Prove me now herewith...

Yesterday, I ran a marathon. No, not a “real” one (though I admire those of you who are dedicated runners), but a day-long production effort.

This year has been a year of blessings, and it has brought a lot of earning opportunities. And this is important to me. I have long hoped that my home business could be substantial enough to provide sufficient income to allow my husband to retire completely if he so desired, or so that he needn’t worry if he could no longer work for some reason.

When I first began Specialty Arts, my desire was that it serve the family history community by helping people preserve and publish their research. Over the years, I have been privileged to assist several authors with their publications, in addition to preparing five books of my own. That is a tremendous satisfaction.

And although there is currently some family history-related work waiting for free time, demands from another source are keeping me fully occupied at the present. So I get up every day knowing that I have work to do. In these lean times, isn’t that a tremendous blessing?

I have also been very diligent (and honest) in paying our tithing. I have no hesitation about attributing the bulk of these blessings to that single practice.

Back when I first plunged into that scary realm of self-employment, the middle of the month would roll around and I would begin reminding Heavenly Father that next month’s rent was going to be due, along with the payment on the loan I took out to buy the typewriter. (No, you read that right...typewriter. That was 1977; the computer arrived in 1986.) I promised that I would work hard if only He would bless me with opportunities.

I made that same petition just a few months ago when expenses had wiped out a good deal of our reserves. And now this overflowing. Ah yes, the windows of heaven truly do open!

May I do a little tithing promotional here? Heavenly Father is the best business associate you could have. His contract is pretty simple. He only asks that we do the things that will naturally bless our lives anyway. Plus that tithing clause, which is the only return He requires from us.

Believe me, I gained a new perspective on tithing several years ago. I had just spent untold hours preparing my first book for publication. The contract with the publishing company provided me a royalty of 10%. Interesting how minimal that appears from the receiver’s side of the deal!

If there is one principal that I would encourage everyone to follow, it would be the payment of a full and honest (and regular) tithe. Through the mouth of the prophet Malachi, our Father in Heaven promised us a flood of blessings so great that we couldn’t contain them. My current workload is ample witness that He will keep His end of the bargain.

Could this be a blip on the screen? Of course. Will I continue to pay tithing even if the reversals come? Of course. Why would I risk losing the “Partner” whose main concern is my welfare? Even in stringent times, what a comfort it is to know that we have been obedient and thereby qualified ourselves for His assistance...in all things.

“Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” -- Malachi 3:10