I needed to go to the laundromat. The women’s community house still needed a washer and dryer, so the plan for Saturday was a simple one: relax,and then at some point, go to the laundromat. My roommate Erin and I loaded up her vehicle with laundry and headed out. We didn’t get too far down the road when I noticed a garage sale sign. Lately, garage sales are something that we have a special radar for. We have been searching for a good deal on a washer and dryer, a dining room table, and a lawn mower for a while now and are developing a special ability to find those deeply hidden garage sales that seem to be tucked in the back of the suburbs or at the end of long dirt roads.
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From the road, this sale didn’t look like anything special, but we decided to stop anyway. We got out, looked over the goods fairly quickly, and were ready to return to the car when the man hosting the garage sale asked “Is there anything that you girls are looking for?”
I don’t know how many times I have been asked this question in my life, but I know that more often than not, I respond with “I am just looking.” It seems this phrase has become a nicety that Ilearned to say over the years. I came to believe if you told someone you were looking for something that they were not selling, then pointing out that they didn't have it was somehow rude. It’s rude to ask for something that you think can’t be offered, right? Lately, however I’vebeen learning that this is not completely true. I’m learning that you can’t make the assumption that just because you can't see it, doesn’t mean it’s not available. And I am learning that it's not rude to let your needs be known. But it can be a bit uncomfortable.
And this lesson is not just for garage sales, it's something that I am learning as I raise support as well: If you don’t let people know your need, they can’t meet your need. People can’t helpyou in the areas you need help if they are unaware. This is a hard lesson for me as I generally don’t like asking for help and that those who regularly asked for help with their needs, were rightfully described as being “needy.” I am learning,we are all needy. As the Body of Christ, it was intended that we would depend on one another.
The Lord is teaching me, in all kinds of ways, to be bold about letting my needs be known.
I have been learning from a friend of mine at AIM that when you keep your walls up and don’t invite others into the areas where you need help, you might actually be robbing them of the joy of ministering to you. This is mind blowing to me, as I am generally not trying to create opportunities for others to minister to me, but then I realize, if it’s a JOY for me to serve others, would it not be a joy for them to be able to minister to me? It would not be fair to rob them of this joy.
I am learning a lot about letting my needs be known. So, when this man asked me “Is there anything that you are looking for?” this time I said, “Yes. I am actually looking for a dining room table. I don’t seem to see one here though.”
In the back of my mind I thought, “Was that incredibly rude? They clearly don’t have one. I just pointed out that they don’t have what I am looking for.”
At that moment, there was a woman standing there at the sale, who seemed to be a friend of the owner. She was looking over the table of knick-knacks and turned to me to say, in a beautiful southern accent, “oh, you are looking for an eatin’ table?”
Well, yes, you might say that. “Yes, I am looking for a table to eat at.”
She then said, “I know that we don’t have any here, but just down the road a few miles, on this same road, there’s another sale. They are probably selling half a dozen eatin’ tables there.”
She told us it was just down the road, in the opposite direction of town. We would never have seen the garage sale with the “eatin’” tables had I not mentioned what I was looking for. We would still be having community dinner sitting in a circle on the hardwood floor. But instead, letting others in and letting them know what we were looking for helped us find exactly what we needed.
What about yourself? Is there anythingyou need? Have you let others people know? Why or why not? What keeps you from asking or letting others know?
For me, I often struggle with asking for people for financial support in my ministry. I don’t want to be needy. I don’t want to be a burden. And sometimes I feel unworthy.
But all of these things are lies. Fear keeps us from boldly asking for help. And this doesn't apply just to asking for help from others. We sometimes don't let God in either. We won't let Him take care of our needs because we believe we have everything in control. He tells us however, "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Is there anything you need to boldy ask God?
It's my hope that if you have a need in your life that you would let it be known. I pray that you have the confidence and the boldness to ask. Believe it or not, there might be someone who is waiting to help. Don't steal that joy from them.
What a great story! I’m so glad to have you in my life and to occasionally share an eatin’ table. Thanks for challenging and reminding us to ask boldly for anything.
Thanks for this update Julie! It was an encouragement and I’m glad you got yourself an eatin’ table! Blessings- rody
Eatin’ tables with a very Perry story to tell…encouragement in unlikely places – that God loves us very much.
Thank you!
I just love those moments where you know that God is in it and people’s paths cross for specific reasons. In reality and in the spiritual dimension, it’s happening all the time. Like you said, we just don’t speak out. This reminds me Of when Andy bought his truck. It had big fancy rims & tires that he took off & paid to put simple ones on. We were in traffic on our way to see if we could sell them somewhere ?? I noticed a truck like ours in the other lane and shouted out, “Do you guys need any big tires?”. They acted as though they might be interested just as the traffic moved them about 5 cars ahead. I jumped out.& ran between the cars to give them our phone #. They called, we pulled off the road together & they seriously discussed it; wife stayed in the car. They had driven from a nearby STATE to look for those very same tire/rims. Politely saying no, they drove away. I told Andy that was a God appointment and they missed the mark. They would not have found a better deal on almost new tires/rims. Almost immediately after I said that, they called back and said they wanted the tires. The man & his son met us again down the road and paid us the cash they brought with them just for this very purpose. When Andy asked why they changed their minds: “As soon as we got back in the car, my wife said ‘That was a God appointment & we better buy those tires’ “. We were all believers from different states in search of something that each other needed, and I shouted out the window like the crazy person that I am! Thanks for reminding me about this with your story & renewing my faith today. Bless you, girl!
Oh and I forgot to say, you write beautifully!!!