I was passing the hospital where all my girls were born and thanking
God for His amazing provisions of giving life to each of them when our van sounded
like it needed a trip to intensive care. It eventually started purring
again and I settled back into daydreaming until I got home and told Jeff about
the episode. The next day, she started coughing again, this time with a
massive fever that ended with Jeff and Ella being stranded on the side of the
road. Thankfully, Dave Vogt, a great friend and longtime supporter just
happened to be driving by, and rescued them. Another good friend,
supporter and mechanic took a look at it and gave us the bad news. Our
faithful companion was gone. Engine blown, no chance of revival,
destination…junk yard.
Our Dead Venture
We borrowed a car from Jeff’s parents and began praying for
another car. Old faithful had been paid off for years and we didn’t have
the money for another car. However, over the years we’ve certainly
learned that God supplies all of our needs according to his riches. He
has this way of showing off. Just flexing His muscles and charming
Creation to remind us who He is and who we are in Him. He tells us not to
worry about what we shall eat or drink or wear. We figured He meant what
we should drive as well so without a worry (seriously, this was a victory learned
over time), we put it to prayer.
My best friend and longtime supporter of our ministry called
me asking for prayer because she was discontent. Now this sister is
typically not discontent, especially when it comes to material
things. She saw a van (the day before ours blew up) and couldn’t get it
out of her mind. She wanted it and was even dreaming about it. She
was frustrated because her van was perfectly fine. But man, she wanted
this new van. I prayed with her about it and somewhere in our conversation
I mentioned our van. I didn’t think much about the conversation until Jeff and I were sitting at a leadership conference where the speaker was talking about being generous leaders. My phone beeped with a text message and I admittedly and possibly even rudely checked it during the session. It read, “We would love to give you our car once we have bought another one – if you want it, that is…we love you, friend!” I tearfully passed it over to Jeff who smiled and choked back tears. Seriously, a big show off our God is! We were so grateful (Jeff’s parents may have been more grateful because they would get their car back! J). We were floored even more as I thought they were talking about their older car. She later clarified it was their family van. Wow, humbled. I felt like one of the silly disciples who cast my net over the boat with low expectations only to be overwhelmed with a net so bountiful I could not pull it in.
So, with God’s provision, our friends’ faithfulness, and $1, we now are owners of a van that the girls say is a racecar and draw it with flames coming out of the back (I think that may be because of the way daddy drives it J). Today, if you’re burdened by what you should eat, drink, or wear, or maybe how you will pay that bill, let me encourage you to turn to the One who owns all the cattle on a thousand hills. He is faithful and He loves to show off!
Our Living Voyager!
And for each of you out there that support our ministry financially and through prayers serving vicariously through us, you continue to be a regular means of how God shows off his faithfulness to us and we thank you and Him for that!
