Just as Christ learned obedience in suffering even more so do we. Our mountains are allowed so that we can learn to trust and rely on God and act in faith and love.
cp
Hello
Chuck;
Years ago I took my wife to Mendocino, CA for her birthday. It was a perfect birthday weekend. As we drove back on Sunday afternoon, the last thing that was on our minds was any problem that could possibly cross our path. We drove down a winding road and passed through a small town called Willits, CA. As we were driving through the car went silent. It's as if we were coasting and this felt weird. The transmission died and our car slowed down to a stop. We sat there in the car, it wouldn't start. We looked at each other in disbelief.
We looked to the right and noticed a church. So I got out and went to the front entrance and knocked. No one answered so I went back to the car. We looked at the church, then at each other. Then we came up with an idea.
LETS PRAY!
After we prayed and gave thanks, we noticed across the street a convenience country store with a
mail truck parked at the gas pump. I asked my wife to wait as I went across the street and approached the postal worker. He pointed me to an auto shop up the street but it might be closed because it was Sunday.
We walked a half a block and the auto shop was opened! I explained our car problem but they didn't have a transmission in stock and wouldn't be able to special order until the next day. They suggested we try the tow truck shop across the street. So we went across the street and as I approached the tow driver I told him our car was a block up the street but he was already on a call to another car that had broken down.
He decided to have us get into the truck, he drove up and hooked our car and brought it back to the shop. The shop could get us a refurbished transmission but it would take 3 weeks. So our next concern was obtaining a car to get home. We still had to drive south on 101, cross the Bay Bridge to San Francisco before we made it home to Daly City.
The tow truck shop pointed to a car rental next door. So we went next door and they had cars but our auto insurance only had liability, not comprehensive and collision. So, we thanked the rental and went back to the tow shop. I called our auto insurance and explained our problem and he asked me if I had a gold credit card? I told him, yes. He said my card should cover comprehensive and collision if we rent a car. So we went back to the rental and sure enough they verified my card and it had the required coverage so we could rent.
So we rented a car and because of our situation, the rental gave us a good rate. We left our car so the tow shop could order a refurbished transmission (we had an old Nissan Sentra.) Before we left Willits, we prayed and gave thanks to the Lord for what seemed like a heavy weight that was on our shoulders.
After we prayed we drove home and I noticed a large envelope in the back pocket of the passenger seat. In the envelope were birthday cards of a young man who celebrated his 18th birthday. So the next day at work I contacted the rental and explained to them what we found. They were kind to call the young man who lived back east with his parents. He gave the rental permission to give me his address so I special mailed the large envelope.
Our car was scheduled to remain in the shop for the next 3 weeks as we rented the car. A week later I received a letter in the mail. It was the 18 year old young man thanking my wife and me for mailing his envelope of birthday cards that were special memories of his friends. Less than 3 weeks later I got a call that our car was ready. So I drove the rental back to Willits, CA, thanked them and then went next door to redeem our repaired car.
As it turned out, our total cost for the rental was reduced again, discount courtesy of our credit card. The cost of the refurbished transmission for our car was also reduced, discount courtesy of our auto insurance who had compassion on our car breaking down.
As I was driving back the refurbished transmission felt like the car was new. Later that evening we reflected on our experience, and how God made a way for us to
move this mountain but not only that, we chose our faith through every step we took that day, our motive was not fueled by frustration of our problem but our request with hope that would be for
His Kingdom.
Our lesson was the mountains we face whether huge or not so huge, is, how do we as believers handle them when we least expect them?
God bless
you all and your families.