Sharing My Cheese and Crackers
3rd Service attendee and engineering student Emily Dressel shares a brief adventure in trusting God with her finances. Journey along with her through the months as she records—with humour and honesty—her experience of God’s gentle guidance.
December — the provider
Pressed for money and reviewing my budget, I realized I had to wait for student loans to arrive in January in order to pay the bills. But I shared my struggle, allowed others into the vulnerable place, and in the span of two weeks, God provided: “Here is a place that will save you $400/month rent, here is a job, here is someone to pay your sports fees, here is another person who is going to pay for your plane tickets to a tournament.”
This outpouring from God made me want to tithe on the income I would make at my job this semester.
March — the rejection, the need for control
I ended up leaving the tithing open-ended, telling God that I would give as the Spirit led me.
Then one Monday at CREO, I felt called to give $200 to pay for someone to attend CREO camp. It was my classic well-up-and-cry-quietly-as-the-Lord-is-talking-to-me sort of communication. I responded to God by saying, “Yeah… nope. That’s too much.”
But then, “If you're generous with little then you will be generous with much.” and “What’s your plate of cheese and crackers that you are unwilling to share?” reverberated in my soul. They were sayings, echoing from Pastor Ken’s sermon about God Our Provider.
April — the sushi date, the email, the unexpected gift
I was exhausted from the semester. Over sushi dinner with a friend, I shared that I still felt impressed to send someone to CREO camp—but I only had about $400 in my bank account. Yet I needed to get through April, and pay for a move to Whitehorse next month.
Withdrawing $200 was going to obliterate my security.
But after sushi, as we walked, we got close to a TD bank. My friend and I exchanged a look. Then a nod. My heart skipped a beat. So I acted.
I maxed my daily withdrawal amount, and took out the first $100. I would take out the second $100 the next day. The next morning, as I went to pay our utilities bill, I found that my income tax return had been deposited. I thought, ‘Thank you Jesus!'. I wouldn't have to feel financially stressed during final exams!
A few days later, I received an email from my summer employer: “Hi, Please accept your amended offer letter for Gov’t of Yukon. Your wage increased slightly.” The pay increase ended up exceeding the amount I had given!
To top it all off, my grandpa gifted me an unexpected $100, stunning me with even more generosity.
Today — the shared joy
My God is generous, and wants all of us to be provided for. The past few months have reiterated and confirmed over and over again his character as a provider.
In January, God had asked me, “When have you chosen me and been disappointed?”, and that statement still stands true today—and will continue to stand true.
In any intimate friendship, I know what my friends love, and what what makes them happy, joyful and excited. Sometimes we do things for the people we love—not because we love doing it in that specific moment, but because we dearly love them.
Jesus is a friend whom I love and trust, and has proven he can be trusted with anything and everything. He knows what I need, and what fills my heart up.
As time goes on, our hopes and desires will begin to align and we get to share the joy of giving to provide the means to impact lives, and be a part of something greater than ourselves. This is what I hope tithing can become for me: a way to share joy with my friend, my Creator.