'Always Enough' by Rolland & Heidi Baker-Book Review

At Moms 4 Justice we were discussing the topic of generosity - our own and God’s, when I remembered a book I read in preparation for us moving to SA called ‘Always Enough’ by Rolland and Heidi Baker. This book was such a challenge to me that in fact I couldn’t finish it the first time I read it back in 2009. Each page is filled with miracles of God’s provision alongside overwhelming statistics relating to poverty. These became spiritual and physical challenges to me to take God out of the small box I had contained Him in and watch Him intervene in extreme situations.

Heidi and Rolland Baker set out to reach the poorest of people in Mozambique, to show them God’s love and to put the good news of the gospel to the test in a place where nothing else will do. At the time of writing the book, Mozambique had suffered years of civil war and the poverty was then compounded by overwhelming floods in many regions leaving thousands stranded and desperate. The Bakers’ wanted to put their years of theological training into practice and see whether God still uses miracles. The book focuses on their efforts to set up a children’s home and to provide for the forgotten children of Mozambique. They saw physically and emotionally abused children being restored and thriving because of God’s healing. They also went into refugee camps set up after the floods and provided aid where other international relief agencies couldn’t cope with the demand.

Some examples of amazing miracles they witnessed are: A pot of chilli offered to feed a family of 4, when prayed over, stretched to feeding over 100 people; No Mozambiquan they have ever invited to know Jesus has ever said no!; People were raised from the dead, sight restored to the blind and mobility restored to physically disabled people. The needs are extreme, and so the response is extreme!

One of the things that struck me was the claims that there’s ‘always enough’ and yet that didn’t mean they didn’t go hungry, or were always comfortable in what they were doing. There were times of hunger for the Bakers, their family and workers; Heidi wore the same 2 dresses only for 1 whole year; the family contracted diseases that they came into contact with; Heidi suffered break downs and an auto-immune disease…and yet they still say that because Christ died for us, ‘there’s always enough’. This really challenged my sense of what I consider to be enough…I always want to be comfortable, well fed and healthy!

I had noticed a trend in my relationship with God whereby I’d say I trust Him for provision, then I’d calmly go along believing that until the eleventh hour approached on whatever it is I was seeking provision for. As the deadline approached I’d start to inwardly panic, knowing that I should just trust God. Then He always came through, and I’d be left with a sense of relief…left emotionally exhausted, extremely grateful, and quick to remind myself that of course I trusted Him all along, and never doubted!! This book reminds me that God is our supreme provider and He is wholly trustworthy.

As you read this, be prepared to be inspired, challenged and changed. The phrase ‘always enough’ is so applicable to the situations of our lives today.

Generosity Stew

Our sharing time this month was like one of those tasty winter stews, where every mouthful brings a different flavour. I am sure that I was not able to note all the brilliant perspectives, points and ponderings that were shared – but here are a few tasty morsels to get you chewing on this whole generosity thing:  

Giving is about responding to God’s call to give and not stressing too much about the outcome of the giving. That’s God’s concern. Our concern is that we are obedient to the His voice when He asks us to give.

God is generous and He does provide, but one must guard against seeing His provision as a sign of His goodness. God is good regardless of whether there has been provision or not. If there has been a lack of a sign of provision it doesn’t mean that He is less good.

As we have to learn to give, we also have to learn to receive generosity from others. To receive it with an open heart, and not feel that one is now indebted to that person and that one now has to perform. Rather, just as the giver has to keep her eyes on Jesus and not stress about the outcome of the gift, so the receiver has to keep her eyes on Jesus too – and respond to His directing rather than feel she owes the giver.

Generosity is not just about giving money – I can be generous with who I am

I can be generous in the way that I talk to people, in my conversations
I can be generous in focussing on the issue and not the person in times of conflict
I can be generous by not holding grudges against people
I can be generous by thinking the best about other people’s intentions and motives
I can be generous by respecting the dignity of each person, including the beggar at the traffic lights - I can look the beggar in the eye and greet him or her, even when I don't feel right about giving money
I can be generous with my time

One mom shared she had a longing to see God’s miraculous provision – inspired by the book Always Enough (a book review to be posted soon)  - and yet recognises that in order to allow God to move in the miraculous, she needs to be in a place of complete desperation. This is hard. She and her husband are trusting God for finances and so have experienced being totally dependent on God. She shared about the cycle of being in need, trusting God for provision, then a rising sense of panic as the deadline approaches, and the relief and joy of the 11^th hour provision.

Someone wondered why God’s provision was often at the 11^th hour, another wondered if it was because we so often give at the 11^th hour having um-ed and ah-ed as to whether we should give or not.

A lady who did not seem to grapple with the cycle of trust/panic/relief was Corrie ten Boom. She knew Jesus well enough to trust him even into the 11^th hour. Another book review will elaborate on this and hopefully inspire us to do the same.

Giving out of guilt, manipulation or coercion is not generosity. God loves a cheerful giver (2 orinthians 9: 7). If you don't feel you can give cheerfully, then maybe you shouldn't be giving, or you need some Holy Spirit work on your heart?

Generosity is totally enhanced when giving is done in the context of relationship.  

Would love to hear your thoughts on generosity…

God is generous

A while back a friend referred to God as being generous, and I was struck by the fact that I found it hard to embrace this description of God. Looking around at the poverty and at so many struggling with finances, I realised that I did not really believe that God is generous.

