In April of 2008 my husband had moved out of our home 3 months prior, leaving me a single mom to 4 children (3 of them teenagers.) In my 11th year of working as a teacher at a private school, life was flipped upside down. I was forced to totally rely on God’s provision for our every need: emotionally, physically, and financially. In the midst of our sorrow, we began to experience many wonderful miracle moments.
One of those miracle moments happened on a day when there was a measly $1.59 in my checking account. I wondered what I would do after the $3.26 worth of gas (that I’d scraped from my car ashtray and my change purse) was gone, but I wasn’t worried. Jehovah Jireh had come through many times lately.
On Wednesday night after midweek service, a sweet lady from “The Truth Seekers” Sunday school class handed me an envelope with a check for $150. Without my knowledge, they collected money to give to my family. They’d sought His truth, listened to His voice, and acted as the hands of Jesus on my family’s behalf. I was overwhelmed…reminded once again of His perfect timing, faithful provision and devotion to me. I felt delighted by Him as He took care of all our needs. Oh how my children and I rejoiced that evening!
In Psalm 37:4, David implores us to delight in the Lord and in return He gives us the desires of our hearts. My heart truly desired to honor God as a single mom. I sought Him daily for wisdom, discernment, and for practical needs. During that transitional time, I learned to let Him take my earthly desires, without being overwhelmed by sorrow or fear of an unknown future. As He shaped me into the person I was meant to be, God became my rock and my fortress (Psalm 71:3) as I chose to worship Him through the pain of betrayal and rejection. As I put my trust in Him, He became my only hope (Psalm 71:5.) He became my constant companion, repeatedly reminding me that nothing was too difficult for Him. He became my best friend, my ultimate husband. Although it was the worst of times, it was also the best of times because I got to know Him on a deeper level than I ever would’ve known had I not faced such controversy and tragedy. He never left me or turned his back on me.
What my children and I experienced confirmed to me that when everyone else seemingly turned their backs on us as life came crashing down, God our Father cares. He is able to meet spiritual and physical needs in ways that we never thought possible. What a Father!
“God’s promises are like stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine.” ~David Nicholas
Dana Chavers
Director of Social Services
