Day 16: No place like home.

     Remembering times when neat things happened helps keep perspective. To call to mind when prayers were answered helps face things in the now which in themselves might be challenging. The following is a story from my life that I like to remember, to realize that in the middle of sorrow, God's hand of mercy was there all the time.

      After I left an abusive marriage, I had three small children to care for. It wasn't easy but we found resources to help us survive. I found and attended a small local church where the kids and I carved out a calmer life for ourselves. For a year and a half we built back walls of trust, security, and routine. They relearned how to exhaust themselves in play, and a dump truck load of sand helped ease the pain. A dozens roads in the sand were built; make-believe castles and towns took place. How they loved their huge sand pile!

      We moved once, then once again. The new home had a patio where big wheels, trikes and bikes could trace endless circles of energy. Again they adjusted, children are so resilient. We changed churches to one where there was a ministry to Singles and began to feel at home. Our faithful car finally broke and a new car made us all feel so wealthy. It had leather interior, a great sound system, and the kids and I would rock out driving to shopping, or fun. One morning, singing, "Aruba, Jamaica, ooh I'm going to take ya.... " we stopped at a stop light. We were all feeling happy, the three little ones and myself. Bang!! Suddenly we thrown against our seat belts with an angry thrust, we had been hit from behind.

       I made sure the kids were okay and got out of the car. An 86 year lady was in the car behind, muttering that the light had been green at the top of the hill, (about a quarter mile back). We were towed, the police report made and we dealt with the ensuing issues, hurt backs, totaled car, pesky insurance companies; the works.

      After all was said and done and the attorneys and doctors took their money, I got $3,000. Whoopee. It didn't seem like very much. Naively, I gathered the three young children together and told them we were going to pray for a home; our own home. I asked each of them to tell God what was on their wish list. One child was adamant, "No scary attics please God." Another one, "Please God, can there be trees, and a place to play?" Another child, "Oh, and God, no scary basements either." We held hands in a circle and asked God to give us our home.

      The fact of the matter was, I had horrible credit. I was working only part time at a large church, and only had the $3,000 dollars. But, and this is huge, for some reason I had faith and the kids had faith. I picked up the phone book and looked up realtors. I called the first one I found. "Hello," I said a little nervous, "I'm looking for a house to buy." The person on the phone asked me the particulars, I told him. I gave him the list the kids had made. He stopped for a second and called out to someone in the office, "Hey, don't you have a house for sale?" The man answered he did and we scheduled a time to meet. The house was awesome. Three bedrooms, on 1/2 acre with dozens of trees. A back patio, a fireplace and very clean. The realtor asked me about my credit, I told him the truth. He asked me about the down payment. I told him about the $3,000. He looked at me and the kids, paused, and then said, "Great, if you like it, I'll put it on a real estate contract and you won't need credit."

        Unbelievable? Yes it sounds like it, but it was true. We prayed, we asked, and the first call I made for a house, the first house we looked at the man sold it to me without credit, without knowing me. Easy as pie. We lived there for over a decade, got another truck load of sand; ate the fruit off the trees, the grapes off the vines. Our God provided a home for the children and I, just like we wanted. What a wonderful father he was to these "fatherless" children. I will always be grateful for his provision.

Today, if you face trials that test your faith, remember, God hears and answers prayers. He is there, waiting to show you He cares. Dare to believe and trust.