The dollar bill that grew

Planted money
S

oon after my husband was released from the hospital after having his first stroke, he was admitted to the Veterans Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. I was still living in Baton Rouge, trying to sell our home so that we could move to Tennessee. Finances were very tight; in fact, I hardly had any money at all. Everything I received went to pay bills.

One Sunday morning I pulled into the church parking lot, got out of my car, and walked to the sidewalk. Along the way, my eyes fell on a crumpled dollar bill on the ground. I reached down and picked it up. Because I had arrived late, I was alone in the parking lot.

I thought, I could put a dollar’s worth of gas into my car . . . I could buy a box of Kleenex. There were suddenly so many ways I could think of to spend this one dollar.

However, my church upbringing suddenly came into play. I had always been taught to give an offering. I said to myself, I guess God let me find this dollar bill so I would have something to give in the offering today. So that is what I did.

I needed the dollar bill I found, yet I gave it as an offering.

As the service ended, I began talking with some friends, answering questions about my husband and his progress. One individual came up to me and shook my hand, leaving a bill in my hand. I was so startled I didn’t have time to thank him as he quickly moved away. I put the bill in my purse and continued answering questions as I made my way out of the church.

When I got to my car, I looked at the bill. It was a hundred dollar bill! I could not believe my eyes! My dollar offering had grown into a hundred dollars what a miracle! Now I could buy the gasoline and Kleenex and many other things I needed.

I was very familiar with the words of Malachi 3:10: “Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” God had just proven Himself faithful to me! This incident was also a witness to my children if we are faithful to God, He will be faithful to us!

 

 

 

Nellie Keasling is editorial coordinator for the Church of God School of Ministry in Cleveland, Tennessee.