Transitions can be tough. Like moving to a new state and leaving your only set of grandparents. But I was about to learn how God takes care of us in strange new places.
When I was five years old, Dad enrolled in Bible school to pursue his dream of becoming a minister. You see, his life had been dramatically changed when God took away his alcohol addiction and gave him a desire to follow Christ. Friends at church who had been praying for Dad helped with moving expenses. Then Dad loaded us into his old Chevy, with a U-Haul trailing behind, and drove to Massachusetts. This meant leaving our roots, extended family, and supportive church friends.
We settled into a small two-bedroom cottage a half-mile from the Bible school. Mom was a nurse, and worked evenings at a local hospital, while Dad put my brothers and me to bed and studied. When he went to pick Mom up each night, a neighbor would watch our house as we slept. Mom’s job became too stressful, so Dad got a job at a paper factory, working from 4 P.M. to midnight, in addition to attending daytime classes.
Even though my parents were careful spenders, there were car payments, tuition, a new refrigerator, and other bills that stretched paychecks thin. I remember Mom figuring grocery lists out to the penny! They always asked God to meet their needs.
One week we ran out of bread on Thursday. Payday was Friday. But God had a plan. Thursday’s mail brought a letter from back home. Mrs. Snowman, who lived with her husband on a goat farm, had sent money to “buy the kids some candy.” My Dad bought bread. God met our need that very day.
I remember the Thanksgiving when we couldn’t go to Grandma’s for the traditional holiday feast. My parents didn’t have money for a turkey.
Two days before Thanksgiving, Mom opened the front door to find friends from the Bible school standing on the steps with a huge basket of food. They brought it in and set it on the kitchen table. Mom couldn’t believe it! Here were all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner: a big turkey, pumpkin pie, and—my favorite—lollipops, a special treat! My folks took a picture of my toddler brother Mark, sitting next to the basket, which was taller than he was! God had met our needs again in a most delightful way! It made being away from our grandparents on this special holiday a little easier. I began learning early that God takes care of us when we depend on Him!
“My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).