Hello, friends:) It’s been a while. But I promise you… it’s not because I’ve been sitting around. Throughout this season of preparing for the race (no. small. task.), the LoRd has continuously shown up in the little things and shown out in the big things. While I thoroughly enjoy learning about Him in the safety and quietness of my own little bedroom, last week He chose to reveal Himself to me in a new way – in a gas station parking lot… in the middle of nowhere Missouri…halfway through our 14-hour drive back to Texas.
Last week started off strong. My boss graciously received the news that my days with my beloved old people and coworkers were numbered. I got to give Keaton a grand tour of life here in Dallas and even managed to squeeze in an extra day in Iowa with the family! We did all the reasonable things three siblings should do after making a decision in frenzied excitement to drive through the night Tuesday instead of leaving the next morning. Diana serviced the car, we threw the bare essentials in our bags, filled up on tacos and Spark, and called the parents. Of course we joked about if Diana’s car *nicknamed Sputter* would make it all the way, but we prayed just in case, and were on our way.
After a fantastic long weekend at home, Diana and I finally packed up to return to Texas. The first 6 1/2 hours were smooth sailing… the sun was out, the country music played, there were no high speed awards, and I think we even both managed to squeeze in a nap! And then we stopped to fill up in Lebanon, MO.
Lebanon, Missouri, is where Sputter failed us.
Ready for my turn, I hopped over to the front seat and nothing happened when I turned the key. Not even a sputter. Nothing was working so we asked the guy next to us for a jump. Still no sound. Not a peep. The first guy who knew “just enough about cars to get by,” was an out-of-towner and took off with a rather defeated sounding “good-luck”. Diana and I just looked at each other before I walked in to ask the cashier if there was anyone we could call to take a look at it, knowing full well that on a late Sunday afternoon of a holiday weekend, in a seemingly tiny town, our chances were slim. The guy paying for his gas graciously offered to take a look at it, and though he knew significantly more than the first, he left us hanging with a similarly toned “good-luck”. We had no answers and no options… a pretty sad state for two girls 7 hours away from anything familiar. A friend of mine called me out of the blue and we prayed as Diana finished up a conversation with her uncle who owns the car.
With as calm of front as I could muster, we shut the hood and got back in the car. Less than five minutes after prayer and a few deep breaths, there was a knock at the window.
“Can I help you guys? Are you stuck? I’m from around here and I have plenty of connections.. I can get you a tow no problem. It’s just a matter of where you want to go. Probably won’t get it looked at till the morning, but we know a guy just around the corner.”
Only. My. God.
This man was out with his wife and daughter, bored after their Sunday afternoon naps, and decided to go grab ice cream. They found us. They patiently waited with us as the tow truck came and we collectively decided that our best bet was to grab our stuff and have them take us to a hotel down the road. While we were on our way to the hotel, the guy who towed it informed Chad that he parked the car in the shop for the night and that it would be looked at first thing in the morning. Without hesitation, Chad promptly told him to bill him for the tow! Talk about unexpected blessings… thank you just wasn’t sufficient. On our way, we found out that they had lived in Lebanon their whole lives, and were deacons of a church close by. What we didn’t find out until we were in our room for the night was that while we were moving our stuff, Chad had called to make a room reservation for us, and PAID for that too!!! I know that I often say that “my heart is overwhelmed,” but this was simply on another level.
Within an hour of Sputter going Silent, we were safe, warm, and fed with a tow and a room paid for. As if that wasn’t enough, Chad’s wife Brandy picked us up the next morning and brought us back to the car shop where we found out that the starter was the issue. But we were back on the road and made it back to Dallas just fine.
It’s interesting because when the LoRd does this kind of stuff in our lives, there’s always the initial shock and reaction that follows. But I’m grateful to be learning that I shouldn’t be surprised by this kind of divine intervention. It is okay for us as sons and daughters to expect our Father to take care of us and provide in every way. We honor Him by taking Him at His word, believing that He is who He says He is, and knowing He will do what He says He will do. That is how He gets the glory!!!
What a valuable lesson to be learning before going on the World Race.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
