We have enjoyed 22 years of Christian Way Farm and we always have a fondness for this day.
Most of us have commented on the oddity of today’s date. 2-22-22. Even for people who have little regards for numbers, this date brings attention as there won’t be another one like it in our lifetime. Just wondering, are you one of those who watch the odometer on your vehicle? Do you notice when the mileage ends with 222, or 333 or some such number? Maybe no one else does that, but I always have noticed number patterns in strange ways and then for both Milt and me the major significance of the numbers 222 began 25 years ago.
Milt and I are the perfect partners for this business. He is the outdoorsman, the one who can tolerate the cold, endures the heat, fixes whatever is broken and just keeps things going around here….unless it involves technology or numbers. That’s my job. He prefers to leave the computer related issues up to me and I prefer to leave the mechanical related issues up to him. Finances—we discuss and share the decisions, but keeping tracking of them—totally my job. For over 30 years I have had a bookkeeping business for other clients and it’s only natural that all things finance/business about the farm are my responsibility. Our teamwork works great. Where he has strengths, they are my weaknesses and vice versa. It’s not that we necessarily are opposites; it’s just that we have been gifted differently and together we make a great partnership.
That partnership is by design. By God’s design.
Twenty five years ago, Milt and I were each walking the journey of single parenting and the Lord saw fit to introduce us to each other. I wasn’t interested in a relationship. I was taking care of my children, maintaining my bookkeeping business and just waiting to see what the Lord had for me next. Well this was what He had in mind, but I wasn’t sure. We both loved Jesus but I just wasn’t sure if we were really meant for each other. When the Lord was making clear to us both that His plan was for us to be together, my stubborn, broken and previously hurt self wasn’t so sure. And I for sure wasn’t making a decision like this without the Lord’s input and I needed it loud and clear!
Most students of the Bible would explain that the Scriptures are full of reasons that numbers are significant. The number 7 stands for completeness. Three represents the Trinity. The Israelites wandered for 40 years. Jesus fasted for 40 days. When you deal with numbers on a daily basis, you tend to take note of numbers and I know that God uses numbers to guide me.
Often I find myself noticing the same number repeatedly. And I’ve learned when that happens, it often ends up being a Scripture verse. Just as recent as this past weekend, we were at a teaching conference and the speaker played a video that was describing an evangelism ministry called 316mission.info. It was in reference to John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
The speaker was talking about an effort for Christians to share the Gospel on 3:16 (March 16) and as I looked at the clock on my phone. 3:16… There was a murmur in the crowd and finally someone said—“look what time it is. 3:16!!” Coincidence? I think not.
The winter and early spring of 1997, as Milt and I began to get to know each other, that moment came when we were at a turning point. Is this going to be a commitment or not? And suddenly I began seeing the numbers….222. ALL THE TIME!! I would get change at the store…$2.22. I would pump gas and it would be xx2.22 gallons. I would wake in the middle of the night and it would be 2:22 am. The license plate in front of me would be 222-xxx. I would go to someone’s house and their street number was 222. I knew God was up to something so I began just asking the Lord for clarity.
Then, one evening as I was praying about my future, I opened my Bible for some wisdom. As the Bible opened, I was in the book of Ephesians. In the top right corner of the page was the reference for the last Scripture on that page. Ephesians 2:22. I knew I was to read it…
“And in Him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”
It wasn’t handwriting on the wall, but it couldn’t be any plainer. I knew the answer. And I knew God’s plan. 222 was God’s way of directing me to His Word to tell me that He had a plan—to build a relationship between Milt and me that would be a place He would be if we welcomed Him there. So I said yes when the proposal came and we have tried to say yes every time God has called us to do something else for Him.
We have enjoyed 22 years of Christian Way Farm and we always have a fondness for this day: 2-22 comes around every year. This one just gets the added bonus of a couple more 2’s: 2-22-22. Today it’s an extra reminder of the goodness of God. He gives more than we deserve and loves more than we can explain. We are thankful He had a plan for us and dwells with us. It’s a match made in Heaven.
Often times, we are asked—how do we know if the Lord is in it? How do we know what we are to do? Keep your eyes open. Ask. Read His Word. If God can use the numbers 222 to give us direction, there is no limit to what He will do to speak to you!
Praying God’s best for you!
Blessings,
Janie and Milt
2-22-22
