Ellen Mumper of Canada

Giving God Thanks!

 

A Miracle in a Snowstorm

 

In December 2007 our son Terry was attending Pensacola Christian College in Pensacola, Florida. He had our car and was planning on going from Pensacola to Boston to drive some friends home and visit there, and then come home before the holidays.

One thing some friends and I have been studying and practicing is learning to hear the voice of God for ourselves. It is important to know in these times, with so many denominations and so many teachings on the internet and radio, how to develop a close enough walk with the Lord, so that if we have studied Scripture, and if we are filled with HIs Ruach (Spirit), we can discern the Lord's direction in time of need. One friend of mine in Mississippi called me somewhere around the beginning of December and told me that urgently he had felt the Lord was telling him to go to Pensacola to meet our son. They had never met. He said he brushed it off and the next morning in his devotional and prayer time the thought came to his mind again very urgently. So he called me and got Terry's number and drove the almost 2 hours to Pensacola to try to find him. Terry did not answer his call as he was working but this friend stayed and waited almost till he had to turn around and go home, but finally they met. In the course of their meeting he treated our son to a nice lunch and then took him to WalMart. He bought Terry a WalMart gift card and there is that 'do you want cash back?' option when making a purchase. Our friend had almost no cash on him and paid by credit card and then felt a sudden urging to give Terry $100. He tucked five $20s into Terry's gift card, gave him the envelope and left to go home. He was very joyful about meeting Terry and called me to tell of the conversation, and the gift.

Two weeks later Terry made the trip to Boston and left a day later to come home - in a snowstorm. About the time that he should have been home, we got the call every mother dreads- "Mom, there's been an accident. But the Lord was with me, I am not hurt." In the course of the conversation, we cried and prayed. A tractor trailer had almost sideswiped him in near zero visibility, and he got knocked onto the shoulder of the highway, where he did a complete flip. One side, then the top, then the other side, and then right side up again in the ditch. He told me "Mom, I'm ok. I'm going to try to drive the car home." Oh, it was badly dented but it seemed that the under-frame was not damaged. He changed a tire... and slowly drove home. A four hour trip took almost 9 hours. When he got home we learned the rest of the story.

We asked how it could be that he wasn't hurt? It happened fast, he said. He thought he was dead. But all of us felt that our loving Heavenly Father had sent angels to hold his head and shoulders during the rollover to protect him. No injuries - was a miracle of the goodness of God. The top was bashed in- he pushed it out. The mirrors were off the sides. He drove slowly, stopping at every rest area to check tires etc. The windshield was cracked but not in front of the steering wheel.

The biggest part of the miracle is his life. But the Father was so gracious to us! Within minutes state police were there. They called a tow truck. The tow truck driver winched him out and then said- "I think you can drive it, it starts, it looks undamaged underneath." And he charged him - $101. Terry had that money in his pocket and had never spent it.

For days we cried and rejoiced in the goodness of God. Yes, He would still have been good if He had let the car be totaled. He would have still been good if He had taken Terry Home. We are thankful that each of our children is not only saved but has a close walk with the Lord.

Isaiah 65:24 says "And it shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Miracles of the goodness of God- a friend answered what he knew was the voice of God directing him. Terry received a blessing and a lesson in the provision and tender loving care of the God who loves him, and we have our son.

What chance was there a week before Christmas that we could get our poor little Cavalier repaired? Two garages told us "after New Year's" and one said he was leaving that day on vacation. We found one garage where the body repair man told us that the car, being old, was a write off even if we had insurance, as they would not pay, but that he could repair it for half the cost if we paid cash. Within two days we had our car- new top welded on, new windshield, new mirrors, and complete paint job. It looked like a new car.

The best part was that we have our son and he was safe and well. The next best part was that our friend, when we shared this story, wept. What a beautiful thing to be able to discern the voice of God when there is a real need. What a great and loving God we have who sees the end from the beginning and has a plan for our lives that we can never imagine. He is beyond good. All we can do is worship!

 

Ellen, in Canada – ellen.mumper@gmail.com