The giving of money, fermenting a Jun scoby and learning of toll free numbers

There are many ways this testimony starts, but I will start in a latter way where disturbing things set me off to the directions of the Lord.

As I made some sweetened black tea and set it aside, waiting for a pellicle to appear on its surface, the Holy spirit directed my thoughts toward the other Kombucha like drink, Jun. I thought about honey and green tea, I encountered a recipe that called for raw organic honey and as I thought where will I get that, He said "From " ____" and "____"".

I was against the idea. Though He had led me to forgive the people He brought to my attention, I was still happy to never cross ways with them again in the body of Christ. But I love Him and want to obey His soft gentle proddings, so I thought – Why not, let me see their faces when I call them. No doubt they hassled me at that time, but I do believe that to them I was like a well placed tree trunk in their way, blocking every one of their well intended but for me undesired attempts to knock at my heart's door.

So I searched them out, called them and made an appointment to buy some raw honey from them. "____" immediately gave me a discount over the phone. I got to give it to life long strong believers, they are completely unfazed with the going and turning of the wind, and are expecting the unexpected when it comes to the moving of the Holy spirit. You can never know where He is going or where He comes from. You can just follow as He invites you along in humility and obedience.

Sort of like when your mom takes you with her to the market. She knows what she is buying, knows where to locate the desired products and if only in that space and related to this task, you either follow her swift confident steps in humility and obedience or you lose her as you stop to compare prices too long and find her gone. This is not about you, she is there to get things done.

So the day after I had called "____” I marveled at my progress in Christ, for me to be so eager to obey Him that loves me that I was willing to put myself in an awkward situation. Awkward for my pride and ego. That afternoon in my prayer group, someone mentioned seed and the possibility of sowing it in a serving sister’s life. Just small stuff for gas, traveling expenditures or for appreciation, and I was greatly disturbed. They then reminded us that unless they mentioned the idea we might not know that it was possible to sow into that serving sisters life, and we agreed, or I did at least. In my heart I thought, – Nah since the area of money is something God really uses in my life for me to test His faithfulness, let me not throw everything overboard and be ruled by earthly and soulish understanding, guilt tripping, religiosity or law, Holy spirit, Lord please tell me in clear ways if you want me to donate to her because otherwise my disposition is No Way.

Interestingly as they were speaking, I was mulling over a message the Holy spirit had given me ten minutes before they mentioned sowing seed.

AaA. XxX. 1800.

AaA? I asked the Lord and He said “AaA is money you shall give.” I thought – Whaat, Whaaat. See I had just gotten some surprise money back from canceling some subscriptions, and I was joyful because though I had money I had peace in my heart about not spending it. And I had kept on saying – Holy spirit, I give this money to you Lord, God let Your will be done and dispose of this money according to Your pleasure. And He took me up on my word in a most unexpected manner.

So I thought AaA? Ok I will give it. I have no desire nor any lust to spend it for myself anyways and You kept me from giving to the church house so as to keep me from the yoke of law and religiosity. But to whom should I give it? He said, "To " ____"." Maaaan I balked at the thought.

Not only did He want me to go buy raw honey from them, now He wanted me to support their ministry, of which fruits I had greatly enjoyed and benefited from years ago. Fruits of healing, peace, salvation, reconciliation, and birth into a new hope in Jesus Christ. And a unique taste of the body of Christ.

So I asked Him – Can I do it after I meet them? Can I give the money after, because if I do it before they will be on edge and wonder what in the world is going on and I will be on edge? – Please Lord let me do it after, please I cannot bear any opportunity during my visit to them, where I would have to to unravel in conversation with them a period of my life that was deeply unpleasant for me, but was very good to me. So I felt Him go silent, and acquiescence because He wanted me to give with a tender and unburdened heart, and for them to receive with wonder and give glory to their Father in heaven, because they would know for sure that this could only be God's doing.

So then our prayer meeting ended and I hurried out to do some last minute shopping. As I walked the Holy spirit gave me grace for speed. I walked distances that normally took me twenty to twenty-five minutes in ten minutes. I mulled over what the other two numbers meant. I've written XxX, but to be honest I forgot the middle number as soon as I got some revelation about the last number, 1800.

