"And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening..."
1 Kings 17:6 (ESV)
This past season has probably been the hardest we’ve faced as a family since I left my full-time job to pursue Indie Beginning.
It’s been a little over a year now, and if I’m honest, there have been nights when I’ve stared at the ceiling wondering if I’m still hearing God correctly. With bills to pay, a growing family to provide for, and the uncertainties that come with creative work, it’s hard not to ask the question every now and then: “Lord... am I still supposed to be here?”
Reflecting on this question, I realize that it’s coming from the weight of the responsibility, and not necessarily from a lack of faith. It’s just that, when some of the numbers don’t seem to add up, it’s easy to wonder whether obedience and wisdom are still pointing in the same direction.
Yet every time I’ve brought those fears before God, He has gently reminded me why He called me here in the first place. Rarely through dramatic miracles. More often through ravens.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Elijah these past 2 months. After God called him into the wilderness, He didn’t remove Elijah’s need for food. Instead, He met that need in one of the most unexpected ways imaginable: ravens. These birds (known for taking, not giving) became the very means God used to sustain His prophet.
Because of this, I’ve started noticing ravens in my own journey lately.
Sometimes they arrive as an email from someone halfway across the world sharing how a devotional met them in a difficult season. Sometimes they’re a message from a creative who found hope again after feeling ready to quit. Sometimes they’re faithful supporters who quietly help sustain this ministry each month. Sometimes they’re friends who pray for us without us even asking.
Looking back, I realize God has rarely sustained us the way I expected.
But He has sustained us.
That’s the part I don’t want to forget.
Maybe you’ve been asking God for one kind of provision while He’s been sending another. Maybe you’ve been so focused on what He hasn’t done that you’ve overlooked the quiet ways He has faithfully carried you this whole time.
Another truth that I got from the passage is this: The ravens didn’t solve Elijah’s entire future. What they did is give him exactly what he needed for that day. And perhaps that’s how God often works.
Not always by revealing the whole plan or pouring out the whole supply (not to say He doesn’t or cannot do that), but by faithfully providing enough grace, enough strength, and enough daily bread for the next step of obedience.
If God has called you where you are, trust that He also knows how to sustain you there.
His provision may not always look the way you imagined.
But don’t be surprised if a raven shows up tomorrow.
🙏 PRAYER:
Father, thank You for always being faithful, even when Your provision arrives in ways I never expected. When I grow anxious about the future, remind me that You are the One who called me, and You are also the One who sustains me. Open my eyes to recognize the "ravens" You send into my life each day, and help me trust You for tomorrow as faithfully as You have cared for me today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Take five minutes today and make a list of the “ravens” God has sent you over the past 7 months.
They might be people who encouraged you, unexpected opportunities, answered prayers, financial provision, moments of strength, or quiet reminders that God hasn’t forgotten you.
Gratitude often begins by noticing what anxiety has overlooked.
As I wrote and reflected on today’s devotional, I realized how this ministry has always been sustained by ravens.
Some have sent encouraging messages at exactly the right time (we've actually started saving screenshots of many of them because they've really carried us through difficult days). Others have faithfully prayed for us. And many of the people who make these devotionals, illustrations, lessons, and resources possible are our Lamplighters and Torchbearers inside the Fireside Club.
Below are the names of the people God is currently using to help keep the fire burning in this season. Every name on this list is a reminder that God still provides for His people in unexpected ways. If you're one of them, thank you for believing in this mission and helping us serve Christian creatives around the world. We truly couldn't do this without you. ❤️
If Indie Beginning has encouraged you in your walk with God and your creative journey, and you've ever wondered how you could help keep this ministry going, I'd love to invite you to become part of that story.
By joining the Fireside Club, you help us create spaces where Christian creatives around the world can find encouragement, biblical teaching, and a community that reminds them they’re not creating alone. 🤗
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