Out of Gas

Yesterday I was on schedule to be at church on time for worship practice. 

This is normally a stressful thing for me...getting myself and 3 kids out of the door since Lee is already at Mountain Ridge Middle School (and has been for a while)...

And yesterday I was doing it. I went out 5 minutes earlier than planned to start my car to have it warming up. 

And it wouldn't start. 

At all. 

And I knew it wasn't the battery. 

It had to be out of gas. 

My gas gauge hasn't been working accurately...and it said I had a quarter of a tank...well, it was wrong. 

I kept trying to start it...I called Lee to tell him I wouldn't be on time for practice...and I knew there was nothing he could do for me at that moment...

I really didn't know if I was going to make it to church. 

I thought about going across the street to get help from my neighbors, but I didn't want to disturb them so early on a Sunday morning. 

But, the young lady who lives next door to us "happened" to be out walking her dog. She came over to my car to ask if I needed a jump. I told her that I thought it was my gas tank. 

She went in to her house, and just a few minutes later came back over with a little gas tank with a little gas in it and put it in my car. 

She stood in my driveway with hope in her heart that my car would start...and it did. 

I haven't really had a chance to get to know this girl. I haven't made myself do it either. 

But she helped me. 

It proved 2 things to me yesterday:

1. I love living in a neighborhood like this. We have amazing neighbors...even ones we don't talk to often...or ever...

2. I still don't believe in coincidence.  There was a reason for everything to happen the way it did.

I may not ever know the reason, but I believe God does, and that is all that matters. 

I was able to go to Connection Church yesterday and sing on the worship team with my husband. It was a wonderful, powerful day at Connection Church...

And God knew I would get there....just not the way that I thought I would!!

PS - from now on, I will keep my tank half full!!! And I'm thinking of a wonderful way to thank my little neighbor!!!! 

Coincidence? I Think Not...

"I don't believe in coincidence." 

I've grown up hearing this and even saying this myself. 

But, just like most things I've grown up hearing and saying, there comes a point where I must decide if I really, truly believe it for myself. 

And this is one statement I must say that I have taken as my own. 

I don't believe in coincidence. 

I do believe everything happens for a reason. 

I do not believe that things happen by "mere chance..." 

Even though I may not understand what that reason is...I may not understand why...but I believe that there is a reason for it.

Lately there have been things that have happened in my life that I don't exactly know why they've gone they way that they have, but I have ultimate peace knowing that God is in control. He's not surprised by  what is going on...and I believe He has either allowed it or caused it to go the way that it has.

This is where faith comes in to action. 

This is where patience comes in to action. 

This is where peace comes in to action. 

I believe the promises that God made in the Bible...the promises like Jeremiah 29:11...

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I believe that!! I believe God doesn't want to harm me...He wants to give me a hope and a future.  

I also believe that God loves me, that He has my best interest in mind. 

So, when things don't go the way that I think they should, instead of getting frustrated, I should just have peace, remain calm, and know that God is doing something...

It's not a coincidence...it's God working in my life!