My car is my BFF and my arch enemy.
Sherlock totally gets it.
I love that I have wheels and I am so grateful when I turn the key and the engine starts up. However, my car is also…well…how do I put this? 20 years old and held together by duct-tape and prayer. Anyway, onto the story of God’s provision in one of most incredible and mind-boggling ways…
It’s Saturday and I’ve got an appointment for an oil change. Oil changes are always scary for me because there’s usually a list of 107 other repairs that need to be done when the oil change is complete. This particular one was scary, too, as I had one obvious repair that I was doing my best to ignore: my instrument panel was out- meaning I never knew how fast I was going, how much gas I had, or if my car was over-heating. NBD.
So I’m heading to this oil change thinking “Lord, how am I going to afford any of these repairs? Since you’ve called me to go into the mission field, it seems like my finances are taking an extreme hit- finances that I had planned on putting towards the trip, and now all of these things are happening that cost money I don’t have.”
When I got to the oil change place, they said my appointment was cancelled. I waited around for an opening, but got none. Instead I went to meet my friend at her job and she decided to buy me a shirt to cheer me up (it totally did). She also invited me to go with her to see The Hobbit 2. On the way, when we were near her house a couple of cities away from mine, I took my foot off of the brake at a stoplight and my car lurched forward and rear-ended my friend. The one who just bought me a shirt. And invited me to a movie. And who bought me a plane ticket to Seattle for my birthday/because she’s just generous like that. And I repaid her by rear-ending her car. I felt like the worst friend ever. I wanted to run away and hide and never return.
However, instead, her family took me into their house, and took care of my car. They asked if I was hungry and made me feel welcome. I totally didn’t get it. I was the enemy! I totally just rear-ended one of their cars! After the movie – yes, they insisted I still go enjoy the movie- they told me that they will take the car to the mechanic. I didn’t understand how grace could flow so easily and readily from these wonderful people. All I wanted to do was run away and leave this note:
Instead, they made me a bed, then made me breakfast the next day. After a couple of days, I got a call from my friend’s dad. He said that they found the problem and took care of it (something about the engine lowering and sitting on something). And then he says “and I had them take care of the instrument panel as well. Oh, and they fixed your door, too. So, don’t worry about anything, just come and pick it up drive off, I took care of it. Oh, and I’ll see if my friend who is a car enthusiast can meet you there to make sure they did everything well.”
My brain still cannot process this.
TOO MUCH KINDNESS!!!
The Lord provided by having me literally smack head-first into Grace. These people’s kindness (as it always has) has inspired me to new levels. They walk so closely with the Lord, that His kindness and grace just flows from them seemingly without effort. It also inspired me to want to be like that. To be so close to the Lord that He’ll use me to be an extension of His provision and an extension of His grace to people that need to see it.
I am forever grateful for their gift- not only the gift of a working car, but the gift of seeing a whole new side to God’s love.
I hope this can also be an encouragement to those raising support for the mission field. It can be- scratch that- is difficult. And it seems like all sorts of extra financial burdens crop up in the process that cause you to question God’s call. But I am here to proclaim that God does provide where He has called. So don’t panic….He’s there! And sometimes He’ll even use a car crash to prove it.
Thank you again for all of your prayers and support! It couldn’t be done without you and I am forever grateful!
