WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE RECEIVE OF HIM

Jesus told us that if we ask believing, he will provide. (1 John 3:22).

Our Bible bookstore and print shop had been suffering repeated burglaries. The ceiling had fallen in. Torrential rains had flooded it when street drainage was upset by road construction. And worst of all, it was being outgrown. In it’s favor, it was ideally situated and getting to be well known. We knew we were on the right track in providing it. Income was just covering expenses.

Just at that stage, a church complex, in not such a good location, but offering every thing else the rented shop had failed to offer, was placed on the market. I asked another missionary friend if he would go look at it with me and offer his advice. Keep in mind that we had not a cent to spare between us, but we looked together and came to just opposite conclusions. This building had a chapel that could seat probably 200, was fully furnished, on a corner site two blocks from a shopping community, and was in good condition. There was even a baptistery with dressing rooms, a cry room and a small office. The attached hall was larger, but not yet completed and had a half basement under the stage and kitchen. Upstairs there were fourteen small classrooms. The big drawback was the price and there would be the need to complete the building as there was not one toilet of any sort in that hall, even with all those classrooms. This was a prayer project and a test! Even my wife sided with our missionary friend.

I had been urgently praying in the smaller shop about our need. Now I became much more specific in my requests. The response was that the building was taken off the market. I still prayed, and a year later it was placed on the market again, but greatly reduced in price. I thought of selling our home to get a down payment, but that was not what our Lord had in mind at all. Just as I started praying again, almost immediately an estate became available. I made an offer, and it was accepted. It paid for the building, and the alterations so we ended up with two upstairs baths, a laundry, and a half-bath in the shop. The bookstore and print shop were spacious, and secure, but to just make sure, we added security gates, steel fenced, covered parking for two vehicles, and an upstairs apartment for ourselves. We did sell our home but only so that we could live over the shop and have the added security of a resident caretaker. That was good as repeated attempts were later made to steal our car and other vehicles were vandalized or stolen from our parking area.

Praise is to God who provided what everyone thought was out of the question, and beyond what we could ever have expected. God is truly great!