Kyle and I bought a used car and moved to our new apartment in Arizona.
I had just graduated from BYU with my teaching degree, and now my husband was starting grad school.
So the plan was for me to work full time in order to put him through school.
But… the school year had already started and no one was hiring new teachers.
And so we sat with zero income coming in – watching our savings account get smaller and smaller.
That used car that we had bought? It was in desperate need of new tires. But we couldn’t bear to pull that money out of savings with nothing coming in.
And so I prayed to Heavenly Father. “Please help our tires last long enough until I get paid.”
I finally was able to get work as a substitute teacher.
My first check finally hit our bank account. We paid our tithing on it.
And our tire blew out on the freeway the next day, necessitating our purchase of new tires.
It was a super small miracle. Nothing like the much more dramatic stories that other people tell.
But the Spirit bore clear witness that our faithfulness in paying tithing when we had income coming in is what saved us from having to buy new tires out of only savings.
Because at the end of the day, we aren’t promised an outpouring of financial blessings when we pay our tithing.
But we are promised a blessing that we will not have enough room to receive.
And while I have my one story, I’ve learned that the true blessing of paying tithing has to do with my relationship with God.
When I willingly give up some of my money week after week, I root out my love of money.
And I learn to rely on God – a lesson that spills over into every aspect of my life.
My heart starts putting the love of God higher than my love of money, in the most literal way possible.
THAT is the biggest blessing of paying tithing for me.
Saying that I love God over everything else in my life…
And then putting my money where my mouth is.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
5 Responses
Great example! Since early in my marriage, I grew a testimony that tithing was a way to just thank the Lord for giving us the opportunity to earn so much with His blessings, and returning 10% was just a very small way to pay him back for the blessings of his Church here.
My daughter came home from Seminary one day and said they were assigned to ask their parents what blessing does your family receive from paying tithing. I immediately told her that God has blessed us with a tremendous amount of love in our home. That answer surprised her but I explained that when we learn how to give from our heart then our hearts are enlarged and we are better able to give love in our relationships with each other. It all adds up to greater love at home.
Perfect response!
I hope I can remember it to use it myself! ????
I enjoy paying my tithing each month from what little income I have. Throughout these months of dealing with this CoVID-19, my eyes have been truly opened and I am in awe with a very humbled gratitude of my Heavenly Father. It has amazed me how one can be so creative with what little they have and still get by. I have personally come to know and understand that our Heavenly Father ask so little of us, but when it comes to paying our tithing, that to me is a very simple request. I know that our Father in Heaven doesn’t need the money, all that He asks is for us to love Him enough to Come Into Him and follow Him through our faith in Him.
I look at money as a temporary necessity that one day in which I look forward too of not having any more. For now, I am humbling grateful that I can show my love and respect by following a simple commandment. And seeing the hand of the Lord through the blessings I have received. Nothing in this world matters to me as much as having the love of my Heavenly Father.
Our family has had one blessing after another after paying tithing, since we joined the church in 1971. We haven’t had any want for anything, and I know it’s because we paid our tithing. Besides, paying tithing shows our love and obedience to our Heavenly Father.