The Tale of Two Tables

I have lived for the Lord all of my life, and growing up, I had an idea of what my life would look like.

However, when my 16-year marriage ended in divorce in 2018, I found myself at a really low point. This was definitely not part of my plan. I didn’t understand how I ended up where I was. I thought I was so careful in following the Lord. I lived according to His Word as best I could, and I thought by doing this, my life would work out perfectly somehow.

When my marriage ended, I was left completely shattered and honestly felt abandoned by God.

My faith in Him wasn’t weakened, but my understanding of Him was. I knew what He was capable of, so how did I end up at the place I was?

It was a long, slow process of healing I went through with the Lord to get to where I am today. There was a lot of question, a lot of anger, a lot of sadness, and now a testimony of how God showed me my worth in Him.

That’s how A Simple Little Pearl was birthed: to encourage some precious girl out there sitting in the middle of a million broken pieces, wondering what to do next, that there is hope.

Sometimes it may seem like God left you to fend for yourself, but what I've found is that this is far from the truth. When you feel alone, that is when you have to press into Him the most. That truly is the only way to heal wholly. You have to read His Word, wait for His instruction, and move in His timing. In a world that thrives on rushing everything, God does NOT work like that. He works in His own way and speaks quietly, so you have to get close to Him to hear Him.

Sitting here today, it’s a process I am having to remind myself of again as I wade through another swamp of questions of what to do next. I know God knows, I know He has a plan, I know He sees me and my situation, but where is He?  Once again, I feel like I am on the brink of losing everything, and the question that arises is: why isn’t He doing anything to help me?

Yep, here I am again.

This time, I have stepped out in faith by starting a business. I know it’s a step He has led me to take, but I’m out here on this limb that feels like it's going to break with the slightest bit of added weight. It’s going to break, and I am going to fall to the ground, only to be shattered once again.

However, even though life feels like this right now, I know this is not truly the way it is. So I am leaning in and asking, ok Lord, what are You trying to teach me?

Before, the Lord helped me learn about my worth in Him; now I am learning to trust Him with literally everything. This shouldn’t be a hard one. He has walked me through many trials before, but I feel like this is a deeper level of trust. This is truly one where I am leaning on Him and Him alone.

I know there are logical ways I could step into this situation and help the Lord out, and honestly, I have tried. However, that’s when I feel like I get my hand slapped, haha. I’m kinda notorious for trying to help the Lord out, but I am slooooowly realizing He doesn't need it.

Listen, this is not “oh woe is me” story time.

This is me trying to let you know that if this resonates with you, you are not alone. WE are never alone. Since the beginning of time, God has been working things out for people. And while I have often wondered if He will do it for me, the answer is and will always be yes. YES, He will help us in our times of need. It may take longer, look different, and end up being nothing as we imagined, but I guarantee it will be way better than we could ever have imagined.

Throughout all my years of living, one thing I have learned is that He won’t force us to follow Him. He has always given me a choice. “Yes, Kim, you can go make your own way. You can go buy that house, get into that relationship, get that job, but what am I telling you to do?”

I still have a lot to learn, but one thing I have learned is His voice. There is a lot of chatter that happens in my brain, and most of it is me talking to myself, haha. However, when He speaks, it’s like an arrow that shoots clarity through the cloud of confusion, and things become clear.

It doesn’t happen as much as I would like, but maybe that’s because I’m spending too much time talking to myself and not enough sitting quietly with Him…..maybe. ;)

I wanted to share all of that with you to give you a little insight into my walk with the Lord so that you will understand this next part a little better.

Something happened to me recently, and I wanted to share it with you because it just proves that God really does hear our prayers and He will give us help right when we need it.

Here is my little tale of two tables… and a tent.

After starting A Simple Little Pearl as an online boutique last year, I have felt like I needed to move into doing markets. I just kept hearing in my spirit, “You need to get out there.” I have hesitated because the work of setting up in markets is daunting.

Recently, I was talking to someone about this next move, and they asked what I still needed. After I told them I just needed 2 tables and a tent, they said they'd pray that God would send me what I need.

A couple of days later, I was getting things in order, and I ended up just ordering my tent and tables from Walmart on my own.

Within 30 minutes of placing that order, a guy called me and said he had tables in the back of his truck, and wanted to know if I needed them for anything. I told him yes, I had just ordered 2 from Walmart! So I cancelled my order, and he brought them over. I cleaned them up and thanked him and the Lord for an answered prayer.

A couple of days after that, I was praying and seeking God again for help. I need a financial move in my life, and quickly. After praying for a little bit, it was time to pick up my groceries, so I left to get them. When I came home, a delivery guy pulled up right behind me. He said he had a big box and asked where I wanted him to put it. I told him to just put it on the porch, and as I walked to put my groceries inside, I saw it was a box with 2 tables.  

I ran over to him and said I had cancelled that order, to which he said it didn’t show cancelled. I told him I would handle it, and he drove off.

My first thought was that my cancellation didn’t go through, but then I remembered I ordered them from Walmart. These were from Amazon.

Yep, you guessed it! Even God buys from Amazon, haha!

Days earlier, I was praying for 2 tables and a tent. Hours earlier, I was praying God would provide me with financial help. In less than a week from me asking for prayer, I went from having one table to five!  No, He didn’t answer me with money, but He gave me more than what I needed to make it.

You see, friend.

He will make a way, and it probably won't be how you imagine it. This is a perfect scenario of me being impatient and trying to speed things along, and God showing me that He will take care of me.

And He will take care of you, too!

He will do it for you. He is with you. He knows what you need, and He has everything already mapped out for your life since day one. You need only to trust Him. I know it’s hard. I don't know why it’s hard, but I know it is sometimes. We just have to remind ourselves of where He has brought us from. He didn’t leave us then, and He won’t leave us now.

Since I was a little girl, I have always had an idea of what I wanted my life to look like. So far, it looks very different from that little girl’s imagination, and ya know what?

I wouldn’t change a thing because as I lose my life, I gain His.

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.” Matthew 10:39

The moral of the message: Don't worry, sweet friend. Your tables are coming.