Living on a Prayer (& a Budget)
In my 20s, most of my friends seemed to fall into one of two camps:
Climbing the corporate ladder and growing their investment accounts
Settling into newlywed life and welcoming babies
And then, there was me.
While others were expanding their 401(k)s or their families, I was living my dream of being a missionary overseas.
As a young, single woman, I dedicated myself to sharing Jesus with people from other cultures. It was the adventure of a lifetime—meeting new people, trying exotic foods, traveling to breathtaking places. I was immersed in a ministry full of purpose and excitement.
But behind the scenes, one detail made this lifestyle slightly less glamorous: I wasn’t getting a paycheck.
Saying yes to that missionary role also meant saying yes to “living by faith—trusting God to meet my needs. That meant I had to raise my own financial support. While it might seem unusual, many ministries use this model. It’s also deeply rooted in Scripture, with examples found throughout both the Old and New Testaments.
Did you know Jesus himself relied on financial support from others during his ministry? (See Luke 8:1–3). And when he sent out the 72 missionaries, Jesus gave them a funding model of simplicity and trust, teaching them to rely on the generosity of others (See Luke 10:1–9).
Not everyone is called to live this way—but for a season, I was.
Support came from my church, friends, family, and even people I barely knew who felt led to partner with me in missions. Some sent monthly donations, others mailed care packages. When I needed plane tickets for travel, people gave generously to help me get to where I needed to go.
For years, I lived with little to no savings. I prayed for my daily needs and trusted that God would provide. “Give us this day our daily bread” wasn’t just a line from the Lord’s Prayer— it was my reality.
Does that idea of “living by faith”—relying on God and others to meet your daily needs— make you anxious?
Yeah, me too!
I’d be lying if I said it was always easy. There were nights I tossed and turned, wondering how I’d cover a big expense. There were moments when I wanted to give up and “get a real job” just to have a steady income.
But that season came with an incredible lesson: radical trust in God’s ability to provide.
In my 20s, I leaned deeply into God for everything—even for basic essentials like where I would sleep or what I would eat.
It was a crazy kind of trust that developed because I had to trust Him. There was no husband’s income to fall back on. No option to move back in with my parents. I was thousands of miles from the comforts and predictability of home. It was just me and God.
And you know what? God provided. Every single time.
No matter where I was in the world—from remote Peruvian villages to bustling Indian cities—I always had a safe place to sleep. I never went hungry.
Living by faith allowed me to witness God’s provision in amazing ways. I saw God meet real needs in real time.
Like the summer that I visited a friend’s church and a stranger handed me an envelope. I figured it might be some money to cover a few meals. Imagine my shock when the money in that envelope covered several months of expenses!
Or the year when I desperately needed expensive dental work but couldn’t afford it. God provided everything I needed, and the cost was completely covered.
Then there was the time I felt prompted to give away almost all the money I had in my account to another missionary in need. It made no sense financially, but I believed it was what God wanted me to do. Within days, I received unexpected donations worth more than what I had given away.
Decades later, I still cherish those stories. They remind me of God’s faithfulness.
Because today, my life looks very different. I’m married with two young children. My husband and I both have traditional jobs and steady paychecks.
Life is consistent—and that’s a blessing. But I’ve noticed that with consistency, I’ve lost some of the radical dependence on God I used to have.
Living in the land of the American Dream, I now make careful plans and keep a cushion for emergencies. But in my comfort, it’s easy to forget that God is my ultimate provider—not my salary or retirement account.
When the daily needs come easily, I often take for granted that everything I have comes from Him. That He’s still the same miracle-working God—the One who once met my needs through an envelope from a stranger and a dental bill marked “Paid.”
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank him for his answers.”
—Philippians 4:6 (TLB)
I read that verse and think—I used to live like that. I used to pray about everything and thank God for every little provision.
I want to live like that again.
Even now, in my “normal” life, I want to remember: God’s got me.
I’m not saying everyone should quit their job and “live by faith” (unless He’s clearly calling you to). But I do know that we’re all called to trust God by surrendering our anxieties to Him.
Whether we’re worrying about how we might pay that bill, or fretting over the well-being of our children, the Apostle Paul tells us to bring our needs to God and thank Him for His care.
Then comes the promise:
“If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:7
Quiet thoughts.
A heart at rest.
Wonderful peace.
Those are the gifts God wants to give you in place of your anxiety.
Because here’s the truth: God really will supply all your needs. But sometimes, we only learn that when we dare to need Him.
Take some time to reflect today:
How can you step out of your comfort zone, even just a little, to grow in radical trust?
Watch and see what God does. May He surprise you by providing in ways you never expected!
