Do you have physical and financial needs in your life?
In the last few weeks I have shared two stories with you about how I “found” specific items that I wanted (not needed), and how I believe that finding those items is actually God revealing His real and personal love to me.
If you read the purse story (read more here) or the thrift store incident, you may have thought that they were just coincidences. Maybe they were, but today I have a story that I don’t think can fall into that category. I’ll let you be the judge of that.
First, the back story:
January 2012 – The van which we had owned for over 10 years finally reached the point of needing repairs well over it’s value. After spending most of the night in it with my daughter (you can read that story here), we sold it for $400.
This left us with one car which was too small to fit everyone in our family (a Ford Escort) but we did not have the money for another car at the time so we decided to make it work while we saved money. We were absolutely determined NOT to go into debt.
September 2012 – We saved money and prayed and finally in September of 2012 we were able to buy a used van from some acquaintances. I was so excited to be able to take our family places at the same time and to have the luxury of running errands or doing fun things with the kids whenever we wanted rather than working around my husband’s work schedule.
March 2013 – Sadly, just a short time after purchasing the van we learned that there were serious issues that would cost far more than its value to repair (sound familiar?). We were able to sell it for $400 even though it didn’t run but we lost about $3000 in the process, and we were once again a one car family.
June 2013 – My two oldest teens were hired for their first jobs and I became Taxi Mom. One vehicle + 3 jobs 30 minutes away with varying schedules meant that I was driving hours a day most days. It was tiring but every time I prayed about a second car, I felt that we should wait (which was really the only option we had at the time.)
November 2013 – The situation began to heat up when my son’s schedule changed so that we arrived home at 1:30 in the morning after his shift two to three nights a week and I had to get up at 5:30 in the morning to take my husband to work. I never do well with interrupted sleep but enduring multiple nights of this scenario each week was turning me into a crazy person.
In the meantime, on one of the rare occasions that my husband had the car for the day, someone sideswiped him and damaged the passenger side of our car leaving it without the side view mirror. We could drive it but not legally without the mirror. Our situation was at a crisis point.
After a couple of days, the other driver’s insurance agreed that he was at fault and they gave us a rental vehicle while we had the Escort fixed but I was completely emotionally spent and ended up staying up one night crying for over two hours about everything that was going on. (In addition to the stress and pressure of the vehicle issues in the past couple of months we have had a broken sliding glass door, my iPad stolen and a decrease in our income.) I knew deep down that God is faithful and somehow He was going to work it all out, but I was exhausted.
On Monday of last week, we called some friends that we had not seen in a long time and ask them to meet us at a coffee shop to catch up with each other. After we had talked for a bit, we told them about our car situation and one of them asked if we wanted a new car. I said yes but thought that he would just pray for us.
Instead he pulled the title for a car out of his coat pocket and handed it to us!
I was in shock — excited and overwhelmed all at the same time. He said that on the way out the door to meet us God told him to give us the car.
Meet the Mom-Mobile!
Here it is – the beautiful, wonderful gift from God which changes my day-to-day life in huge ways!
As I said in the beginning, I will let you judge for yourself but I believe that God gave us this car as a visible, tangible sign of His love and provision for us because of our relationship with Him. Yes, there are natural consequences to our choices in life, and God does not swoop in with a magic wand and fix everything, but He does care.
If you have needs in your life, I encourage you begin to have a conversation with God about your needs and then to trust Him to help you. I firmly believe that if He will provide for us, He will provide for you too.
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Goosebumps!!!! That is so so so so so incredible!!! It encourages me and challenges me to trust God fully. We were in a car situation not too long ago, and although we did get a car, we also are now in debt. If we would have waited until next year, we could have paid cash, but I got impatient being stuck at home 24/7 with a baby. I’m very thankful that we are able to afford it, but this story challenges me to give God complete control, even when my patience is running thing.
P.s. I love station wagons! 😉
I am so glad that I could encourage you. It is really funny that the car is a station wagon because my husband kept finding them for sale and I didn’t want one, mainly because of the faux wood paneling on the sides of most of them- haha! I love this one though!
What a blessing.
WOW!! That gives me hope!! Since our 3rd child was born about 4 years ago, I’ve been praying for a mini-van….instead, our 2nd car became completely unreliable which made me taxi-mom and also driver of a cramped little car with 2 growing teens and a car seat in the back.
Still praying for a miracle second car … and thankful to see GOD can provide in unexpected ways (well, I know He can … just a good reminder!). 🙂
I pray that God will provide a care for you soon Conny!
Yes! We believe!
Praise God!
A friend sent me your posts about the purse, thrift store, and car to encourage me. Although we are not financially strapped we have had years of stress and strain from my emotional healing as well as many other challenging issues I won’t go into. Recently we added 2 hours of driving minimum to take my oldest to a different school. There are many areas where we need help and answers. We are faithfully seeking God and waiting for His guidance and help. Reading your posts gave me just the encouragement I needed to keep going, be patient some more, and trust that God has our best planned. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I rejoice with you in God’s gifts to you.
Welcome Sara! I am sorry that you have had to deal with so much stress in your life. I can relate because we had several years of extreme stress that resulted in our losing our home to foreclosure, declaring bankruptcy and finally separating and almost filing for divorce about 9 years ago. God has been so faithful to heal us emotionally, physically and spiritually (and He is continuing to do so). It may seem dark now, but just keep moving. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season!
No need to respond, just want to add my happiness for you to the 100’s of others who are also happy for you. Congratulations on the Mom-mobile! It’s beautiful! I hope it runs long and well for you!
