Provider

Last Friday I did something not so awesome. 

We were coming home from an afternoon at the lake when I pulled up to park the van in the garage. I noticed that one of the kids scooters had not been put away properly. I was worried that I might drive over it so I asked Evan to hop out and move it. After he did, I drove forward to park in my spot when all of a sudden I heard a loud *BAM* - the kind of sound that everyone wants to hear when they are diving. Cringe. I turn my head and saw that our sliding door had hit the garage door frame. Evan hadn't closed it when he hopped out, and I hadn't checked to make sure that it was closed. Nooooo!

My mistake had cost us dearly. The automatic sliding door was now broken.

This could not have come at a worse time. We just don't have any extra to be able to cover a car repair. I was so mad at myself for being so absentminded. It would have taken 2 seconds to turn around to make sure that the door was closed. Why oh why didn't I check that? :(

The next morning, as I sat at the dealership waiting to hear what my mistake would cost us, I flipped open my bible. This is what I read:

“In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry."
Jonah 2: 2

And in that moment I wrestled. I was certainly feeling distressed.....but did I believe that He would answer me?

Sometimes when I read His word I struggle with believing that it's for me. I hope it is, but at the same time guard my heart from disappointment. What if He doesn't answer in the way I want, will I still believe He answers? Faith is hard.

A little while later I received an update on our van. It was not the easy fix they had anticipated. The van would need to go to a body shop.  Since it was the weekend I had to lay aside the worries of what it was going to cost until Monday. I tried to just push it out of my head but I was dreading the consequence that was looming ahead.

On Sunday evening my phone chirped with a text. It was from a family we knew. They said that God had put it on their hearts to send us money. They wrote "Think of it as a hug from the Lord and know you're not forgotten about. He hears your cry..."

".....and you listened to my cry." Jonah 2:2

I don't think it's a coincidence that this family used those words to send me. God wanted to use them to remind me that He does answer. He wanted to remind me that He loves me and sees me and cares about me.... and the absentminded mistakes I make. God wanted to pay the price.

I am in tears just writing this. My God is able.

See, in that dealership office I was praying for help. I was hoping that the van door would just need to be popped back in place. That would have been an answer to my prayer.....But God was preparing a bigger surprise.

Our door is now working and we only needed to use a quarter of the money that was given to us. He wanted to answer my cry AND bless us beyond that need as well.

God can do anything, you know- far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 
Ephesians 3:20-21 The Message

I want to remember this the next time I am looking into His word and wondering if it's for me.
My God provides for all of my needs. He will provide for yours too.
xo

And when my circumstance

Leaves me with empty hands

You're the provider of my needs

(You Are by Colton Dixon)