Miraculous Provision

Posted on September 7, 2025 by TJ

Our weather has been chilly lately with highs in the 50s and lows dipping into the 30s. We’ve also had several days in which dark clouds lumbered across the sky bringing quite a bit of rain. We have frost warnings out for tonight. The temperature is supposed to warm in the next few days but we are definitely entering into jeans, sweatshirt, and jacket weather.

Thursday was the last day of EJ’s “weekend,” which falls during the middle of the week instead of at the end. We had planned to do some grocery shopping–and maybe get a new router. Earlier in the week, we stopped in at our local Internet provider to sign a form and to return a device they had accidentally left behind when they put in our [free] fiber optic Internet. When our fiber optics was being installed, one of the guys said that our router couldn’t take full advantage of the faster speed so while we were at the Internet provider, we asked the employee at the desk if he could recommend and write down the best type of router for us, which he nicely did. Another customer was in the office and she overheard EJ mention our address and exclaimed, “You are our neighbor!” Apparently, she recently moved into her grandparents’ house after they died. They lived next to her Dad, who lives across the street from us. We had a nice chat with her and the other office staff. It’s nice to have a local Internet provider because we get to know the staff instead of getting voicemail from a distant company.

Our shopping plans were diverted by a phone call. EJ’s friend who lives about 2 hours directly east of us had been downstate visiting his daughter and her family. He had just left her house to head back home when his car stalled out. He didn’t realize that there was a leak in the oil pan so he tried to restart it and the engine seized up–as in, it’s now a hunk of useless metal. (I think I got that right. I’m not a car person.) His daughter lent him her extra car. He was driving home when the engine of her car caught on fire. He called EJ from a motel in a town about an hour away and asked if EJ could take him home. Of course, EJ jumped in the truck and went to help him. He and his friend are long-time friends and they help each other out.

EJ was returning home after taking his friend home, driving up our driveway, when suddenly the back end of his truck locked up. Apparently the truck frame had rusted through and parts were missing. EJ said that pretty much the only thing holding the frame together was the bed. (Or so I understand. Not a car person.) The truck is now undriveable. We are so very thankful that EJ was able to make it home ok.

We had known we’d have to get a new (used) vehicle soon, but we were hoping we’d have a little more time to save a little more money. We are trying hard to get out of debt and we have more medical bills coming our way, so we wanted/needed to avoid a car payment. We started looking at vehicles on the Internet on Thursday evening, mostly searching FB Marketplace. We needed a 4-wheel drive truck so we could haul things like poultry feed and make it through deep winter snow. We found several strong possibilities, most located at least an hour away, but they sold very quickly so they were crossed off our list.

Our undrivable truck is (was) our only vehicle so our difficulty was getting transportation to pursue vehicles for sale. In the past, EJ’s friend has lent us a vehicle when we had car problems but, well, he has his own vehicle problems. Our son, JJ, agreed to drive his Dad to check out vehicles, but he had a limited time to do it. EJ works weekends and JJ starts a new job Monday so we didn’t have much time to look. If we couldn’t find a vehicle on the weekend, we’d be stuck.

Thursday evening, we asked God to help us. We felt no anxiety about our circumstances. We’ve been in “tricky” situations before when we had a great need and few resources, and God has always helped us. We have many stories we could tell of His miraculous provision.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Do not worry then…for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (Matthew 6:31…32)

We began to see our prayers being answered on Thursday evening. (I have no idea how anyone makes it through the difficulties of life without God.)

Miraculous Provision #1: Thursday evening EJ contacted one of his co-workers, whom he has helped several times in the past, to see if he would be able to give him rides into work. The guy usually drops his son off at his job so they had to rearrange their schedules a little but they were willing to give EJ rides until we got a new truck.

Miraculous Provision #2: Friday morning EJ’s friend–the one who ruined two cars on his way home–messaged EJ that he had rented a car and was driving over to help us. That’s amazing and far beyond what we had imagined.

Miraculous Provision #3: EJ took Saturday off from work. We figured we’d do research Friday evening and the guys would drive around to check out possibilities beginning Saturday morning. Friday evening while EJ was on FB Marketplace, a new listing for a vehicle popped up. It looked promising and was only $1,900. EJ immediately messaged the seller, who said we were the first to contact him and gave us directions to his house. The seller lived quite close, so EJ and his friend immediately jumped into the rental car and drove off. They came back with a new truck. It’s older than our other one and has a few minor things that EJ will need to easily fix but EJ said the truck is strong and solid and he is very happy with it. Tuesday morning on his day off, EJ will get insurance on the truck and transfer the plates so he can drive it. Until then, he will continue to ride to work with his co-worker.

We are thanking God that: