How God Has Provided
1984 “Why is this happening to me?”
The guy I was certain I’d marry dumped me. I pined for two years.
1986
I learned that the guy I was still hoping would marry me had been the cause of multiple abortions. I immediately recalled that time alone in his aunt’s house…and the frantic phone call from my mother that got me out of the house just in time. By far one of the greatest evidences of God’s hand in my life!
1987 A child experiencing the consequences of her own choices
I chose to drive for too long without stopping to eat, drink or use the restroom. Six hours in to my trip, with blinding sun in my eyes, I made a sudden switch from the fast lane to the slow lane without realizing the slow lane was almost stopped. I totaled both my car and the one I hit. I couldn’t afford to buy another car, but a family friend rented me a truck for the rest of the summer so I could get to and from work. I was spared horrific consequences but still dealt with disappointment and struggle.
1992 Needing great trust in God
Jonathon tried to come 3 months early and then was born 3 weeks early with under-developed lungs. That week in the NICU was scary stuff. By the time we brought him home, though, his lungs worked just fine! And with each developmental milestone crossed, we breathed another prayer of thanks.
1995-2015 Taking matters into my own hands
I was involved in in direct sales, with eight of these years as a trip-earning Sales Director. Any time I “needed” more sales in order to “earn” an award, I increased the limit on our credit cards and bought inventory. I didn’t see the dis-ease of my drive to “succeed” until years after leaving. God has helped me recognize many unhealthy patterns from those years so that I now recognize when I’m “slipping back to direct sales days.”
1997 A child’s emotions absorbed by an adult
It was a few days before Jonathon started kindergarten, and I jokingly said to him, “Jonathon, how will I find my car without you to remember where I parked?” to which he looked stricken and replied, “Mama, I don’t know. I’d better not go to school and stay to help you!” God has blessed me with two highly-sensitive children (remember Annemarie’s “no pennies”?!?) and regularly reminds me of my responsibility not to over-burden them with my “stuff”…but to take it to Him.
2006 Choosing to say “We will go”
We moved from southern California to central California coast with two kids who didn’t want to change schools, a house that wasn’t selling in a market that was tanking, two new car loans, a pile of graduate school student loans. Downsized from 2500 square feet + 3-car garage to 1800 square feet + 1-car garage, from two full-time incomes to one full-time income. We had no idea what our future would hold, and looking back seven years later, we couldn’t have predicted all the blessings if we’d tried!
2013 Choosing challenge over comfort
Daniel has been under great conviction regarding his health for the last two years. I’ve watched him analyze his nutritional intake, his exercise, his sleep, and make radical changes. (He’s just about wept to learn how much fat and/or sugar are in his favorite foods!) He is healthier now than when we met 28 years ago (although he still pines for the hair he had back then!) And none of these changes have had anything to do with me or my hinting / nagging!
Try This Today:
As you’re building your “God Will Provide” family time line, include a time when you paused to reflect on your blessings…perhaps a specific birthday or anniversary or other special celebration.
Your Turn!
What’s one clear “God Has Provided” from your family time-line?
We talk about this often – how God has reached down and changed the course of our lives in clear and evident ways! Gabe shared at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures how in one weekend he was ready to turn away entirely from God, but instead, chose to go to church in a strange town and on that very day we met. Good stuff!
Recently, I was planning to go to a party at a friend’s house in the evening. I’d planned to leave by 6:00, but I was running a little late and was anxious to get out the door. My then-3-year-old came running, insisting on more good-bye hugs. My little mental voice grumbled, but I turned and hugged him for a minute or two. I called my friend to let her know I was running behind, but was on my way, and I set out. As I was driving, I noticed a police car getting ready to make a U-turn onto my side of the highway, so I got over into the right lane, in case I needed to pull over and let him pass. Moments later, a car came speeding past me in the left lane, and I started to see smoke and sparks. I pulled over immediately and watched as police cars converged on that part of the road. Turns out that was a police car stolen by someone who’d robbed a local drug store – he’d forced an employee of the store to drive it, and she’d intentionally wrecked the car. Had I not stopped for those hugs, that speeding car could have taken me out with it. I cried and prayed and thanked God that I’d been those few minutes behind the schedule I had in mind. I never made it to the party, but I made it home safe and sound. Thank you, Lord!
I love you shared your Look Back. It helped me to recount some of my own. 🙂
There is such power in writing “our stories” and sharing them. I’ve been working through this process in a class I’m taking. It is amazing to see the hand of God throughout our lives.
Cheri, God truly has blessed! Keep clinging to Jesus because He’s got even greater things in store for you!
Beth 🙂
cheri what a wonderful blessing you are. Thank you for making me look back and remember all the times God has provided for me and my family.One time I can think of I know in my heart God was there for me and my family we were on our way home after parking the car my sister,myself and my son went up stairs after we opened the door shots were fired from a car parked on the block killing my neighbor. I thank God that night for getting us in the house before the shooting started.,I know he provided safety for me and my family. This happened in 95 and I remember this very clear and often think back and thank him all the time.
My husband & I almost separated years ago. We had been discussing it calmly, when we would do it and how. I had resolved that it would be a failed marriage not by my choice. I was devastated but ready for my new chapter. We were a couple days away from the actual date and I went to go to work and my car wouldn’t start. Not knowing what to do, I called my husband. He was at work, but had some one help me. He called me that night to say he was sorry but he changed his mind and really wanted to work on things and the car breaking down on me was a trigger to him of how he wanted to be the one to save me. So we worked on our issues and got much closer as a result. I am certain that God put us back on the right path together and am so thankful for that.
When my son was set to start kindergarten, our school system only offered half day kindergarten. My husband and I both worked, and our son is an academically gifted child. WE needed him to have a full day, and HE needed a full day to stimulate his little mind. We found a private parochial school. It wasn’t any more expensive than having him in day care half a day each week. We fell in love with the loving teachers and environment at the school and have added another child to the mix. Yep, we were smitten with the love of God in our school. Every year our tuitioncontinues to cliimb, and every year we begin to panic in February thinking ‘where is the money going to come from’ to keep our kids in this God loving school. We no longer can pay for the entire tuition at one time as we did with just one child, so we pay it monthly, but I can tell you God does provide! Each year, SOMEHOW we get two or three thousand dollars to pay down the tuition, so that we aren’t totally strapped. He reminds me each year to trust in HIM! I know that this is where my children belong.
I love your look back, too!! It’s amazing to realize things that we thought were devastating at the time really turn out to be blessings in disguise. God always has our interests at heart!!
I love your “look back” at the trials that turned out to be blessings! We should all take the time to do this little exercise 🙂