What Only God Can Do
An Act of Generosity
In the summer of 2023, the Durham family was finally getting a break from a challenging year. In the middle of a major career switch, and with unknowns still in front of them, they decided to put their worries aside to rest and refocus at a friend’s cabin in Asheville, NC. Since they were waiting on a new work opportunity, they were taking any chance to make a few extra dollars and decided to rent out their primary residence while they were away.
While in North Carolina, they went whitewater rafting as a family of four. Emily and Kevin, and their children, Hope and Noah, piled into a raft to experience one of their favorite parts of life, adventure. What they didn’t know was that God had a more important purpose for their rafting trip that day.
As they floated along the water, Emily noticed that their guide, Nicole, was wearing a cross necklace. They connected on their faith and Nicole shared that she had been living in Asheville for the last year after hearing God call her to move there. As Emily and Kevin asked her more about her story, they learned that she had been feeling unsure of what God had for her since the move. One of her greatest desires was to share the gospel with her fellow rafting guides, but she had been struggling to connect with them.
When their time on the river ended, Emily and Kevin felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. They knew God wanted them to do more than pass along the customary tip, thank her, and be on their way. They asked if they could pray over her as a family, and she agreed. Additionally, they felt God leading them to give Nicole a $500 tip. “At a time with no income, this was a stretch for us,” Emily mentioned. “But you can’t out give, God.”
An Answered Prayer
When Nicole saw the tip amount, she knew that this was the confirmation she had been asking for from God. Over the last year since her move, she had been living in her car and the experience had been so difficult that she was starting to second guess her decision. “Did I miss you, God?” She was wondering if she had made the wrong decision and prayed that He might show her what was next.
This act of generosity solidified for her that God was working. He had not forgotten her and would bring people to help her along the way.
After receiving the tip, Nicole went back to her job and was met with questions from her coworkers. “What were you doing with those people?” Nicole saw the opportunity to share her faith, just like she had been praying for. She explained that the Durhams were praying for her and that they had just given her a $500 tip. She then learned that this was the largest tip in the rafting company’s history. “Why would anyone tip that much?” Through the Durham’s generosity, Nicole had now received both the encouragement she needed to keeping pressing forward in Asheville and an open door to sharing the gospel.
What Only He Can Do
Since that day, the impact of the gift has continued. Nicole is still in Asheville, listening for when to share her faith. The Durhams returned home, reminded that God was using them and had good plans for their lives, encouraging them as they moved into a new season. Nicole and the Durham family have remained in contact and continue to encourage one another in kingdom living.
The Durhams trusted that God owns it all and would provide for them, which allowed them to step out in faith and be the provision that Nicole had been praying for. Their open hands allowed God to not only provide financially, but to spiritually encourage and sustain a sister in Christ living hundreds of miles away. Their abundance mentality created an opportunity for God to do what only he can do.
Jess Henderson
Jess serves as the Content Specialist at Generous Giving. She is focused on sourcing and producing the video stories that are shared in Generous Giving experiences. Beyond this, she services the team with other various marketing and communications needs.