Just wanted to add a note about our "new" vehicle. It's so easy to get excited about a provision like this and then, as months go by, to forget all about it. Both of our cars were having problems at once. The kids' seatbelts were broken in Stephen's commuter car, and the little Hyundai I drove started making some startling noises (sounded like the bottom was going to fall out). That left us with NO family car. We couldn't even drive to church and had to go through all sorts of gymnastics to borrow my mom's car for weekly commitments. I felt more discouraged than I had in a while, knowing that there was no way we could afford to fix our car AND think about buying another vehicle that would fit our growing family. It was no mistake that the kids and I read in Exodus that week. It occured to me that my prayers must have sounded like those of the Israelites. No sooner were their feet dry from the Red Sea then they were whining to God about their need for food and fresh water. It was as if the miracles hadn't even happened!

Well, we received a call from one of the deacons who "just happened" to have inherited a nice, new vehicle from a family member and didn't know what to do with his 6 passenger Taurus wagon!!! He said that he had been the recipient of so much generosity over the years and that he wanted to GIVE the Taurus to us!!! Can you believe it?! It was so neat to be able to show the kids this tangible example of God's provision. If this gift hadn't come our way, we would have had to take on another car payment when we are already tight financially. That would have added YEARS to our debt-elimination plan...

This incident was such an encouragement to me and Stephen. We went over the "history" of our last 8 years together and the ways in which God has provided for us against all odds. We realized that we have lived in 6 homes, have been in 4 churches, have lost 6 cars, have worked 7 jobs and have juggled classes for most of the first 5 years together (while having a few children, I might add :).