God's Love Shines

This story is a bit long, but it's been so heavy on my heart and I just wanted to share it with you.

A couple of weeks ago, hubs was heading home from work and the last leg of his commute, he realized he had a tire going flat. He pulled over to change it and called to let me know he would be just a bit late but that he had everything under control.

Once he made it home, he related to me how some young kid had seen him jacking up his truck and stopped to help change the tire. He said the kid was probably in his early 20's and had his girlfriend in the truck with him. Hubs thanked him for stopping and said that he would be alright, but said the young fella was adamant about helping because the very same thing had happened to him not 2 weeks earlier and he just wanted to "pay it forward". So with his help and many thanks, the job got done and both men were on their way.

Last Thursday, on his way home from work, Darrell passed a van that was pulled off the side of the road with ... you guessed it... a flat tire! His thoughts immediately went to his past experience and he pulled over to see if he could help. He walked to the drivers window of the van and saw a lone woman talking on her cell phone. Come to find out, she was talking to a towing company about coming out to help because she didn't have a spare tire. Darrell said that he would be happy to help her out and get her tire repaired and on her way home. In the course of their conversation while he was jacking up her car, he found out that she and her husband had moved into our neighborhood just a few months prior, and 1 month after the move, her husband passed away from cancer. As hubs talked to her further, she shared that she had to have a masectomy last year and this month was to have her other breast removed as well. She said that without God's strength, there was no way she would have been able to get through it all.

Darrell was so moved by everything this dear woman had been through and he knew in his heart that God's timing was perfect and he was exactly where he needed to be at that very moment.

As he tried to lift up the van, the jack broke - so he came home and borrowed the neighbors heavy duty jack. Once he was able to break the locked lugnuts free and get the tire off, he told his new friend that he would run the tire up and see about getting a plug put in. This woman with the gentle sweet countenence held out a $5.00 bill, some $1.00 bills and a bag of change, saying that was all the money she had but to please take it for the repair. He was not about to take a bag of change and the last dollars to her name, but said he would be back just as soon as possible. When he turned it into the tire store for a repair, he was told that it was too far gone for a plug, so my dear husband bought her a new tire and took it back and mounted it on her van. I suspect that she may have been a bit surprised by his act of kindness ... I however, am not. I am married to a very good man with a burning drive to share God's love.

When he came home and told me about it, it literally touched me to the core. I realized that this woman is a neighbor of ours, just 4 houses up the street. I remember seeing them move in - and I also remember seeing their house surrounded by many many vehicles about the time that she lost her husband. At the time, I thought it was a house warming. I didnt realize it was a homecoming for her husband.

When something happens in your life that leaves you wondering how and why, just believe that God's timing is indeed, perfect. Darrell was exactly where God wanted him to be at the very instant He wanted him there - and I know God has crossed our paths for a reason. I am going to introduce myself to this dear sister in Christ.... she is such a testimony to His Faithfulness and I am reminded of the blessing God put in my life the day I met my husband.