$250,000,000

$250,000,000 or 1/4 Billion is a lot of money. I bought a lottery ticket the other day and that is the winning amount. I was flabbergasted! I don't follow the lottery and I hardly ever buy tickets. I usually buy them for the entertainment of thinking about what I would do with all that money. Great for 13 hour road trips. Anyway! when your expecting a simple little 10 million, it's a shock to see an exta zero. That's a BIG zero!

I know a lot of people who don't like the lottery and would never play it, because it is gambling and it has ruined a lot of people's lives. I totally respect that point of view, but God has given me the grace to play. But! there is 1 condition. I can only buy one. It's enough for the entertainment of "what if I win" and it's an exercise of my faith in God. People usually laugh at me when I tell them the second part, but it's true. I only buy 1 ticket, because that is all God needs to bless me financially. If I buy 2 then I'm sinning, because I'm taking matters into my own hands to increase my "chances". The fact of the matter is that the odds of winning is 50/50. Either it's God's will or not.

NOW let me tell you what I thought about for a day and a half when nothing else was going on.

Let's say I won $250,000,000!
let's subtract 40% for taxes, your left with $150,000,000.
that means you'll get $625,000 a month for 20 years.

If I believe in God and tithing and want to walk in faith. Well... that means my tithe will be $25,000,000. If I'm suppose to pay God's 10% first, then for the first 40 months, (3 years and 4 months), I'll have to give $625,000 to God's church. What a testimony of faith that would be. I'd be on Fox News for sure. Especially given our financial situation.

Of course I could give $62,500 every month for 20 years, if God didn't convict my heart to do the other. Not to mention it wouldn't be a cool story.

The other realization that occured to me is this.

Fact: God loves me more than I can possibly imagine. More than I love CO and Brody combined. I only want the best for them, so God is the same and then some.
Fact: God's wisdom is so great that we cannot even imagine improving his plan in the slightest detail. It's PERFECT!
Fact: God has the power to do anything his plan call for. His plan will be executed down to the smallest detail and nothing or nobody can even delay the process through resisting.
Fact: 250,000,000 million bucks is a lot of money and is a huge blessing. I would love to give that to those I love the most.
Fact: I have a chance to win 250,000,000 million bucks
Fact: If I win then it will be the absolute best thing that could happen to me according to God's plan.
Fact: If I don't win then it will be the absolute best thing that could happen to me according to God's plan.

Fact: If I don't win then God has something better than winning $250,000,000!

That's very exciting! That is realizing the kingdom of God in every situation. It's so hard for us to put God into perspective because He is simply too big, awesome, and good.