Hi kimberlee- I’ve been blown away by gods little blessings to you lately & very thankful. It is such an encouragement for me to keep hanging on. My husband and I (and throw a 2 year old into that!!) have had FIVE YEARS of c.h.a.o.s. and we’re staring another year in the face- desperate for it to be different. Because of your sweet pilgrim story, I was encouraged to pray for god to “restore” to us some of what’s been broken. Nothing tangible yet- but my heart & perspective have made a major shift- and THAT is better than ANYTHING tangible!!! I am SO GLAD this car has changed your life! We too are a one car fam & we have a sweet family that loaned us their extra the last few weeks- what.a.blessing! THANK you for your stories, your encouragement & how you ALWAYS point it back to god. Happy thanksgiving!
I am so sorry that you have been going through a difficult time for so long Alicia. I pray that God will begin to turn things around for you quickly. Thanks for taking the time to comment — it encourages me to keep doing what I am doing. 🙂
Wow Kimberlee, thank you so much for sharing this! Your story reminds us that God knows our situation, and that he is in control. Your family is blessed, thank you for sharing your encouragement with us! A very Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family and your readers!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too Lisa!
Praise the Lord!!
God is so GOOD to us! My 19 year old son’s girlfriend had wrecked his car which left him without a way to work. He went to a buy here pay here lot just a few days later and went in WAY over his head. He called me that Saturday about 30 minutes AFTER he had put his whole paycheck down on an old Toyota. I told him to take it back. “Go right now and get your money back!” I demanded. He took the car right back, but the seller would only refund half of my son’s money. I told him he should have told me before he went and did THAT. My husband selflessly gave him his daily driver on the following Monday. It was nothing fancy just a 15 year old Cavalier. My dear husband got on craigslist each night looking for a good deal on another $500 old car of any kind to make his 15 mile commute to work each day. He was looking at Jeeps on craigslist the very next Sunday morning before church . . . . . When we walked into the church our preacher greeted us as usual, but proceded to ask “You’re a mechanic, so how would you like to buy my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Loredo for just $500?” YES, God is THAT good!! When we got home that day craigslist was still pulled up on our computer and in the search was the word “Jeep”. Not everyone would appreciate our story, but I knew you would. 🙂 God Bless
wow!
god closed a door but always open a window
That is so cool Tracey! Thank you for sharing that. 🙂
I love seeing how God provides for our needs in ways that our even better than we could think or imagine! What an awesome God we serve!
Wow, this is an amazing story. We have had some setbacks in the past couple of days (not as extreme as what you have described, but still discouraging), and hearing stories like this is so inspiring. It really puts things in perspective. I know that I’m being called to relinquish my illusion of control and put my trust (and patience) in God. Have a great Thanksgiving!
I’m sorry you are going through a difficult time Claire, but glad that I could encourage you. Hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving too!
That’s wonderful news and no doubt God had a hand in it!
Thanks Kristia!
God is so faithful! It amazes me in my own life where he is faithful. It was such a blessing to me to read your story! Have a Happy Blessed Thanksgiving! My pilgrim lady is still a widow,I am still looking for her man 😉 God bless!
I am glad that you enjoyed the story Lynne. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
God is good all the time!!
Of course it’s not a coincidence….as Christians don’t believe in such. God is good and is with us in trials and tribulations firing out the impurities and making us more like His precious Son, Jesus. I rejoice with you in the rich blessings of God. Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to you too Mandy!
Thank you so much for this reminder to trust God with our needs no matter what it look like right now. Seeing how God came through for you just gives me the boost to hang on in there!
You are welcome Angel — don’t give up hope!
I love you and this story brought tears to my eyes <3
Thanks, and I am glad that it touched you Heather.
wow congrats you are a lucky lady 🙂 xx
WONDERFUL! WONDERFUL! LOVE stories like this! Reminds me even further why I am right in my decision to skip the materialism of Black Friday. And made me feel even better about asking my children to whittle their Christmas list down to something they would really like, something they really need, and something they would like to read. I am embracing the traditional of three gifts. My husband works for a company that just merged and he most likely won’t have a job sometime in the first quarter 2014. The things that kids just “needed” are no longer a luxury that just pops us. I can think of at least one son who needs new soccer shin guards. But we are abundantly blessed with what we do have. MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOURS THIS THANKSGIVING!
I like that idea to give them a want, a need and a book. I am sorry that you are looking at a potential job loss. I pray that God will bless you abundantly!
Thanks so much for the reminder that no matter how much we think we are in control (or out of control) God always is and he knows what we need and the perfect timing to give it to us. I love things like this and I appreciate you sharing it! Happy Thanksgiving is something we should be doing/saying every day.
The difficult part of it is waiting on His timing sometimes, but He is always good. And yes, we should celebrate Thanksgiving every day. 🙂
Wow! AWESOME! So happy for you! God is good!:)
Your story has left me with tears in my eyes! You are truly blessed!
Praise the Lord! God is good; all the time!!!
Oh Kimberlee- that is AWESOME! What a testimony to faith for you & the giver! Coincidence, no, I am loving how bold & in-your-face God was with this. Thank you for sharing. This made my day! xo
There was absolutely no denying that it was Him Christi — that is for sure!
I love this testimony of God’s goodness and rejoice with you! He is ever faithful.
What a blessing!! Praise God in every season.
Oh my goodness, Kimberlee – goosebumps! 🙂 I love hearing stories like this about how God is working in our day-to-day lives, it’s such a faith builder! Thanks so much for sharing this!!
You are very welcome Jami! Thanks for taking the time to stop by. 🙂