he would stop at the mail and see what God had up his sleeve. Turns out we got two letters in the mail that helped us out!!! Yeah God.

Then on Sunday our church had a 4pm service to celebrate 16 years!!! I had put my purse down under some ones seat because it was packed with people and I was running around for most of it. When service was over I grabbed my keys from a side pocket and felt something weird. I pulled it out and it was a thick folded thing of cash. AT first I thought I had left it there and forgot about it but when I went through it to see how much I saw two big bills. I sat there stunned and then terrified. "What if some one had thought it was their purse and put there money there." But then I thought "No that is silly my purse is very unique with the material of a down feather jacket." I sat there and went through the whole thing in my mind. "God we didn't tell any one how much in need we were in, only you truly knew. YOu saw our need and helped us. Did you do it out of thin air I mean you did make the earth out of nothing or did you send some one." Either way seemed just as crazy of an option. "And how did they know what pocket to put it in. God you have increased my faith tremendously just by helping us with out evening us breathing a word"

I just sat there. Several people came by and asked if I was okay. I guess I was concentrating pretty hard.

God truly is a God of detail. We gave a food box to someone and a day or two later they asked if we had their grocery list because everything they would have gone to the grocery store for was in the box. Another day last week we drove to a church to give food, the secretary we know and love came out to greet us said "how did you know we were in need" We shrugged and said "We didn't but God did and sent us!!" :)

I am seeing this over and over and over again God taking care of those who cry out to Him. He knows our needs, He knows how much we need, and what we need, and when we need it. We don't even have to breath a word to any one else because God knows and hears you. I am learning this more and more.

I am blown away by God and his love for me and everyone else. He truly does love us and want to take care of us.

God's love is bright and warm against all cold and bitterness!!!

Internet and Facebook

So the internet at the house works but it won't let us connect. So on our laptop, computer, and ipod we can't get the internet. So I am at the library trying to figure out paperwork for Supplying Needs. Very frustrating.

Also I was listening to the radio last week and it was talking about lent. I have never done lent in my life!!! The only thing I remember about lent is it is a catholic tradition (I think) and my Dad said for lent he is not smoking which my reply was always "But Dad you don't smoke" "Exactly why not give it up for lent then." was his reply. Any way on the radio the DJs were talking about what lent truly entails about giving up something that maybe more important to you than God. That really struck me and the first thing that came to my mind was Facebook. OH Facebook Facebook Facebook. I thought naw I don't want to give that up and I am not that addicted (ha) but the idea kept pestering me and I had peace about giving it up. Took me two days but finally on Monday I decided I would truly give it up for 40 days. OH my goodness I feel I am going crazy. It is really hard plus I never knew I was that "addicted" to it.

So if you don't see me on facebook for awhile and I haven't replied to you, YOU KNOW WHY.

:)
Dess

Ps with a lack of facebook I might actually be writing on this more!!! Hahahaha

RENO and GOD

Yeah crazy Title but they actually go hand in hand with this story.

My sister randomly texted on Friday saying she had a question for me and that she was in RENO. RENO did she not know that was only 3 hours away. I told her and she said we should come and see her NOW. So joel and I prayed and felt peace about going. We rearranged our schedule and left Saturday late afternoon and arrived at 7ish.

We spent the next day ALL day at Forrest bowling tournament, HENCE why were in RENO! Forrest and his family bowled 5 games then we went to another bowling alley where he bowled a 40 frame game. Which all of us thought was the coolest thing because every frame had a different challenge and obstacle. Like Sour grape frame which is you either get a strike or for each pin you miss you get -2. Bonus which is If you get a strike you get 10 extra points. Or Mulligan which is you get one free start over. It was so fun. We all loved watching it and Forrest and His Cousin loved playing it. They are bowling fools.

That evening we said good bye to everyone because they were getting up at 6 to have breakfast and then drive 14 hours to get home. But at 5:45am the Lord woke me up. I thought I just had to go to the bathroom but turns out He wanted me to go see my sister for breakfast. Him and I argued over it a bit. GUESS WHO ONE. YEP GOD!!! I went down and Surprised my sister. She was happy. But in the middle of breakfast I saw a man come into the restaurant that I had briefly talked to the night before. He was an older gentleman from 60-70 years of age. I felt the Lord all over this one, indicating He wanted me to talk to the gentleman after everyone had breakfast. I thought it would be brief a "good morning" "how are you" but it was anything but. I didn't even say good bye to my sister because I thought it would be brief. LOL Poor sister. She came back later and hugged me.

We started talking about, of course we got on, the subject of God. We talked a lot about God and twice he said stop you are making me feel bad. I just smiled and said I can't make you feel or think anything I am just sharing about my life and what God has done and what He has taught me. He said you are just trying to change me. Which I thought was hilarious because I wasn't trying to at all. I have learned and the Lord has made it loud and clear I Dess Butler can not change any one or save the world I can just share what God does in my life and it is up to the other person whether they let God in or not. We both had a wonderful time. He wasn't mad at all and enjoyed himself a lot. I guess I gave him a lot to think about.

I almost believe that God set that whole trip up just so God could pour his love on that man through me. I really believe that God cared enough about that man and where he is at to send me to share a little bit about my life and story of How God changed me and made me who I am today.

