A God of Mercy and Goodness

On the 16th April, 2005, I said good-bye to my dad as he left this life to enter the next with his God.  He had suffered from Lewybody Disease, a form of dementia combined with Parkinson’s, a cruel death for him and a cruel disease for his loved ones to watch him go through.  In the end it was very rapid.

My mum who cared for him the previous 3 years, not only had to cope with watching him die and losing her life partner, but just a couple of weeks before his death, discovered that  what she thought had all been paid for in funeral arrangements for herself and dad was not correct.  She owed at least another $3,000 - $4,000.  On a single pension, this was devastating.  She had already been filled with anxiety a few months prior to this, when a letter from Centrelink informed her that she owed $3,000, the amount they had over-paid her and dad back in 1999.  The person dealing with her at this time showed little compassion, and even after a review of her case, knowing my dad had only a short time to live, was still going to make sure she paid it all back. 

A couple of weeks prior to his passing, a friend from Brackenridge Baptist had prayed with me over the phone, asking our God to supply all the money mum needed to pay for  the funeral in a way it would be obvious that He had planned it.

Faced with thousands of dollars to pay on a single pension, mum was distraught.  Dad died on Saturday, 16th.  That day, as I sat with her, we began to see the process of seeing God go to work on her behalf. 

Friday, 15th:  As I sat with her on that Saturday, she showed me a cheque that had arrived the day before.  It had come out of the blue, for $668.00.  The company she used to work for years ago, was bought out and she had been paid out for her shares in it.   

Monday, 18th:  We contacted Centrelink to inform them of my dad’s death and to find some solution to the debt of $3,000 which she could not pay back on a single pension.  I prayed for God to have favour on her.  The lady we dealt with this day was lovely.  We had been advised previously that they could make her pay $50.00 a fortnight, and the lowest they might go would be $30.00.  This lady asked if mum could afford $15.00.  We said yes. Asking about my dad’s half of the debt, she said she would wipe it out.  God’s favour had been on my mum.  But, it didn’t stop there. 

A couple of minutes later, we received another call from a different lady from Centrelink.  She had just heard of my mum’s situation and informed her that there was a bereavement payment of $2,028.00 which she would receive.  We weren’t sure when it would arrive.  Also, mum’s pension would rise slightly and the increase would almost cover the $15.00 extra she would have to pay off on the debt per fortnight.  God was good and his provision was continuing.

Tuesday, 19th:  Another cheque arrived for $1,700.00.  For over a year mum had been trying to sell off a time-share unit they had, because they would no longer be able to use it or continue paying the yearly maintenance fees.  She was told they were almost impossible to sell.  Another lady from the company who had sold it to mum and dad, had given mum a month to try again to sell it (this was back around January).  If there was no success, she would see what she could do.  Mum was prepared to just let it go for nothing.  However, a few weeks before dad died, she said she would buy it back for half the price.  So $1,700.00 was what mum was going to receive.  That was the cheque that arrived this Tuesday.

Wednesday, 20th:  This was the day before my dad’s funeral. The Centrelink bereavement cheque for $2,028.00 arrived.    

My mum now had enough money, around $4,400.00, to completely pay for my dad’s funeral on Thursday, 21st April, 2005.

God in His goodness and mercy had provided the financial need of my mum and had shown favour on her in reducing the debt payment to Centrelink to something she could achieve.

I personally thank my Father God for what He has done and for Who He is.

Linda Fulton.

 

“And my God shall supply all your needs

 according His riches in glory

in Christ Jesus”

 

Philippians 4:19

 

 

Stop Press!!.........  It doesn’t stop there.  On around May 20th, Mum received another letter from Centrelink.  After a further review of her case, the debt was reduced from $1,500.00 to $911.00.