I thought to myself – 1800 is not money again is it? Because as I will be giving AaA out, I won't have that kind of money to sow anywhere. But my mind felt flat, grey, dull when I thought – Is 1800 money? So I figured nope it is not. Then I thought, – Is it something I should look up on youtube? Last time with "Manchester" it was through youtube You led me to a message that answered some questions I had about the church. And a few weeks before that You gave me "Bangalore" and as I searched youtube, You led me to a message about love, that was miraculously posted the exact time you gave me the prompt. And You enriched me and a sister who has been witnessing to me what it means to walk in the love of God.

So I searched youtube, first for the day, then for the week and nothing popped out. Then a thought that I had shut down early came to me, – Is this a country code for a phone number, but I thought nah.

Then I searched 180, 1980 expo in Japan, because those were linked in my mind, but also nothing. Interesting, a bit dull and unrelated is the reply I got as I turned the video search results in my mind.

Then the Holy spirit reminded me, in the US +1 or 001 aaand a state/area digit is in front of the number, so 001 800 or +1 800 could be the beginning of an American number. So I googled 1800 phone number and something even better popped up. 1800 are toll free numbers and as I read the text it was as if God was speaking direct to me:

“1800 numbers are toll free phone numbers which mean that it is not the caller but the owner of the number who pays for the call.

– So daughter, the call, the work I set you to do, you do it and you let Me take care of the expenses, the consequences. The money the call costs and the AaA is My money, I’m the one paying daughter and to show you I’m paying I made sure to bless you with that extra surprise money. So never think my money this or that, it is Mine and I blessed you, and now I want to use you and through you bless some of My beloved children with some of my money.”

“1800, why get a number like that? So that multinational companies and other agencies or businesses can encourage their customer base to reach out to them without fear of expensive or unforeseen prices.

– So daughter this is all by my grace, you coming to Me, you carrying out the works I’ve prepared for you. It is of no cost for you to obey Me and do the work I call you to do, everything is covered by My grace. I will make you abound in all things, don't fear any expensive or unforeseen costs, only step out in faith and believe that My grace is sufficient.”

Halleluja our God is a good God, who wants to be known by us, He is a God of order and not the author of confusion, He calls us to state our case though we both know that our righteousness is as filthy rags before Him, because [t]here is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10-12) and yet He keeps calling us to the table to reason with Him Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted (Ish. 43:26)

So that's what I did, I rested in hlHis grace, asked His Holy spirit to take over, and boom. I picked up the honey had a good short conversation with "____", and even "____" dared to poke their head out to greet me. And lo and behold, I left with some interesting revelations about the body of Christ, some greetings to old and new faces and a kombucha scoby and a glass jar. The jar I had been asking the Holy spirit for saying – Who will bless me with free jars, because I need more storage for my fermentation projects, but I can't buy pickles and olives and red cabbage from the supermarket and wait for a jar till I have eaten the food stuff. I mean there has to be a better way.

As for the kombucha I was determined to make something with a pellicle and figure out how in the world the first kombucha scoby came into being. I refused to join that circular nonsense about using a scoby to make a scoby, or dry kombucha powder to make… It is as if I ask somebody to teach me to make a live fire from scratch and they tell me, well first you need a live fire so you can take from it a live flame. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah, but how did you make that live flame the first first time evee. Something was there before the flame, and in that state of before being, how did the flame first appear into existence. Then they could show the trick with two dry sticks of wood or some flint and hay or even a magnifying glass or a mirror to intensify the sunlight to combust any flammable material.

But with kombucha scoby's it is like the knowledge available in the English language is circular. People seem convinced that should a pestilence vipe out all existing kombucha scobys the world will never again see the existence of kombucha. As if the base ingredients we have available today did not exist thousands years ago or have yet to be invented in the future. Everything can be made anew, everything will turn to dust. Circular logic is particularly strange when you're looking for the beginning, is not caught up inbthe loop yourself andrefuse to take part in it.

But while my own sweetened black tea does its thing I have been blessed with a free kombucha scoby and look forward to drink my first batch in a little while.

I thank the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for His love for us in small and immediate matters, and I glorify God for the power of His Holy spirit. Amen.