Filed Under Grace or God Provides

  My friend, Kristina, does this fun Documentary of Answered Prayers on her blog.  It's been quite sometime since I joined in.  Today, I saw the link on my blog and decided to join in.  It's not a coincidence I am able to participate this month, I'm sure.

Yesterday, our family was headed out to pick up our car at the repair shop.  We went to Taco Bell for lunch, paid cash with the money Aaron had won in a costume contest, and then headed over to the gas station.  Aaron went to the pump, swiped our card, and it stated, "see the cashier."  He thought there was a glitch in their system and went ahead and filled the tank.  Now, I told you he had cash, not much, but he had enough to throw some gas in to get to and from our destination.  He chose to fill it due to thinking it was a glitch in the machine.  He goes inside to pay for the filled tank and his check card came back denied.  We do not own a credit card, so his only option was the check card or cash in hand.  He came back out to the truck and told me what had happened and added, "if we leave, they will call the cops." 

We began to scramble for some cash.  Jonathan had 2.75 in his wallet and quickly offered it up to help out, bless his heart!  By the time I scraped my purse, Aaron scraped his wallet, Jonathan handed over his cash, and we scraped the floor for coins, we came up 2.75 short!  My heart was pounding, I was in a panic and tears.  How the heck are we going to come up with 2.75??? 

A friend of ours lives not far from where we were so we called them.  No answer.  We then called another friend.  Now, this 2nd friend we called, we've only gotten to know in the past couple weeks.  I would not consider them "go to in dire straits friends" at this point in our friendship, if you know what I mean?!  So, call I did.  Answer, they did.  She told me, "now don't you cry about this, things happen."

The husband came to the station and walked in with Aaron.  As they walked, the husband asked Aaron what we were up to.  Aaron shared with him we were going to pick up our car from the repair shop.  The husband said, "well, how much is that and how you paying for it?"  Aaron told him and explained a family member gave us a blank check for it and we are paying them back on payday (due to the car needing fixed NOW before it cost us more).  The husband, went to the cash machine, paid for our full tank of gas and handed the rest of the cash to Aaron.  He then said, "don't pay me back, it will just make things awkward between us and don't show your wife until I'm gone because she'll make you give it back."  (he knows me quite well, I guess.) 

Aaron got in the car and there in his hand was enough money to cover the repairs, and much more!  We cried.  We did not ask for a hand out, we simply needed 5 bucks to pay for the gas and God provided so much more. 

I want to add, the first friend I called returned the call AFTER the seccond friend was already there.  God knows.  Isn't that amazing? 

I also want to add, Aaron had posted on FB about the car needing fixed and someone said, "I don't pray for a cheap fix, just provision to pay for the fix."  Aaron thought the borrowed money was God's provision.  He was so wrong.  God is so much bigger than we give him credit for. 

I texted the wife and said, "I have no words.  It takes everything in me to not pay you back, but know it would steal God's blessing from you.  THANK YOU."  Her response, "I am just thankful that God gave us the opportunity!  I'm sorry you had to go through that but thank you for calling me. :)" 

Her words penetrated me.  "The opportunity."  Had our other friends answered, I would have robbed this family from an opportunity to do what God called them to do.  It's not about me, money, Aaron, the car, the truck, this family, that family; it's about God and the opportunities He puts in place for blessings to occur; for a need to be met.  It just so happens, it was my need He met this time. 

Our immediate need was 5 dollars, but God blessed us with much, much more!