NO CAR TROUBLE, GOD!

NO CAR TROUBLE, GOD!

In the summer of 1972, I explored Northern California, along with my children and Dick’s daughter, Patti. Dick, who was a Flight Inspection Pilot for the FAA, was often out of town Monday through Friday. Shane was two-and-a-half years old and Suz was nine and out of school for the summer. Patti was 14 and came from Utah to spend the summer with us. We had just moved to Northern California. After hearing about beautiful Northern California, I wanted to go and see it! Dick didn’t care to go, but he agreed that we could go during the week without him since he would be gone anyway.

The children and I took three camping trips that summer. We drove a 1965 Cadillac that Dick had recently bought. It was huge and the trunk easily held our tent, ice chests, and our bags of clothing—with space left over. We had a lot of fun on those camping trips. We explored Northern California’s National Parks and enjoyed California’s diverse beauty!

We started every trip by praying, “God, keep us safe on this trip, with no car trouble, no accidents, and no sickness.” In those days we had no cell phone, or credit card. We brought along all our food. I only carried enough money for gas and ice for our ice chests.

I had been reading my Bible almost every day for three years, because God had told me in 1970 that it held the answers to all my problems. The Bible is full of promises, so when I found a promise, I memorized it and took it literally. If God said it, I believed it and had confidence in it. I trusted Him that He would be with us. In the Bible I found and memorized Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and of good courage, be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” With that promise, I went without a worry, knowing that God was with us, and that I could rely on Him. Because I accepted God’s Word as truth, I believed God would bring us safely home each time.

We made up songs to sing in our tent at night. One night, we heard something moving around outside our tent. It knocked something over and we all became very quiet. Adrenaline escalated as we each imagined what was out there. I shined my flashlight out there and spotted a skunk. Alarmed, I whispered to the three kids, “It’s a skunk! Be really quiet so we don’t get sprayed,” but in their relief, it made them giggle. Even though they couldn’t stop giggling, thankfully Mr. Skunk ignored us and left without spraying.

One of our trips was along the coast, and we discovered the most wonderful cove on the ocean. We played in the sand and in the surf for hours. We loved the beauty of the mountains and lakes and ocean. It was a wonderful camping summer for us! We arrived home from the third and last camping trip and drove into the driveway! At that very moment our car broke down! God had taken care of us and He answered our prayers! Thank You, God!

Providentially, Dick had just bought another secondhand car, so we weren’t even without a car. Dick searched for two months before he found the problem and got the car fixed.

These are God’s promises I had memorized, and He kept His promises:
“My God shall supply all your needs.” (Phil. 4:19)
“The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9
“Whatever you ask, believing, is granted you.” (Mark 11:24)