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# God's Gift of Faithfulness
- URL: https://dd.malinoix.com/god-gift-faithfulness/
- Published: 2014-12-09T06:00:36.000Z
- Updated: 2014-12-09T06:00:36.000Z
- Author: Maggie Winterton
- Tags: Devotionals, Christmas 2014, Faith, Guest Blogger, #wordpress, #Import 2026-10-12 13:59

![faithfulness of god devotional diva christmas guest post series 2014](https://dd.malinoix.com/content/images/wordpress/2014/12/faithfulness-545x408.jpg)\[Guest post by Dawn Wilson: This is exactly what I had in mind when I created the idea of this Christmas series. God’s faithfulness truly is a gift, and ultimately everything we receive is from Him!\]

## 

## God’s gift of faithfulness is an ongoing blessing.

When I was a young woman, I traveled all over the United States with a brand new revival team, Life Action Ministries. I arrived at the team proud and self-sufficient, and it didn’t take long for me to realize I was a *“Phony Baloney”* Christian. I trusted Christ—for real—and set out on a life-long adventure with Jesus.

During those first days with the revival team, I saw God’s Spirit working in people’s lives—calling believers to repentance and obedience, restoring families, changing churches. **I was thrilled to be part of such a powerful ministry.**

### But I struggled with the meager $10 the ministry gave to each team member. It was all the leaders could afford to give at the time.

Other team members received help from parents or friends, but I didn’t; and I soon lacked practical things needed on the road: toothpaste, deodorant, hair spray, nylons, makeup, feminine supplies, breath mints, and thank you notes.

I scrimped and made wise choices, **but I was getting desperate.** I considered leaving the team. *“But Lord,” I prayed, “didn’t you call me here?”*

Now I believed God provides where He calls—the leaders told me that—and in my heart I believed God cares for His children. But I didn’t know how far I could trust my Heavenly Father. I was still praying wimpy prayers, not the confident prayers a child of God should pray.

I felt like a homeless person, lacking so many things. So my prayer one day was a bit panicky, a bit bold: *“Lord, you know I don’t have these things. I’ve watched you provide spiritually for people in the churches where we’ve shared. Won’t you please provide some practical things for me too?”*

**Then I listed all my needs to God.**

The next week our ministry traveled to Florida, and another team member and I stayed at an elderly woman’s home. I met our home hostess at the church. She was sweet, but I groaned inwardly, thinking the lady was probably poor and we’d have a tough week.

But her home was comfortable, tidy and so cheerful with lacy curtains and flowers on the table. She offered us a refreshing glass of water and led us to our room.

I stood in the doorway of our room, totally surprised. My lip quivered and I burst into tears.

## I saw lovely, big gift baskets on each of our beds. To my surprise, it contained everything I’d prayed for—even the thank you notes. And there was also some not-prayed-for chocolates! In the bottom of the basket was a $20 bill in an envelope, just in case she’d forgotten something.

I can’t tell you how overwhelmed I felt as I prayed with tears, *“Oh, Father God, you are so good to me. I’ve never had to trust You this way before. Thank you for Your goodness. Thank you for your faithfulness.”*

**I ran to tell our hostess about my prayer and how God used her to answer it.** 

But this was much more than a gift from a sweet old lady. The basket proved to me, a girl so new in faith, how much God loved me and cared about my needs. **Like all good gifts (James 1:17), the basket was ultimately from my Father God.**

In the 40 years to follow, serving with Life Action and several other ministries, God has continued to meet my needs. But that *“Faithfulness Basket”* was my turning point in understanding God’s faithfulness.

With maturity, I grew to trust the Lord like Paul in Philippians 4:11-12, receiving from Him in times of abundance, but also in times of want. It’s a different kind of faithfulness as God shows Himself strong and sufficient in my times of struggle or suffering.

**In time, I understood that Jesus is the Father’s greatest Gift—His greatest provision.**

# “Great is Thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me.”

> **![dawn wilson on devotional diva](https://dd.malinoix.com/content/images/wordpress/2014/12/dawn-150x150.jpg)Dawn Wilson**, founder and President of *Heart Choices Ministries,* is the creator of three blogs: [Heart Choices Today](http://heartchoicestoday.blogspot.com/?ref=dd.malinoix.com), [LOL with God](http://lolwithgod.com/?ref=dd.malinoix.com), and [Upgrade with Dawn](http://www.upgradewithdawn.com/?ref=dd.malinoix.com). She co-authored *LOL with God* with Pam Farrel and wrote “The Blessing Basket” in *It’s a God Thing*. Dawn and her husband Bob have two married sons, three granddaughters and a rascally maltipoo, Roscoe.

**This guest post is part of the first-ever Devotional Diva Christmas guest post series entitled, “The Gifts God Has Given You.” Look for more posts with this theme now until December 23rd!**