We’re Going Anyway

Prioritizing family sometimes looks like taking family vacations. 

Who doesn’t look forward to family vacations? In seasons where money wasn’t an issue, we would take nice trips with hotel stays and amusement parks. Then when money was tight, we didn’t stop going on vacations, we just took different ones.

You know, the kind where you stay with family and find things to do in the town you grew up in? Yes, we’ve done those and have purposed to make them adventurous.

Our Prioritizing Family Story 

One summer we were all set to go. We planned a trip to the beach, movies, and time to just hang with the family. Low key, but most importantly, focused on the family.

Well a few days before we were scheduled to leave, our paycheck was short $800. Of course, there was an explanation for it, but the reality was without that $800, we would be short on our mortgage payment. Consequently, going on vacation just didn’t seem like the wise thing to do.

Instead of making a hasty decision, we prayed about it. We petitioned the Lord to confirm in our hearts if we were to stay or go. During our financial struggle, it became a habit for us to seek God about every penny we spent.

However, we also learned and purposed to live by the priorities of God, since prioritizing family time became a priority for us. We may not have gone on expensive vacations, but the ones we took, were intentional – spending quality time with each other.

Not too mention, those vacations in particular, have shown our children just how good God is to provide even in our hardship.

Trusting God 

Well this particular time, we were really unsure about what to do. It just wasn’t peaceful to leave spending money on gas, and miscellaneous expenses, when we knew our mortgage needed to be paid. As we sought God, He confirmed in our hearts to prioritize our family time and trust Him.

So we did, we went anyway!

Please don’t misunderstand, we are not the type to spend irresponsibly. In fact, the reason we had such peace going anyway is because of the confession we stood on daily which we wrote about in our Family Confession Blog.

We only spent what was originally allocated, and then we trusted God to work out the rest.

The Reward For Prioritizing Family

We went on vacation with our kids; we spent time with our family and had a great time! The last day on our trip we went to church and in service, God really touched Andre’s heart.

Andre began to break down, just crying out to God. He felt as if God told him, “let go, I have you covered.”

Later that afternoon, we were having lunch before heading back home and when Timberley’s mother came over asked to speak with us privately.

She handed us a card that said… “When we have and see a tragedy or desperate need- we are to give. That’s what God expects of us. In service, I felt led to give you what you’re lacking for your mortgage.”

Look at God! God works through people, and He will use anyone at any time for His glory. Yes, Timberley’s mother was a great blessing, but if it wasn’t led by God, it would not have had the same impact.

In The End

Only God knew how that act of obedience would affect our hearts, and our faith.

This does not mean that we live carelessly, on the contrary, we are to live carefree. We are not saying that you should buy a car with no job then expect God to provide for your car payments.

What we are saying is that when you fall short, do what you know to do, while trusting God along the way, knowing that He will provide.

When we make God’s priorities, our priorities, He will reward us. Why? Because, we serve an, and/ also God!

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” ~ James 1:5 NLT

~ André and Timberley Gray