Category: Stories I Share

Far from home, my son was in an accident that could have been fatal. (See here.)

God not only protected, but he also provided. When my son called, I was lunching with prayer partners. After praying, I called another friend. She prayed for the best police officer to be assigned. He was. He said all the evidence collaborated my son’s account, and the officer’s humorous commentary lightened the stress.

The accident’s circumstances were bizarre, but a doctor said he had a similar experience. Comforting.

With my husband and eldest abroad, my middle son gave wise counsel to his brother—advice that never occurred to me.

The body shop drove my son to a hotel that served a free dinner. Unusual.

A buddy drove six hours to take my son home. His pickup truck held all my son’s baggage, including two bikes.

After flying to us, my son needed to register his hand-me-down car in Missouri. His brother had vacation time to accompany him.

We wanted a new car with particular specifications. An order had been canceled the previous day, so our replacement car arrived quickly.

Ten years ago, my son was driving from Missouri to the East Coast to spend time with us before heading to a summer church internship. In Indiana, he had a freak accident. By God’s mercy, while his Subaru was totaled, he walked away without even a bruise. God’s protection and mercy abounded.

The details were lifesaving. The alignment of his car was off. The police officer who responded said a different alignment would have resulted in my son being severely injured or his death, if not the same for others.

The accident occurred before an upcoming merger and clover leaf where the highway would have had more traffic.

The existence of cables instead of a guard rail—or nothing—in the median gradually slowed the car, also protecting my son and others.

The body shop mechanics who looked at the towed car expected my son to have arm burns from the air bag deployment. His thick hoodie protected them.

God’s provision in the aftermath followed his protection

If you followed my inheritance distribution—see here and here—you still haven’t met everyone. The last to arrive—and feast on pizza and ice cream—were brothers from the local hobby shop.

After the only child of my widowed uncle passed, my uncle turned to model trains as a diversion during his lonely, lonely days.

My last conversations with my uncle included his train set. Who would enjoy it?  He finally bequeathed it to a nephew, who took many cars and tracks.

The remainder of the set weighed on me. My husband called a local hobby shop in hopes of finding a taker. The employee who answered the phone said his brother would be interested. Coincidence?  He offered to pay what he could. We declined and only asked him not to take items to sale.

While we visited, we learned that these strangers were Believers, too.

We received a thank you text that included a promise that the brothers’ use of the materials would make Uncle Floyd proud.

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Galatians 6:10 (ESV)

January four years ago, my husband and I flew to Oklahoma to distribute my inheritance. (See here.) What we gave away was overshadowed by the unexpected experiences my inheritance allowed us to have.

The best came through a young boy. I was only told he was staying with my uncle’s friends, and an adult was sleeping on the sofa so the child could have a bed.

Whenever I found a stash of candy, I handed it to him and he passed it around. I thought that being the keeper of the candy would make the child’s day. What made his day was seeing my uncle’s washing machine.

My mother doesn’t have a washer.

The boy’s mother didn’t have a dryer either, but her son’s words provided her with both. The next day, his sixteen-year-old sister came with him to retrieve the appliances. One day, will they tell how God provided during a hard time? My husband and I already have.