A Kingdom Assignment Follow-up Testimony

by guest blogger Becky Simon

"If you were at 1^st service on April 1^st, you heard Kesa Robinson’s testimony about her Kingdom Assignment.  I will give a recap for those who did not hear.  Kesa shared how God grew her $100 to meet the needs of the Church Under the Bridge.  The Church Under the Bridge (CUB) is exactly what it says, a church that meets under the Broadway Bridge on the Little Rock side.  The church meets rain, shine, sleet or snow every Sunday, and it has been doing so for almost 17 years.   It is a church for the homeless. 

Last year during Be the Church Sunday many Cornerstonians lives were changed after serving there.  Through that service, many have continued to minister by giving of their time, donating food items and serving lunch.   Cornerstone is now known at the CUB, as the 5^th Sunday Church.  In other words, if there is a month that has a 5^th Sunday; we donate and prepare the food for 80-125 homeless brothers and sisters.  Kesa is one of the faithful volunteers. 

She testified that when Barry gave her the $100 she didn’t think that God was calling her to share it with the CUB.  She was already serving there and thought that God may want her to share His gift elsewhere.   So she prayed, listened and waited and it turned out that God did have plans for her to share with the CUB. 

This is where my testimony begins.  As I was preparing for the 5^th Sunday of January for the CUB, I was busy collecting food items, menu planning and seeing to logistics.  However, God laid it on my heart to that I needed to collect blankets, scarves, socks and care packages for my homeless friends.  I called Brother Joe, the pastor at the CUB and asked him how many people they would be serving.  He said due to the cold, he expected around 80!  Okay, so we needed 80: 80 blankets, 80 scarves, 80 pairs of sock and 80 care packages – No PROB!

Well, friends, you came through in a big way.  I was overwhelmed with the generosity of my Cornerstone family.  Each Sunday, the number of items steadily increased: 40, 50, 60 etc.  Then, things tapered off.  Suddenly, the donations slowed and finally they stopped.  It was at this point that I realized how MUCH I was asking for.  Funny, I was just being obedient.  I didn’t even take into account that 80 was a LOT of scarves until I was stuck at 40.  I didn’t bat an eyelash that 80 was a lot of blankets until the numbers halted at 68.  I felt certain that I was being obedient to God.  I was sure that I was supposed to collect these items. 

So, I trusted. This rainbows and lollipops girl believed that somehow God would take care of it.  I didn’t know how, but I was sure that He would.  Perhaps that 5^th Sunday would be cold then less folks would come, whatever the case, I knew that God would provide.  He would meet the need.  Right?  

A few nights before the 5^th Sunday, I woke up in a panic.  I started to wonder what we would do.  How would we handle it if there weren’t enough?  What if we had to turn a family away?  Would I be able to look into someone’s face and say, “Sorry, you’ll have to be cold tonight, we ran out?”  At that moment I felt God urging me to pray.   I had been reading the book 1000 Gifts and in the book the author talks about giving thanks.

She talks about being thankful for everything, FOR all circumstances, no matter what.  The word that she talks a lot about is eucharisteo.  It's Greek and it means thanksgiving and the roots charis (grace) and chara (joy)!  Another thing that she emphasizes is that “eucharisteo (giving thanks) always precedes the miracle.” 

I knew why God woke me up.  He wanted me to pray.  He wanted me to give thanks.  He wanted me to acknowledge HIM!  So, I got up and I prayed over the blankets that I did have.  I hugged them and prayed that the brother or sister that received the blanket would know that they are wrapped in His love.  I prayed that as they covered themselves that they would believe that they are covered by grace.   I prayed that when they felt hungry they would also hunger for Him and when they were thirsty they would be thirsty for Living Water. 

Then, through tears I thanked God for the lack of blankets, I praised Him for the not enough.  I thanked Him for my dependence and for His sufficiency.  It was one of the most precious times of prayer I have ever experienced.  And then, I wrote one last email, asking for donations.  I needed 40 scarves and 22 blankets.

The next morning, I received the email from Kesa.  She had raised enough money to fill EVERY need, to almost the penny.  Every homeless person received a scarf, blanket, socks and a care package.  In fact, our volunteers brought more supplies that day, so there wasn’t just enough, there was EXTRA.  We were able to donate some!!  It was like the loaves and fishes.  I was overwhelmed by how He provided.  Thank you Kesa for listening, Barry for challenging, Cornerstone for giving and GOD for meeting all our needs!!  “Eucharisteo always precedes the miracle!” "

Thanks for sharing this amazing work of God Becky!  2 Cor 9:8 (NIV84) "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Who else has a Kingdom Assignment follow-up testimony? Leave it as a comment to this post and share!