Answered Prayers

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny, spring day in April and as I was getting out of my car after a long day at school, I looked up and saw Carlos standing in the back yard. When I walked out there to speak to him, he was grinning from ear to ear and said, "I have some good news!" "What is it?" "Jeff bought the dump wagon!" "Are you serious? He really bought it? "Yes, and he also wants to buy the truck!" The minute I heard those words tears welled up in my eyes and I started doing the craziest, silliest, happy dance EVER! Our prayers were just answered above and beyond what we had been praying for.

Carl has been driving for 20 years and when Timothy was little we would pack up and hit the road with Los during the summer months. We would plan out the places we wanted to visit and Carlos would get a load in that direction; after we unloaded we would spend a couple of days sightseeing. It was a great way to make money and vacation at the same time. By the time Timothy was 11 years old, he had already been to Pikes Peak, Seven Falls, The Garden of the Gods, The Grand Canyon, The Hoover Dam, San Francisco, The Alamo and Las Vegas. We loved it and I was hooked. One day I would be able to go with Los full time...or at least I hoped.

On May 10, 2010, we bought a new truck...well, new to us. We had been looking for quite a while but just had not found anything we liked...that Los liked. It either didn't have the right kind of motor or it wasn't the right kind of make or the right model...was too old or cost too much, wasn't the right color  or looked good on the outside but was a piece of trash on the inside. Then, I found it, looking through a truck magazine I found a very nice truck with a custom sleeper. That means it had a bathroom with shower, a sink, microwave and a nice size refrigerator. "Los, look! Here's one right here! It has a custom sleeper and all. It's perfect!" "What kind of truck is it?" "It's a Freightliner Coronado." "Nope, won't work. It's a Freightliner." "Oh my gosh, really." Well, the search continued for about 2 more weeks and then Los showed me a picture of a truck he had found...IT WAS THE SAME TRUCK I TOLD HIM ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO...THE SAME TRUCK...I MEAN THE SAME EXACT TRUCK! "That's the one I showed you a few weeks ago and you said no because it was a Freightliner!" He just looked at me with that so called sweet, innocent grin that he just loves to flash. I couldn't believe the dealership still had it...trucks with custom sleepers just don't last long. Los called about  it...we put a hold deposit down...and a few weeks later we were off to Columbus, Oh. We drove it...loved it...bought it! We actually got it for ten thousand less than the asking price because of a misprint in the paper. We didn't realize it then but God was already working on His plan for us.

In January 2011, after a lot of thought and prayer we made the decision to change companies. We decided to lease to a wonderful, Christian based company with a lot of customers and a lot more freight. It was extremely difficult for Carl to leave a company that he had been with for about 12 years but financially he knew he had to do something. One of the best decisions ever!

In March 2011, I started praying that if it was the Lord's will that He would work things out for me to join Los on the road. We had been trying to sell our dump wagon but just had not had any luck. One morning after I got to school I called Carlos and said, "I prayed this morning for God to send a sign showing me if I should quit work and join you or not." I know God doesn't always send signs but you see I am one of those people that love to have signs...a big 'ole neon flashing sign. You know like in the country song "Here's your sign." Well, I prayed that God would say, "Lynne, my poor little child, HERE'S YOUR SIGN!" The sign would be that we sold the dump wagon.

On a beautiful, warm, sunny, spring day, God spoke and flashed that big 'ole neon sign. He knows me so well because I know He was thinking, "I better give this girl 2 neon flashing signs." The other sign was our old semi-truck. We had not even discussed selling it but when Jeff bought the dump he also said he wanted to buy the truck. When Carlos told me that, I immediately said, "I need to go talk to Mama." "For what?" "To see what she thinks." "Lynne, you prayed for God to send you a sign. He not only sent one sign...He sent 2 signs! So do you really think you need to discuss it with your mama?" He was right and you see God knew that is exactly what I would want to do and that is the reason He said, "I need to give this child 2 signs." I did go to Mama's but not to discuss our decision with her but to do the "Happy Dance" and to tell her what God had just done. Little did I know,  she already knew. Carlos was so excited about all this that he had already done the "Happy Dance" and shared  our wonderful news with her.

2 Corinthians 5: 7 says, "For we live by faith, not by sight." I know that my prayer required sight...the sight of a sign. Many people believe that praying for a sign is a sign of weakness in your faith.  I believe that is true if all you are doing is looking for signs and are not studying the Word of God...are not praying...and are seeking a sign that is outside the will of God. We are all humans and those with faith see signs of God every day. I believe if we are praying, studying God's Word, and bringing Glory to Him through our every day actions and words, that it is ok to ask for a sign. A sign that shows us the direction He would have us to go.  Sometimes those signs may be the answer we wanted but then sometimes they may not be.  He also says in Matthew 7:7 "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Please don't take that out of context. What we are seeking for and asking for will only be given to us if it will bring Glory to God and if it is in His will. Our faith comes in knowing that God has a plan for us and continuing to love Him, follow Him, share of His Glorious and Marvelous works and abiding in Him...no matter what sign he gives us.

God showed me a sign on that sunny April day not because of anything I had said or done but because it was all part of HIS Plan...not mine.

I thank God everyday and I always give Him the Glory for being able to spend all this time with My Love.

I apologize for this post being so lengthy but I was really having trouble getting started. I have been putting it off and putting it off because I just could not find the right words. I woke up in the middle of the night last night thinking about it and I just started praying and asking God to give me the words. Well, He did! Once I got the computer out this morning the words just started flowing. Once again I'm left in awe. The tears have welled up in my eyes several times at how He has been planning and working things out for Carlos and me to be together on this amazing, adventurous ride...before we even started planning and praying about it. Isn't God So Good!

I hope you enjoy reading each post and I pray that each one brings Glory to Him.

Only By Grace!
   Lynne