I have always been a practising Catholic but for many years God was someone very far way. I felt it was up to me to sort my problems out as best I could without expecting help from Him. This all changed when I was in my late 20s. I had what can only be described as a personal Pentecost, when I received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, which brought my faith alive in a new way. I began to experience from this time onwards that God was not only interested in my life, but He was prepared to guide me and help me practically if I was open. Because we live in a society, however, which for the most part doesn’t believe in God and where we are encouraged to be self-reliant this can be hard to believe and put into practice. But amazing things can happen when we do this.

God doesn’t have favourites and wants to help everyone, but not everyone is attuned to his voice, and this is where reading the bible, praying, silence, going to the sacraments (if we are Catholic) help us to get on God’s wave length. One passage in the bible that has guided me is from the gospel of Matthew. This tells us not to worry about what we are to eat or drink or wear but instead “seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you besides.” Over the years I have tried to put this into practice and found it to be true in quite amazing ways.

Give all the money in your bank account!

On one occasion for example, many years ago now, I was doing freelance journalism and had very little money. Paying my rent each month was always a bit touch and go. One day I received a letter from a friend who was doing a sponsored walk to raise funds for her sister who was working as a nurse in Africa. I remember a particular line in her letter really struck me. It talked about “giving until it hurts”. I can’t explain it but I felt the Holy Spirit was telling me to give her all the money in my bank account. It felt more than a co-incidence that she was doing a 30 mile walk and I had £30 in my account. At the same time to give all this, when I had to pay my rent in two weeks time and had no work, seemed a crazy thing to do, so I said to God. “This might just be my imagination. If you want me to do this, please make it clear to me in some way.”

The following day as I was praying, there, in the daily devotional book I was using, was a short passage from scripture about riches and the following commentary. “Why do you think when I talk about silver and gold I don’t mean money? You are the daughter of a king and as you have richly received so you should richly give.” The words couldn’t be more apt. I decided to believe that it was God speaking to me and I wrote out a cheque for £30 and sent it to my friend.

A few days later I almost began to regret my gesture. The rent date was looming and I had nothing. Had I been impossibly foolish, I wondered. But then, out of the blue, I received a phone call from a Catholic newspaper I sometimes worked for. Someone was off sick and they wanted me to come and fill in. The upshot was that I had six weeks work and had no problem paying my rent and bills. God had truly provided.

All money belongs to God

This was one of many lessons God has given me over the years, that have helped me to understand that all money belongs to God and we are simply stewards of it. He knows our needs and will always take care of us but he also wants us to be open to sharing whatever we have with those in need when he prompts us. In this way we learn to put our trust in God and not in money. But to personally experience that this is true, it is not enough to read about it we have to step out and do it!

Once you know this secret of God’s love and provision for everyone, it helps you to be much more peaceful about your finances and your life generally. Usually God uses others, to be his instruments of love and generosity. For many years I lived in a flat share with three others. For most of the time, this was fine, but as I neared my 40th birthday, I started to feel I wanted to have my own place. But I didn’t have enough money to move. Then the landlord decided to sell the flat and we all had to leave. God often speaks through personal circumstances so I felt this was a sign that it was time for me to move on. I decided to try and find a flat on my own. On a human level it was totally impossible. I had a low salary and the area where I was living and wanted to stay was far too expensive for me to find anything.

As a single person in good health, I had no chance of getting any council accommodation and I could neither afford to buy or rent anything. But somehow God gave me the faith to believe that He would help me. Not only that; when I prayed about what I was looking for I had the boldness to ask for a two bedroomed flat as I really needed a study for my work rather than the corner I had always had in my bedroom.

God provided a 3 bedroomed flat!

I put my name down on various housing lists etc, but I really couldn’t see how anything could come about. Then one of my fellow parishioners told me that a neighbour of his wanted to move away and was trying to sell her flat. As it was ex-council and likely to be cheaper than others I decided to go and see it. It was lovely – simple but large and with not two but three bedrooms! It was also very reasonably priced – but it was still far too expensive for me to buy with my limited income. A couple of days later, however, a friend of mine phoned up to find out how I had got on. When I told her that it was too expensive for me, she said she would speak to her husband. It turned out they had just sold their business and had some spare cash at the time. They offered to give me an interest free loan of £20,000 which was the balance I needed to buy the flat. In return they would remain part-owners. I couldn’t believe their astounding kindness, but I also knew that it was the Holy Spirit that had inspired them and it was a sign of God’s generous provision for me. Since then I have come to see why it is so important that I live where I do and that it is truly part of my vocation in a way I couldn’t have imagined before.

The above are just two of many experiences I have had that have shown me that God is practically looking after me. This has helped me to grow in faith and trust in God. So when “bad” things happen when God doesn’t seem to come to my rescue as I want, I know that He is still there and these events are also part of his providence in my life helping me to steer me in the direction he wants me to go and helping me to grow.

Kristina in her flat with some of her neighbours