Doing More Than Is Necessary

About 15 years ago we got an early morning call before we left for the airport to go to Africa. It was about 4:30 a.m. The caller asked us which flight we were taking and when we were leaving. He said he needed to see us before we left.
We went on to the airport and before we boarded he showed up with three small children under the age of six. He said the Lord had awakened him and told him to bring us some money. It wasn't a huge amount, maybe $50. The thing that impressed me is he got up, dressed three children, drove an hour to the airport with those children so his wife could go on to work, to be obedient to God.
In all honestly I would have asked God if I could just drop it into the mail.
When we had our intake interview, we were asked how much money we had with us. It was less than $100. We were then told fine, we won't have to pay you this month. Our combined salary was $300 and we were not allowed to take any outside contributions.
I believe God knew what we were walking into and He provided for us through someone's obedience.
I have a friend, Sharon, who has repeatedly come alongside me when I am doing something that is hard for me. Two examples immediately come to mind, Once when I opened a small shop in a shopping center, after working all day, she came to apint alongside of me. She out painted me two to one, because she is a lot healthier. She never grumbled, she encouraged. I felt like when she opened that paint can, an alabaster jar of blessings had been opened.
Another time when we were getting my Mom's house ready for her as a surprise, Sharon was there once again with her paint brush. She has repeatedly supported me in my ventures from gathering a trailer load of vines for me to weave to gathering treasures for my consignment shop.
That particular venture failed and when it did, I felt I had let Sharon down as well. She didn't put that on me, but I wanted so badly to be the Diane she saw and believed in for me.
That was seven years ago. I have moved away. My great venture now is a very low-key Mary Kay business. I do facials one on one, loving on women and edifying them the way Sharon did me.
Recently Ray and I decided we would go to Ireland this summer. Believe me it isn't in our budget. However, airfares are one half what they were two years ago. Ray's job changes July 1st and we aren't sure if he will have the flexibility he now has. So we want to go to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary early.
It was a scary decision to make, but we have wanted to go for 30 years. So like the examples set before us, we are going to have to do, a little more than is necessary to get there.
Making phone calls for Mary Kay scares me. So what. The only way to face a fear is to go through it. So that's what I am going to do.
We are committed to doing more than is necessary to fulfill this dream.
I have let others rob me of my dreams before. Now I know it is my responsibility to keep them alive.