My name is Dennis Magana and I am a 4th generation Seventh-day Adventist. I am also a pastor’s kid who went to church school all my life. My dad was not only a pastor, but also a conference evangelist and most recently was the Ethnic Ministries coordinator for the Rocky Mountain Conference.
I have two brothers as well, and since we were old enough to talk we have been involved in church work, whether it was set up and tear down for Dad’s evangelistic crusades to holding concerts in different churches. This taught me to love the work and do it whole-heartedly.
I am not originally from the Midwest as I was actually born in Belize. But I have lived in the US since I was two. My wife and I are the proud parents of five kids, aged from 19 all the way down to six. My wife was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, so we have a good mix at home. My dad is resting in the Lord now, so as a family we await that great day when Jesus comes back and those who rest in Him are raised from the dead first.
I would say there are two sets of people who have had a great impact on our decision to be faithful to God. One set would be my parents. They made it a point since as early as I can remember to separate their tithe first; didn’t matter the circumstances, it was giving back to God what was His first and whatever was left over they left it in God’s hands and I can honestly say we never had a want. This is where I learned that God is faithful to His promises.
My dad also used to host financial seminars in different churches and it still amazes me that people still come up to me and tell me, “I remember your dad and how he always emphasized that God’s portion comes first. we tried it and have seen how God is faithful to his children.”
The second set would be my wife’s parents. They had six kids and growing up in Mexico and with a large family sometimes it can be tough. But the stories that they have of making sure God’s portion came first and how miraculously the propane gas did not give out, or how there was always food on the table and they had no needs further cements our decision to trust God in tithe giving.
There have been moments when my faith has wavered; it is very easy to look at what you are giving and the rent and bills are due and it’s much easier to use that money to pay everything. In those moments I thank God for the woman He gave to me. My wife is the one who reminds me how God has been faithful always and she is the one who encourages me to continue and leave it in God’s hands.
It is impossible to not see how God has blessed and continues to bless our family. We are a family of seven, and with a larger family there is more cost for food, clothes, shoes, etc. Praise God, though, He has always come through for us. There has always been food on the table, clothes and shoes for all of us and He even blesses us with money left over so that we can take occasional vacations as a family. He has never left us alone. How can your faith not grow when you see how He takes care of us?
In January of this year, we got news that changed our lives forever. My 39-year-old wife was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. I also at the same time had hip surgery and had to take time off work. My wife does not have insurance coverage and we were told that her chemotherapy would be very expensive.
How not to stress? I was not working and the bills continued to pile up. It is in those moments that your faith can waver, but also when you call on the Lord. “Lord, you have asked us to be faithful to you and that you would provide. I am asking now that you provide.” What can I say—one week after her diagnosis, she was approved for a program that is paying for the majority of her treatments. Also, when she was released from the hospital after staying one week, we were told she was leaving with a $0 balance. Again, she does not have insurance. God has sent angels, disguised as normal people, to come and bless us, as we have not had a want or need since this whole ordeal started.
I am still not back to work full time; I am currently working part time and my wife continues her treatments but we are secure in the Lord, fully knowing that He will take care of us. I take comfort in Matt. 6:25-26: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”
Giving back faithfully to the Lord works. He tells us to “try Him.” I encourage you to do so and you will see that He will open heaven’s storehouses and bless you abundantly. Please pray for our family and especially my wife as she continues her fight against colon cancer.
Dennis Magana is a member of the Mostrose Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Church in Montrose, Colorado.
