When You Believe

Jehovah Jireh, "God Will Provide".  FAITH. 

These are some words that have defined the life of the Corsars the past few years.  God has just constantly shown us that He is our provider.  Have faith, Corsars, and Jehovah Jireh will provide everything you NEED! 

Since a wreck totaled our car a month or so ago, we've been in prayer that God would help us find an inexpensive vehicle because we really don't want any car payments right now.  We have a specific budget, want a specific kind of van, and really, I want any color except white.  I live in the white tundra...I don't want my car to be white, too.  We check Craigslist every day for our vehicle.  We drive through all the car lots at night to see what might be out there just for us.  We have even looked in Maryland and Arkansas where both our parents live.  We've been pretty diligent.  But just haven't found the right vehicle for us...YET.

Until yesterday.  Our good friend, Jered, calls us and tells us he has a friend who is selling a van for $500.  It's an older vehicle, but this friend of his really just wants to bless someone with it!  Oh, and it's white.  I figure it's best not to scoff at God's blessings.  Even if they don't fit what I think I want.  So, we test drive it, thank God for this great blessing, and go to offer the guy our $500.  He then changes his mind and says, "You know what?  I want you guys to just have it."  WHAT?  "Yeah, just take it.  When you are done with it, bless someone else."  Talk about paying it forward!  This van had been given to them in a time of need, and they wanted to do the same with it. 

So, we stand in this stranger's front yard with crocodile tears streaming down our faces.  Michael gives him a great big hug...freaks the guy out a little.  That's such a Michael thing to do.  The older he gets, the sappier he gets.  Just like my dad.  I love that.

We get in the van to leave crying tears of joy and humility, and laughing because God has the biggest sense of humor.  I was praying for anything other than a white van.  God was reminding me there are more important things in life than the color (or style) of a vehicle.  He was showing us how humbling and awesome it is to be on the receiving end of a blessing.  We like to bless others and now we want to bless people more because we now know how AWESOME that feels!  And the funniest part of this miracle has to do with the passenger side mirror.

Something that defines the Corsars is our ability to rip passenger side mirrors off of our vehicles.  We've done it so many times it's comical.  And it's only the passenger side.  On our previous cars, we've ripped one off pulling out of the garage, one from backing into our other car...twice, and one from backing into the trashcan. ( And for the record, not ALL of those were Becky's fault.  One was Michael's.)  This van that God gave us, already has an issue with the passenger side mirror.  We have laughed so much about God's sense of humor.  I don't think I'm going to get that mirror fixed because it reminds me of how God pays attention to those little details in our life and brings them back to our attention just to show He's still there.

I hope this post has made you believe in miracles.  Who just gives another person a car?  A stranger no doubt.   Every time we drive by this stranger's house, we pray big huge blessings over it.  After the bear hug that Michael lavished on this man yesterday, the man stated, "I know we aren't family, but we are family in Christ!  And family helps each other out."   Are you allowing God to use your hands, feet, heart & whatever else He may be asking to use to bless a family member in Christ?! 

Our miracle isn't over.  God has other miracles in store for us.  Miracles to prove that He is our provider.  Miracles to strength our faith.  Miracles to absolutely WOW my children.  We are just continuing to be diligent, seeking God's hand, looking to see where we can be a blessing, and keep walking forward.  He may not give us exactly what we ask for, but it works.  And He knows best.  Here's a picture of a miracle...in case you've never seen one. 

Friends

I've posted time and time again about the amazing provisions of God.  Something I'm a little passionate about as of late.  When we think of "provisions" we usually think financially.  We think of tangible things that God provides for us.  But I learned today that God also provides for us in non-financial ways.  I guess it's emotional ways that I have now seen His hand of provision. 

We have 2 sets of really good friends who have recently left our church.  Various reasons have just sent them out to minister in other churches, which is fine.  But I miss those friends dearly!  It just becomes harder to stay connected to friends when you don't see them every week.  We used to go out to lunch with these friends after church and spend time during the week together at church activities.  They became fixtures in my life that I relied on and loved being around because they filled my life with positive energy!  They encouraged me and prayed for me. 

For the past week I have really been grieving the "loss" of these friends.  We've had them each over for dinner since our lives have gone on different paths, but just not the same constant contact as before.  God is writing different stories for each of us, and I'm just a little bummed that our stories have to go in different directions.  So, I was thinking heavily about each friend and praying for them.  I emailed each of them to let them know I missed them and wanted to see them!  So, coffee dates are in order with each.  Then God allows me to run into one of them today!  I never run into them in town, but God knew my heart needed that contact and He gave it to me.  He provided a moment with a friend for me today because He knew my heart needed that. 

After that connection, God let me in on a little secret.  These friends I am referring to have always been on the same wavelength as Michael and I.  Our stories and testimonies have always been very similar.  God is doing almost identical things in our lives.  Today, God revealed to me, that sometimes He has to "spread the wealth".  We were all in the same circle of influence with the same "story" of what God has been doing in our lives.  God wanted to increase that circle of influence.  So, He sent these friends to a new circle of influence so more people could hear the amazing story of our God!  He's providing for others' emotional needs by putting us all in different positions.  So, even though I miss my constant contact with my good friends, I'm okay with the reason we are on different roads.  I know someday I'll be spending eternity with them, so why have a pity party about a few measly years on earth.  I'll serve where I am placed and I'll be okay with them serving where God has placed them. 

Things make sense when God show us what He's up to.