September 26th 1996

Well I got my first real office job today. I'm still working at Glamor Shots part-time until I save up enough money to find me and Josh an apartment. I'm expecting my car to go any time now and I have no money to fix it. The mechanic keeps telling me not to put it off. It's the timing belt and if it was to break while the motor is running and breaks when the pistons are up, I would have some serious motor damage. But I didn't have much choice. I keep hearing some freaky noise in the motor but was so thankful it stopped. Well, for the moment anyway. I really like my job. It's neat even if it is only a temp job for a few weeks. I'm still learning data entry but the filing? Well it's part of the job and I need my car to run.

Well one day I thought I would drive home for lunch. I was probably about ten minutes from the apartment where I was staying with friends. Rob, my room mate will be there, but I'm not going to let him bother me. He hasn't gotten up the nerve I guess to ask me to move. Guess God is shutting his mouth for me like He did with Daniel in the Lions Den. I'll stay out of his way but he stays sick and in bed all the time these days. He and I haven't gotten along since I started back to church. But I, at this time at no where to go. Rob moved me out of the abusive marriage I was in and moved me in with himself and two other girls so I could be safe. Why did this place suddenly not seems safe any longer?

After lunch, I made my way back to the office. I was working temporary at Hickory Springs Corporate Office downtown. I had prayed and asked God to help me with my car until I could get the money to fix it and to not let anything bad happen to me that would set me back. While I was driving toward the office, my car just went dead. I thought "oh no not today". I just started this job and it would not be a good thing not coming back in after lunch on the first day. But what could I do?

I coasted down the four lanes until I came upon a side street. I was parked on the side of the road in front of a brick house with white trim that sat there on the corner. I tried to start the car but it just wouldn't turn over. I got out of the car and walked up to the brick house to use the phone to call work.  I didn't have a cell phone back in 1996. Did they even have cell phones in 1996? I got out of the car and walked up the driveway to the back steps and knocked on the door. A nice middle aged woman answered the door and I told her my trouble and she seemed happy to help. She acted as if she was expecting me. People these days are hestitate about helping people, but not this day. We talked for a while and I learned she was a christian. It seemed that a lot of cars break down in front of her house and she just prays that with all the people she helps, that God will protect her and her family from danger. So far, God had kept His promise to her and kept them safe.

After talking with her for awhile, I got up and thanked her for helping me and told her I thought I had better get started walking so I could get back to work. It wasn't but a couple of blocks from where she lived and I didn't have to walk far. She looked at me and said, " You will do nothing of the sort. I have a car and I will be happy to take you to work". See the Lord was already working. I was still praying those pistons were down if my timing belt had broke.

When my shift was over, I caught a ride from one the girls I knew working with me. I called to get help in towing my car to the shop. I didn't know how I was going to pay for it, but lets first see what the damage is. A friend of mine showed up to tow my car and took a look under the hood. Ok it's now final. My worst nightmare came true. The timing belt has broken. Now what? Well first we need to get it to the shop and that we did. Illegally. I had one friend pulling my car with me in it with nothing but a chain between us and another following behind me. I didn't have the money for a tow truck and this was it. Through it all, I trusted God that nothing serious was wrong. I had prayed that since the timing belt broke that the motor would not be messed up by it.

Well it cost me bundle to fix that timing belt, but I was blessed. God had answered my prayer and the pistons were down. If they hadof been up when that timing belt broke I would have had to get some major motor work to do. I couldn't help but to see how Gods timing was so perfect. I don't want to even think about what might have happened if I had not trusted God and I had on been saved a week and the Lord was already working in my life It's remarkable how His perfect timing belt will break when the enemy is down. That way there is no major overhaul work to be done.


On September 28th 1996 the Lord asked me to send a gift to the lady that had helped me get to work that Thursday when my car broke down. I sent her a thank you note to honor and glorify my Lord for taking such good care of me. In the note I wrote, "I thank God for putting you in my path and I will continue to pray for her and her loved ones and that I would continue to trust in the Lord of Lords.