I have recently read Is God to Blame by Gregory Boyd where he challenges us to understand and know God only through Jesus, and not let experiences we have in life define God. So I asked God to show His generosity to me through  Jesus and was led to the story of the loaves and fishes in Matthew 14.  

You know how the story goes, Jesus multiplies two fishes and five loaves to feed a crowd of thousands. What hit me as I read it this time was that there were 12 baskets full of food left over – God provided more than enough. So those 12 baskets are for me a visual image to remind me of God’s generosity.

One of the other mom’s at our gathering shared that she always thinks about her own father's words when he responded to her request for financial help during her poorer student days. He reminded her of what Jesus said: “which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?” Matt 7 verse 9-11

What is your image of God’s generosity?

Understanding God’s generosity is an important step towards being freed to be generous, and to share with our children how they too can be generous.

Restore the places long devastated

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion -
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair,
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planing of the Lord for the display of His splendor.

They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations

Isaiah 61 v 1 - 4

Let justice roll

Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings
I will have not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.

Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Amos 5 v 22 - 24

How has God shaped you?

At our first official gathering of Moms4Justice we started off by thinking back on how God brought each of us to a point where we cared about issues of social justice. What helped us to understand that being a Christian isn't just about our personal salvation and making sure we get to heaven one day, that includes far more? That it is about partnering God in His glorious plan to restore the whole world to the way that He originally designed it to be, to establish amongst us people His kingdom and all that this represents, for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Love, Justice, Peace.

It was fascinating to hear each other's stories of God's grace in bringing this revelation to our lives. Some hearts were transformed through watching their parents live out an authentic faith which included caring for those who were broken. One lady shared about her mother, a teacher, who would bring home some of the poorer pupils and give them a bath, food and lots of love. She remembers watching her mom sharing out her clothes with these children, realising that being a christian is about giving, sacrificing your time and love. What an example.

Another shared her how her parents faith-in-action was a springboard for her personal journey which lead her to joining a ministry team after school. She remembers a specific moment when God spoke to her directly about bringing hope to the youth of South Africa - planting a vision within her that would break her heart over social justice issues.

Some of us were shaped by our friends who were passionate about social justice. Being around people who live out their desire to see Jesus' love and restoration flow into people's lives is very infectious.

Being exposed to clear teaching on God's heart for the poor and His desire to see justice restored in communities and nations has helped a few of us conceptualise the longings and yearnings that God had been putting on our hearts.


God spoke to some of us through the Scriptures. One mother shared from Amos 5. Through this passage God had showed her that He cares more about our actions of justice, than the words we offer in song. Very challenging. Another read from Isaiah 61 - a powerful passage showing God's unquestionable concern for injustice.

One woman shared how God birthed in her such a holy discontent with her life and work; and gave her a deep longing for doing something that would impact this world positively, that she resigned from her job. Not sure what the future would hold but desparate for her faith to be lived out in a way that would make a difference. Bit by bit God put her into situations where she could partner those who were working for social justice.

We were all touched when a mother shared her story of experiencing injustice  personally. She has a visual impairment and grew up facing injustice from teachers and children alike. At an early age she and her parents had to find ways to deal with the unfair treatment she experienced and the pain associated with it. She reminded us that injustice isn't only about being materially poor; there is brokenness in all of us. She also can bear witness that God can indeed heal the broken heart.

God uses many different ways to bring us to a place where our hearts break for the broken hearted, where we find ourselves angry at people being treated unfairly, and where we know in our heart of hearts that God can't stand it either. And where we have hope that He can bring restoration. We can trust that He will guide each of us as mothers to share this passion with our children in a way that makes sense to them.

God's shape for this group

Some of us met to pray about this fledgling group. We don't just want to create our own thing, but long to walk in obedience to God allowing Him to shape this group and breathe His life-giving spirit into our times together.

Some of sensed pictures from the Holy Spirit giving us some clues about how God would like this group to grow and develop. This is what we felt God was sharing with us.

No one size fits all.
The picture was of a group of ladies seeing an inspiring design. Each goes home and sews a garment - one sews a dress, the other a pair of trousers and so on. If a person were to look at all of these garments they would not look the same, though they had been inspired by the same vision. As we grapple with raising our kids to be passionate about justice it will look different in our differnt homes. No pressure to do what another mom is doing.

The effort will be worthwhile.
The picture was of a mother pushing a wheel barrow up a hill, straining, taking much of her effort. She is wondering if it is all worthwhile. As she finally gets to the top she sees on the otherside a garden that is fruitful, producing and fully functional, and she knows that it was all worth it. An encouragement to push through those tough times when it just seems like an uphill battle. And a hope that our group will become like that garden where we can join together to produce a fruitful harvest.

An open and outward looking space
The picture was of a clay bowl on a wheel, being shaped. God shaping us as mothers. Us, as mothers, shaping our children. The bowl was not enclosed and small, but flatish and open; being shaped by upward facing hands. A sign of openess, of sharing, of generosity, of outward-looking, and of receiving.

Strategy and Warring on behalf of our children
A picture of women, informally gathered, sitting around a board and moving the pieces to strategic positions. Connecting the dots. Networking. Strategising. And warring on behalf of our children.