Of Lilies, Inflation, and Formal Dresses. God Provides. (Like, actually)

Unless you literally live under a rock, you may have noticed inflation.

For example, I needed to repair my tomato cages, since they’re not as young as they once were. I’d heard the metal clamps to fix them were ten cents each. But, surprise, they are now over a dollar each.

With food, gasoline, housing, (and tomato cages!) being so expensive to get or maintain, many people’s standards of living are beginning to slide.
Sometimes, I’m tempted to worry about where that will lead.

“If I run out of money, what will happen?”

“What if there isn’t enough?”

“How do we figure this out?”

Of course, these fears have plagued humanity long before this particular round of inflation. We’re bound to face them someday, if we haven’t already.

When I feel scared, one thing that helps is remembering STORIES of what God has done for me in the past.

So here’s a little story for you.

In 2018, I started swing dancing. Unfortunately, my friends didn’t know how to dance, my brothers refused to dance, and dancing by myself is no fun.

My sister and I ended up teaching some neighbors and friends how to dance, but it was nothing fancy. I really wanted to attend a formal dance…maybe a prom or homecoming. But I was homeschooled, so I knew I could probably never go.

I was surprised how disappointing that was.

Then, a year or two after graduating, a friend invited me to a dance class for young adults. I ended up having a lot of fun. I decided to officially join the group.

And in the spring, there was going to be a formal.

The cherry on top: one of my guy friends was going to pick me up so we could go together.

I was thrilled.

The problem: finding a dress.

I wanted an A-line gown that wasn’t about to fall off. Apparently that style isn’t trendy, because, for the life of me, I couldn’t find one I liked. (Though I admit I’m picky.) Besides that, I didn’t want to blow $300 on a dress I’d wear one time.

I’m a difficult size to shop for, and dresses can be especially unforgiving. I needed to make sure it fit right. So I ordered a custom dress.

When it arrived…

It didn’t fit.

One evening, my mom spent over an hour looking at different dresses for me. I didn’t like any of them. At that point I got so frustrated, I didn’t want to look anymore.

Isn’t it amazing the things we stress ourselves over?

I got upset and said, “God, you said something like, ‘Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or drink or wear. If God clothes the lilies, how much more will he clothe you, o you of little faith?’ Please, God, help me find a dress.”

I’d always thought of that verse as meaning, if you have no clothes, God will give you something to wear. But technically, it could also mean, ‘if you need a different kind of clothes, he’ll provide it’.

That gave me hope. But as the days went by, I struggled to trust he’d pull through.

Oh well, I thought. I could just wear one of my less-than-formal dresses and try not to feel embarrassed. Whatever.

Then one day, my mom came into my room.

“Uh, Madi,” she said. “I know you said you didn’t like this one, but I put a really low offer in on it, and the person on eBay accepted it.”

Uh-oh.

“Just try it on.”

It was a navy blue, A-line gown with silver sequins on the bodice. Now that I could see it in person, it was a lot prettier than I’d thought.

And it fit. Not only that, but it had the best spin of any dress I’d ever worn.

It was perfect.

(If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, I also wore it to the most recent formal and posted a photo and video.)

My friend picked me up the day of the formal. The dance was at an old, quaint gym that looks like a barn. The atmosphere was beautiful, lights hung between the rafters, and everyone was dressed up. We did east coast swing, waltz, foxtrot, circle dances, contra dances, line dances, and more.

I was satisfied: I had been to a formal dance.

After the fact, I wondered why I’d been so worried about the dress. It’s easy to trust Jesus after something goes right. ‘Oh, sure, God provided. The Bible said he would, so he did!’

But in the moment of uncertainty, when there is no earthly sign that anything is going right, it takes a lot of courage to trust.

A man once told me, as I watched him train a horse, “Anybody can be pleasant when it’s peachy. But put them under pressure, and you’ll see what they’re made of.”

A verse says, “God tested them with lack, that he might see what was in their hearts.”

This experience put me under pressure and showed me what I was. I had a bad attitude when it got hard, because I got discouraged. I got discouraged because I didn’t trust God as much as I wanted to think I did.

God let me go without what I wanted for awhile, so that I would see that. Then he pulled through and saved the day—which boosted my TRUST in him.

I think that was the point. Anything he lets us go through is for a reason.

What if God had decided NOT to provide me with the fancy dress? He could do that. I could still attend the dance. Even if I missed the dance, it would be okay.

God is not on the hook to give me anything.

But he wanted to.

It says, “He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also along with him graciously give us all things?”

If he cared that much about giving me a dress, which I REALLY wanted but did not NEED, how much more will he meet our daily needs!

He’s miraculously provided me and my family with many things we needed, often at the last second. I have so many stories. But I wanted to share this one story to hopefully encourage you (and myself!) that we don’t need to be scared of lack.

As for inflation, I’m surprised to find I’m no longer afraid. Psalm 37 says (about the righteous), “In the days of famine, they have an abundance.”

He CAN give us anything we need: “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

And he not only CAN, but WILL: “If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?”

So what about us? What’s our part in this?

“You do not have because you do not ask.”

So, what do we need? Let’s ask, and ask big! He will provide.

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!”

What’s a time God provided for you? (I love these stories!!)