What Faith Can Do

Sometimes when we feel the most helpless, God shows up.

My family suffered a tragedy last weekend. Our beloved minivan of fourteen years, died. It was just a car, but it was special. My children were still in car seats when we bought it. My son was only three months old. It was right after the 9/11 attacks and I remember proudly displaying a flag on the back window.

It was a mom mobile and I drove it happily. It seated seven and I regularly hauled that many kids in it. It’s been camping many times and on road trips and vacations. It carried my sister’s wedding dress to Florida along with my mom and dad and all of my mom’s stuff. We were super packed on that trip.

I remember when the kids were in preschool, they all fought to ride in it. It was the cool car. Most women my age, traded for something much hipper when their kids got older, but not me. I loved the minivan and always volunteered to drive whenever I was needed, which was often, from things like tennis matches to youth group trips, to my daughter’s first homecoming dance.

I knew it was getting old, and soon my oldest will be driving, but I wasn’t ready to downsize yet. Unfortunately, the decision was made for me.

I fought tears all weekend over the loss. Not only because we don’t really have the money to buy a new one, but because it symbolizes the end of an era. My kids are growing up and soon we won’t need the minivan, and I find that very bittersweet.

As always, God has His hands in all of this. There’s a man at church who I love to kid around with every Sunday. He is in management at a local car dealership and apparently has helped just about everyone in the congregation to find a car. When I spoke with him on Sunday and asked him for help and then told him that I really hated to ask for help, He simply said, “Why? That’s what I do.”

I was so humbled. This is community. When I shared with members of my Improv group that our van had died, a member of my small group immediately turned around and asked if we needed a car because his wife was out of town for the week. This is community.

When I confessed how silly I felt about being sentimental about the loss of the van, another member of my small group told me it wasn’t silly at all. This is community.

I was driving down the road after church, in my daughter’s car and I was scanning channels and praying for some peace. A song came on called, “What Faith Can Do,” by Kutless. I had never heard it, but it’s older. The words were, “Don’t you give up now. The sun will soon be shining. You gotta face the clouds to find the silver lining.” The words really struck me and soothed my soul.

As I slowed to stop at the red light, I could hardly believe the letters on the tag in front of me. “B LEVE” I whispered a prayer of thanks as tears ran down my cheeks. Not only had He provided me with a loving caring church community, He also let me know that He is always close and always listening. We just have to look.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

P.S. If you want to hear that song, I’ve attached a link.