God Trumps the Taxmman...

God Trumps the Taxman...
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....(I know this is long, but it is worth reading, I promise)

I used to detest people who stood up in church on Sunday morning or evening or at Bible study, and tell everyone that they unexpectedly received a check in the mail that was five times the amount of a special gift, they gave to church the prior Sunday.

Number one, I didn't believe that God blessed his children in that way. Secondly, I saw it as bragging and boasting. Mostly, because there was never a time that I received a blessing in the mail after giving my last couple of dollars to church. In my case, I usually received an unexpected bill...

However, things have changed since that way of thinking, years ago, and I'm happy to say that God does bless us. The only thing is, I've found that instead of a check from out-of-nowhere, it came in ways that were unexpected, and always a blessing that ended up helping us in a financial way; LIKE the way, I am going to share with you today!

On Monday, I asked for your prayers because we had to take Skittles [our family dog/my service dog] to the vet to remove an infected fox tail. I coveted your prayers for her healing, and explained that the bill was more than what we had in the bank, so we put it on plastic. Like I explained, it was the end of the month, and we were down to fumes in the gas tank and pinching pennies.

A lot of you prayed for Skittles, and our finances, and here is the blessing. ARE YOU READY FOR THIS???

On Tuesday, we get a tax bill on our used mobile home for $108.00 plus a late fee and service fee [we never received the April tax bill, and we were not aware of a tax bill in the first place], for a total amount of $157.90. If you look at the $149.00 vet bill and then this surprise, out-of-nowhere bill from the Assessor's Office, you can see why we had very little to be excited about.

Still, we wrote out a check to the Assessor [taking money from an ever decreasing savings account] on Tuesday night, and decided we'd take it over in person on Thursday. In order to keep our credit good and stopping the Assessor from placing a lien on our home, we made sure the check was either in the mail today or handed in at the office. As it turns out the office would not take the check. It had to be mailed. They must be trying to help the Postal Services stay afloat!

We first discovered we had to pay property taxes on the mobile, just before Christmas, so we did what we were asked to do and submitted all the papers. The problem was; the Assessor assessed the value of our mobile at $24,000.00. That is nice, but we only paid $7,500.00 for a home that was structurally sound, but cosmetically in need of lots and lots of love and cash.

The assessor finally lowered the first amount to $17,900.00, and after arguing with them and getting no where, I did what people did to me for more than twelve years [of working at a government job where people wrote their leaders, making my office take another look at penalties assessed them]; I wrote my local Supervisor, explained our situation, and waited for a reply.

Well here are the BLESSINGS folks....on Tuesday mail, along with the Assessors late tax bill came the response from my County Supervisor telling me the concern was turned over to a Senior Auditor in the Assessors Office. I shared this with my wife, and we both thought we were getting the political "kiss-off."

However, this is where God's FAVOR began, and the attack of the enemy was thwarted! In today's mail [Wednesday - May 29], we received the financial windfall that in time would more than make up for the vet bill from Monday. The Auditor reviewed our letter to the Supervisor, and she REDUCED the tax value on our mobile to.......$7,500.00.

Today, while visiting the tax office, where went to pay our overdue bill [to avoid liens] we were told that along with the huge reduction by the auditor, we'd also be getting a Supplemental Refund [yearly]. Ouer-all the new value of the home will be less than a thousand dollars a year. And, after the check we sent off today, is received, we'd be receiving a REFUND.....

That means, in the end, instead of a tax bill based on $17,900.00, or $220.00 a year; our new tax bill, based on less than a thousand-dollar value assessment would be like $20.00 a year. Praise the Lord!

Now that is what I meant above. We don't always see God return things to us in a way that equals money in the hand. Nevertheless, in this case, money in the hand will add up to a whole lot more than we put out for the vet on Monday afternoon.

Thank you Father! Thank you Jesus! Thank you Holy Ghost! And a huge thank you to all that prayed for us as this need was made known.

Folks, this is what I consider ANSWERED PRAYER at its best. So the next time you have a need, DO NOT BE embarrassed OR AFRAID TO BRING IT TO THE CHURCH.

God is always an awesome God, and He knows every hair on your head [yes; even bald men have some hair to count], and He knows the number of feathers on each bird as well as where the fox will lay its head. This means; He will always make a way for us. Maybe not through winning the lottery, or having a rich aunt leave you a bundle [and aunt you and your parents never knew about]. Nevertheless, His favor in your life, will make a way, in ways you may or may not see or understand, but it is still a blessing and it is a way around, over or through the trial on the Narrow Path you traverse in His name!

If you don't mind, let me leave you with two verses that are quite assuring [at least to me] when facing insurmountable trials along the TRAIL you walk:

1 John 4:4 - (NLT), "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world."

1 Corinthians 10:13 - (NLT), "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

SORRY for being that annoying, boastful person....but I had to share! I hope this helps someone else who is struggling with a government office and not knowing where to turn...Shalom!


1 John 4:4 - (NLT), "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world."

1 Corinthians 10:13 - (NLT), "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

SORRY for being that annoying, boastful person....but I had to share! I hope this helps someone else who is struggling with a government office and not knowing where to turn...Shalom!

*And for those who may be critical of me and think, I'm not paying my fair share of taxes, let me remind you of this: I did not ask for, or expect to not have such a low-value [after the supplemental assessment refund was applied] on my mobile. I only wanted the home to reflect the actual price I paid for it and not some inflated value that a person sitting in a cubicle placed upon it based on a table they use for everyone, thoroughly ignoring my letters and pleas. The government is often blind and uncaring, and we, as Christians and citizens need to stand up for ourselves. No one else will.