I lost everything.

In a matter of a few months, I lost my job, my apartment, and my car completely broke down. My three children and I were effectively homeless. In the midst of this, I had also committed to a two-week-long mission trip on the other side of the world. Not only that, but a dear friend had passed away. She was the leader of the Love God Greatly Spanish Branch. It not only left a hole in my heart to lose my friend, but I was suddenly responsible for keeping a large ministry going.

I sent my kids to their grandmother’s house and boarded a plane from Australia to Mexico for our Love God Greatly Spanish Conference.

While I was away, my kids had to stay with multiple friends as their grandmother ended up in the hospital. I came home to more of a mess than I had left. Even though I was deeply concerned and afraid and uncertain about our future, I was confident God would provide. I believed He had a plan and a purpose in all we were experiencing.

Throughout this time, my church community came alongside my children and me and gave us incredible support, both in meeting our needs and in being voices of encouragement and faith for us. I was praying for God to meet our biggest needs: first for a car, then a house, and finally, a new job for me.

As I began to look for a car, the only options I could afford were what we in Australia call “bombs.” I needed a car, but what was within my means was not something that would be reliable or that would last more than a few months. One day at church a friend told me, “You know, God can give you a car! He can do it!” I wrote off what she said thinking, “Yeah, but He’s not going to do that for me.”

Within the week a friend approached me having heard of my need. He gave me a car. Just like that! And this was a nice car, not a “bomb.” Even in my unbelief, God provided more than I could ask or imagine.

My faith was still shaky, but I was able to trust God more after seeing Him provide my family with a car. A few weeks later, after spending months living with friends and relatives, a sweet landlord trusted us with her house. Many of my friends from church had been references for me, and this woman was gracious enough to lease us her house. We had a house! Finally, after months of inconsistency, my children and I had some stability.

Even more, God provided me with a new job. He provided in ways only He can provide, working wonders behind the scenes when I could not see them. His faithfulness exceeds our expectations every time.

While it was not always easy to have faith, I had a community around me believing for me when I couldn’t. When my faith faltered, my community carried me, trusting and believing in my unbelief. Ephesians 3:20 came alive for me during this time, reminding me how much my Heavenly Father cares for me and longs to exceed my wildest expectations.

“Now to him who by the power that is working within us is able to do far beyond all that we ask or think, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

Australia

Melissa Fuller

Melissa loves God’s Word and is committed to helping women fall in love with Scripture (and its author!). She has a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary and served as the general editor of the NET Love God Greatly Bible and the managing editor of the CSB She Reads Truth Bible and the CSB (in)courage Devotional Bible. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA, loves running and hiking and is currently pursuing her goal of visiting all the National Parks in the US!