Poverty In My Life

I'm doing a personal study on poverty.


I just got a book called Make Poverty Personal: Taking Poverty as Seriously as the Bible the author identifies poverty as not having the means to live as God intends; when one is unable to live in 'shalom" and cannot without outside help.


As I have been reading this book I have also been praying for an experience with poverty, that I would personally experience it in my life. It's kind of like praying for patience as soon as the Lord begins to answer the prayer you beg for it to end:)


I had been planning a trip home to Georgia for my youngest sister's graduation. My boyfriend and I worked out our route and made plans to stop in North Carolina to see friends for a day. We packed my car and hit the road. Thirty minutes into our trip my car loses power. We were already two hours late leaving I hadn't planned on any delays. After thirty minutes of debate we turned the car around and headed to the auto shop. Two hours later we were given the diagnosis, it needed a new piece and a new timing belt. We were encouraged not to drive to Georgia. Sad day:(

So we packed all our stuff into Brian's car before dropping my car off back to the autoshop. The bad news was, Brian still needed an oil change. Our tab was getting bigger by the minute. We got to Jiffy Lube where we added some more time to our ever lengthening road trip. I cried out some woes to Brian about how I just wanted to be in Georgia and I just didn't know how I was going to afford more work on my car and a trip to Georgia! He responded, "Estie is there anything you have been praying about lately that might have something to do with our situation now?" He had to ask. "YES!" I exclaimed, "I've been praying that I'd experience poverty." Brian said he thought we should pray so there in Jiffy Lube we did. I prayed that God would meet all my financial needs and that if he wanted he could stop making me experience poverty. While my brilliant boyfriend began praying passionately that the Lord would make him experience poverty too! I slapped him in the arm, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" We can't afford to experience anymore, we get the point. 'Lord, he takes that back!'"

We laughed and embraced and decided to find joy in our taste of poverty.

I am discovering that poverty does not only affect you financially, but you can be impoverished in your spirit. Though it may sound strong, but I have used it multiple times to describe my heart to the Lord. I cry out to him, "Lord my heart is impoverished without you! I am stuck here if you don't move in my life." If I didn't have Jesus I would not be living even close to the shalom that I am in now.

Living out Covenant

I saw the sweetest thing yesterday. I was jogging on my school indoor trac when an elderly couple walked in. The husband balanced his wobbling wife a nearby bench where he helped her to sit down. The husband tightened her shoes and helped her stretch her legs and then they stood up to begin their first lap.

Working in the hospital you come to recognize a stroke victim by their sometimes slurred speech, one side of their face usually droops a bit and their mental status slower as they are less capable to comprehend often basic information. I gathered this was the case for this particular woman. Her left leg seemed more hesitant to move in rhythm with her right her and her smile was slightly slanted.

Her husband walked her to the inside lane of the trac and let go of her hand. She began walking with impressive speed for a stroke victim and her arms moved in rhythm with each determined step she took. The husband fell in step behind her. He watched her carefully, each step she took, and was ready to catch her if she fell. My eyes watered at this picture of love.

I imagined what it was like for them fourty or so years ago to commit to a lifetime together. I thought of their love story and thought about how many times they have looked into each others eyes full of love and acceptance. I wondered when she had her stroke and how so much beauty was injured, but realized the beauty that was birthed.

My heart was overwhelmed with love for this couple that lived up to the covenant they made with each other however many years ago at the alter. This man understood the meaning of his vows, "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall Live." I feel there are many couples that when a challenge to their marriage happens, be it a stroke, difference of opinion, repeating arguments, etc. the marriage just falls apart. I am grateful that this couple walked out their covenant on the trac and that I could witness it.