I am just in awe of God and all that He does to show His love for us.
Amazed,
Dess

PS We brought our camera but forgot batteries. Can you believe it. So disappointed. So much cool things to take a picture of!!! :( Maybe another time. lol

Supplying Needs Pictures Plus Dad & Mom Wendle

My (Dess) parents came for 3 nights. We were a pit stop on their way to Hawaii. And my thought was we were going to have a nice quiet time with them since January was so quiet for Supplying Needs. But that did not happen. Both full days they were here we were running around picking up and dropping off food. Which they said they loved because they got a taste of what we did. YEAH!!! Mom took some pictures which we are very excited about because we never have our camera with us and there is only Joel and I and we need all hands on deck to do the work. SO enjoy some of my parents as well as action photos of Supplying Needs.

Dad Loading up Canned Goods for a church.

Pastor Joshua excited about receiving food!!!!

Posing for the camera
Getting loaded up with Yogurt
After we load the groups up with food we pray for them.

Joel Stacking some Greens.

Joel on the phone with another group to see if they want any food we have.

Awww Joel and Mom Wendle

Awww Me and my Dad!!!

Revelation (Not the book)

I had the most interesting revelation today that I can't help but share. I was going over in my head how blessed I feel with a list of all the things that have been happening to Joel and I personally.

1) Joel just got a super nice nice 4 burner barbecue with a one stove burner on one side and a sink on the other side for 15 dollars through craigslist. No propane tank but when we talked to Dad and Mom Mountejoy Dad had four and gave one to Joel. And the guy that Joel bought the barbecue from said he had several emails from people wanting the barbecue but no one came to pick it up. Thanks God!!!

2) Had a weekend get away for two nights in a nice nice hotel that we got for half the price through priceline.com

3) There are times when it is really really really tight with money. Like I know I shouldn't worry because God knows what we need and how much we need in our account but I still tend to put my fist around our money and try to hold on but God always reminds me to have an open hand policy. Any way getting off the subject I feel actually like we have above and beyond what we could want. Which is really awesome and puts me in awe of God.

4) I was looking down at my outfit today as I was going through the list of blessings Joel and I have been receiving and noticed that I had on brand new boots bought by Mom Mountjoy the day before, pants and a tank top undershirt that was given to me by God through a donation, my shirt and beautiful coach was bought by my friend named Theresa and my scarf was from Mom Mountjoy for Christmas. I felt spoiled to say the least.

I later told Joel about my counting my blessing list and how we had everything we need and I almost said EVERYTHING we want but stopped myself. And then started to ramble off to Joel that I had four wants but ONLY God could provide for those four wants!!!

Joel started to Guess
1) Warehouse
2) Dog
3) He wasn't so sure about. I told him it was a place of our own. And said I would love to live at the warehouse but not ever warehouse house has accomidations for living and I am not counting on it. So it is still on my list to have our own place.

yeah I said Four but Joel didn't answer and I am not about to tell ya. LOL hehehe YOu can make your own guessing game for that.

Any way Then I started to think these past two years in Stockton (yeah crazy or what Two years at the end of march. ANY WAY) So for the past two years in STockton the times I would throw a tantrum with God was mainly over these 4 things. Mostly a warehouse, food for people, and a place to live. That God had taken care of all our needs in the most amazing way and maybe I should stop and realize that God knows what we need when we need it and I need to stop throwing fits or getting distracted over wants.

That was my revelation today. Pray for me so I can remain focused on what God is doing and that our NEEDS ARE supplied. And God did promise me one day that when we NEEDED a warehouse He WOULD provide one. The warehouse is just a want at this point.

So thanks for bearing with me through that. I thought it was a pretty interesting revelation.

Love all ya'll,
Dess

And This Same God who takes care of me will Supply all your Needs according to His glorious riches which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

For Real? 2010 Gone??? But Where

Yeah it is so true 2010 came an left already. Where did the time go. For the past few years i have been posting the high lights of Joel's and my adventure. Just didn't do it this year. SO I guess I will be a little later. Bare with me but enjoy.

Mid Jan- Grocery Store had a fire and they gave us all the food in the grocery store which turned out to be over 25,000 dollars worth of food. And Supplying Needs first big donation.

Feb- Started Adopt-a-Block Minsitries at our church. Where we adopted 1 apartment complex and knock on 40 doors every saturday to meet a need, build a relationship, and share the love of Christ.

March- Dess went to belize and met the most wonderful couple in the world Jervis and Melissa who started a christain orphange there. And I met some other awesome folks as well.

April-August- Received off and on Wholesale donations

June- Visisted the Wendle Family for 2 weeks in Washington/Idaho.

July- Celebrated 6 years of wonderful marriage

September - a Grocery store started donating to us 6 days a week. Oh yeah. Thank you Jesus

Oct-Went to LA to visit some friends and Friend Ships

Sept-Dec - recieved a ton of donations and ended the year with God providing over 200,000 dollars worth of food, clothes, and buidling supplies.

Crazy what God can do in a year. Thanks for swinging by for a looky. Stay tuned to a Joel and Dess near you to see what God will do next in the world of Supplying Needs.

Love love love all ya'll,
Dess