The FamilySearch Theme for November is “Remember and Record a Window of Heaven Tithing or Fast Offering Blessings.”
When I think of the scripture in Malachi 3:10 “…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,” one personal experience always comes to mind.
My husband and I had been married for a few years. We struggled financially, like most young couples do. He was working full time, going to school full time, and in the bishopric so he was doing all he could do. I was a stay-at-home mom with two small children.
We wanted to get into a home, but with his current job that wasn’t possible. He applied for some jobs and got one. It was a sales job, 100% commission. It made me nervous, but within a few months we saw that he was a very good salesman and that this would bring a lot of blessings into our lives. As soon as we could qualify to buy a home, we started looking and found one we could purchase. Things were going great until we closed on the house. Our house payment was triple what we had been paying for rent. The stress of the increase in our house payment and homeownership made my husband freeze and as hard as he tried, he wasn’t selling anything. Because of how the commission structure was paid, we knew we would be fine the next month but the following month we would be in trouble. After another discouraging day of no sales, 2 ½ weeks into the pay cycle, my husband came home and said, “We need to double our fast offerings.” I felt we were already paying a lot, but we were desperate. We made an additional payment.
By the end of the month my husband was the top salesperson for that month. His boss came to him and asked him how that had happened. I don’t know what he told him, but we definitely knew what happened.
Tithing and fast offering blessings come in different ways, but we knew without a doubt that Heavenly Father opened the windows of heaven for us at that time.
– Darla Silcox, Consultant and Patron Services, Granite FamilySearch Center