Safety Net

"Come, follow me," Jesus said "and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:19-2

In 2008 God impressed on my heart that I should write about how I had organized the food pantry at our church so that more people would be fed physically and spiritually. As I wrote the basic text of the book, I could sense the presence of the Lord by my side guiding each step as I recalled how it had been done for His glory.

By May 2009, I knew that the information that God gave me needed to go out so that others would be encouraged to begin or revitalize food pantry ministries. As a first time author I also knew that I would probably need to choose a self publishing company that was reliable and had a good reputation. As I was seeking God, one publishing company kept popping up, so I put out a fleece and God definitely showed me that this was the path for me.

My husband and I are not rich by any means; in fact, my husband is on Social Security disability for the rest of his life due to having had a seizure in 2005, which was a result of having had radiation to the brain in 2001. We are retired military and I am now at home as a full time care-taker for my husband.

Our savings is limited but we did have enough to publish the book. My hesitation with God was "but what if" -- my husband was to get worse, or we need home repairs or one of us was in a car accident? What would we do Lord?

That is when God took me to Matthew 4:19-20. As I read verse 20, "they left their nets and followed him;" God spoke into my spirit, the disciples nets were their lively hood, their security, and their way of living. God was saying to me, you are looking at your savings as your safety net. Place the money at my feet and allow me to be your safety net.

God was teaching me that my security rests in Him, not my savings account. He wanted to be my soul provider just like He did so long ago for the disciples that left their nets to follow Him.

In June 2009, I placed the check in the mail to the publishing company and in February 2010 the book is complete. God has proven to be a faithful, rewarding, secure safety net that can be trusted beyond any savings account.

Heavenly Father, help me to constantly look to you for my security and not my surrounding circumstance. Thank you for being my safety net.

Marty Girardier