God Always Provides

As an entrepreneur, I have had many work experiences including running a firewood business, importing handmade chess sets from Mexico, investing in real estate, founding a Christian record company and more recently, operating a pre-employment screening service. Through the years, my family and I have seen both feast and famine and everything in between. In 1986 and during one of our lean periods, our landlord told us we had to move because he would have a more difficult time selling our rental with my wife and I and five children in it. My wife and I searched for several weeks and were unable to find a suitable home because landlords were not excited about renting to a family with five children. Time had run out for us and our landlord had lost patience. We HAD to move yet where were we to go? We lowered our expectations and began checking out small apartments, mobile homes and even thought about a camp site. Again, no one would rent to us. My faith was at it's end and we had run out of time. The next morning I began my ritual by carefully searching the want ads hoping for housing that would suit us AND a landlord who would rent to us. And there it was -- a five bedroom, two bath house in a nice part of town. I called the realtor and asked to see the property. Without asking anything more than my name and phone number, she gave me the address and I drove by but did not tell my wife because I did not want to get her hopes up to be dashed again. The house was perfect, in a nice family area, adjacent to a park with a creek running through it, and with good schools within walking distance. I again called the realtor and made an appointment to see the inside of the home and hopefully not be placed into a position to admit that I had five children. The meeting went well, the inside of the home was perfect for my family, and the conversation (luckily) never came around to the size of my family. I committed that I wanted to rent it, she told me that she owned the property with a partner, and I asked for the name of her partner. As luck would have it again (or at least I thought it was luck at the time), the partner happened to be the wife of one of my business clients. I disclosed that fact, the realtor contacted her partner, and the house was ours (for me and my family). While we were drawing up the papers, the realtor asked about the size of my family. She winced when I told her but we still got the home. I rushed home to tell my wife the good news. We melted into each others' arms and we both cried. She said she had something to show me. She retrieved a handwritten letter that she had composed on the previous night on a yellow legal pad. The letter read in part: My Dear Lord, In Your Name Jesus Christ I ask of You to help John and myself to purchase a home for our family. My Lord you know what is best for us. In knowing our needs select a home for us. I ask for the following things but I leave it in Your Hands to provide what is best for us. We would like a 2-story home with 5 or 6 bedrooms, 2 or 3 bathrooms with one off the master bedroom, and lots of windows. If it isn't too much to ask, could we have a large yard for the kids, a stream or lake near the house because John likes water, could the house be on a cul de sac so the children can play safely and could the house be near good schools where the kids could walk to class? The house also needs to be affordable for us with a low down payment or a lease option to buy. My Jesus, I know these are only our desires and in Your wisdom You will provide for us. For this I Thank You. You have brought John and I together. Provide us with a home now where our dreams can take root and where we can grow strong together. With all our love and weaknesses, Kathy and John Well, the upshot of Kathy's letter to God and her faith in Him was that almost all of our wishes were fulfilled. The house was a 2-story on a cul de sac with lots of windows and the right amount of bedrooms and baths. The kids had a large park and playground adjacent to the house. Good schools were located within walking distance. And I got to have that stream that meandered through the park where I spent many relaxed moments. The only request that was not met was ownership for us. You see, we barely had enough money to rent the home and the landlord was kind enough to waive any security deposit so we could afford to move in. Ownership was not to be (or so we thought). One year later the owners offered the house to us at an under-market price with low down and favorable terms. Almost one year to the date that God answered Kathy's letter, He had fulfilled our final wish. We now also owned the home that He had provided for us. God Always Provides We recently sold the home for one that now better meets our family's needs. Kathy still keeps her letter to God to remind us of His Faithfulness and Love for our family. By: John and Kathy Wabl Music: Hallelujah

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