31. The Providence of God

Arriving at Federal Prison is the continuation in a series of hubs in which I discuss my life of rebellion, dabbling in the Occult, drugs, crime and prison to life-changing conversion through Jesus Christ. Click here to read it from the beginning. In this hub, I will discuss how I was blessed with a $50,000 flat after being released from federal prison with only $270 in my pocket.

In my last hub, I promised I would tell you how I went from having $270 in my pocket upon my release from federal prison to the owner of a $50,000 flat in Poland, Europe in a matter of months. I thank God and my biological father for that. My father actually wanted to purchase a flat in Poland for me to live in, under his name. He would be the owner of it and I would be his tenant; and I was fine with that. It actually wouldn't be much different than my current situation. My flat would just be in his name instead of time. But a turn of events made it necessary for him to purchase the flat in my name and quickly return to America. My mother’s health was declining. Therefore, I became the owner of a flat in Poland.

I said I credit God in the ownership of my flat because I am a believe in God’s providence and blessings. During my incarceration in federal prison, I paid tithes to my church and also helped others in need. I actually had a pretty good job as a QA inspector in the Unicor Sign Factory in Lompoc federal prison, in California. I earned up to $200 a months. That is superb in terms of prison pay. That went on for about three-and-a-half years. However, not everyone was as fortunate.

I had a friend, a Christian brother, who worked in the kitchen and earned much less. I think it was something like $5.25 a month. That was the minimum monthly prison pay at the time. Anyhow, I often bought him necessary items that he was lacking when I went to the store. He told me that he didn’t know how he would ever be able to repay me; but I told him not to worry about it because I trusted in the providence of God. In other words, God would repay me when I really needed it.

The Bible promises that tithing results in tremendous blessings: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” - MalachI 3:10

Giving results in great rewards, as well: “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. - Luke 6:38, KJV

While in prison, I was well aware of the fact that one day I would be released and would need to rely on the providence of God. You better believe that was in the back of my mind when I was paying my tithes or helping others in need. God didn’t let me down, either.

It may sound strange to you that I have been released from prison for two years now, I am the owner of a flat, I pay my bills every month, I have some money in the bank, I am never short on food or other necessities; and I don’t even have a stable job. It may sound strange, indeed, unless you are a believer in Jesus and His providence. He makes the unbelievable, believable and the seemingly impossible, possible.

There was even this time when God blessed me with his providence in such a way that there was no mistaking that it was His doing. My father left me some money. It was a significant amount, in terms of Polish standards. After conversion, it amounted to 10,000 PLN (Polish currency). Being the faithful tithe-paying Christian that I am, I immediately gave 10% (1,000 PLN) to my church.

Within a matter of days after offering my tithe, I got a knock on my door from the assistant of a Catholic priest my father did some work for, who gave me an envelope with some money in it, with no choice for me to turn it down. This money was for allowing an employee of my father’s, who was training workers in the priest’s printing press shop, to stay in my apartment during the time he was working for the priest. Rent, in other words. The amount in the envelope was 1,000 PLN! This was the exact same amount I just tithed to my church!

After counting the money, I immediately dropped to my knees and praised God for his continual providence in my life; and for giving me such an obvious sign of His blessing. Not to mention, this money was on top of rent that was paid by my father for allowing his employee to stay with me.

Money seems to come from different avenues to keep me afloat. Granted, I have my English teaching; although, that is far from profitable. I taught in a private language school for some time; and I even do some private, in-home tutoring. Nevertheless, the hours that occupies is minimal. In other words, I am glad that is not my only source of income; because if it was I would go under. I make less money teaching English than is required to pay my bills. In addition to my English teaching, I write on Hub Pages and make YouTube videos about places that I have visited in Europe and subliminal messages in music.

When I was in prison, I became a Christian. That instilled some positive values in me which taught me to trust in God. As a result, God provided for me after my release from prison and deportation to Poland, Europe. After being released from prison, it was time for me to find a church. That's not so easy to do when you are a Protestant in a predominately Catholic country. I'll write more about that in my next hub. Click on the link below to read it.

32. Finding a Church