Some time ago, my wife Esther and I went through a difficult time financially. We had been in the U.S. for several months, visiting my relatives and raising funds for our Christian volunteer work in my wife Esther’s home country of Ukraine.

Just a few days before our scheduled return, we were involved in a traffic accident and were forced to postpone our departure. Because of injuries suffered in the accident, Esther needed to take a few months of physical therapy. Tests done after the accident also confirmed that she had developed a muscle and nerve disease called fibromyalgia that made it difficult for her to go through a day without pain.

What is the "God Factor"? When making plans, we must remember that God is in control of the situation, and He is able to change people and situations and make things happen that are far beyond our abilities. That’s the “God factor.” What seems logical to the human mind often takes on a different perspective when the God factor comes into play. The God factor is that extra factor in the equation that overrides even the laws of nature and makes the impossible possible—and it is activated by our faith.

With our former plans upended, we sought God’s guidance as to what to do next, and He showed us to do these three things: depend on Him to supply our needs through raising support for our volunteer work, dedicate one day each week to prayer, and give one quarter of whatever income He would provide for us to other needy volunteers and projects.

In the course of the next few weeks we made lots of friends among the local community, and every weekend we held a fundraiser for our work back in Ukraine. It was wonderful to see how, as we followed what the Lord had shown us, He used each event and occasion to bring us to the next step.

On our “prayer days” we prayed for our own needs, as well as for our co-workers, friends, relatives, and other specific people and situations that had come to our attention. At first it seemed like a sacrifice to dedicate a whole day every week to prayer when we had so many financial needs and our own situation was uncertain, but we discovered that our prayers went much further than our physical efforts could have. We experienced miracle after miracle and clearly saw that as we were faithful to follow God’s instructions, He was faithful to do His part.

As we designated a sizable part of our income for gifts to fellow volunteers in addition to our regular 10% contribution to our church (the Family International), God surprised us time after time with amazing fundraising opportunities, unexpected donations, and special gifts. Even after giving away a quarter of our income, what we had left for our own volunteer projects was much more than we would normally have had, and enough to get us back to Ukraine.

And as we spent time praying for others, He repaid in ways that money can’t buy. He healed Esther and brought her fibromyalgia under control, and He inspired us to take our work in a new direction that promises to be more fruitful and fulfilling than anything we’ve done before.

He fully proved His promise, “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Nehemiah and Esther Berg are members of .