Inspirational stories of God's love and grace...

Maria looked at the sad face of her little girl and wondered what to do. The child had finally fallen asleep, while tear tracks dried on her cheeks. She was getting weaker all the time, and there was no more money for treatments at the doctor's office. There was barely enough money for food and, without a job, Maria had no hope of getting any more money, or food, in the near future. She sighed, and ignoring her own grumbling stomach, sat down to pray. God seemed so very far away.

Sheila walked out of the bank with a smile on her face. She couldn't believe that her hard work was finally paying off! She'd waited so long! Lord,she prayed silently, thank you for this answered prayer!. Busily thinking about the wonderful things she was going to be able to do and all the people she'd be able to help now that she had the funds, Sheila stepped out to cross the street.

Ted was driving home after picking up his son from soccer practice. The day had been long and grueling, and he couldn't wait to get home and take some aspirin for the headache that had been gnawing behind his eyes all day. Sam, his son, had fallen asleep in the back seat. The forty-minute drive home stretched out before him as Ted gritted his teeth against the pounding behind his eyes and mulled over the events of the day. He dreaded telling his wife, Teresa, that he'd been laid off. How were they going to make it now without his income? His dreary thoughts only made his head pound harder. Ted sighed and began to pray.

Burt cranked up the radio in his old beat-up pickup truck and gave it more gas. He was in a hurry to get home and get cleaned up. After working all day at the construction site, he was covered in concrete dust and grime. He couldn't wait to hop in the shower. He was glad to be out of there. His office manager had fired two people for dipping into the accounts today. Ted was again grateful that he’d hired the office manager. He loved being able to get back out and work with his crew, instead of sitting behind a desk all day.

It was Friday, his favorite weekday, and he had a date with his girlfriend, Linda. He’d let his crew go a few hours early, as usual, and he had high hopes for the evening. He really enjoyed spending time with Linda, and thought that maybe, this time, he'd found the woman that God intended for him to spend his life with.

Suddenly, Burt caught a movement from the corner of his eye. A woman, seemingly engrossed in her own thoughts, stepped out into the street. In a moment, she'd be right in front of him! Burt slammed on the brakes, thankful that he'd been going the speed limit, and hoping that he'd have time to stop before he hit the woman. He turned the wheel violently to avoid her, as he got closer and closer. Through the front windshield, Burt saw, as if in slow motion, the woman look up in surprise, saw her eyes round in terror and heard her scream. Her scream and the squealing of his tires reverberated around in his brain and Burt stomped harder on the brakes, his pickup careening ever closer. The seconds passed like hours, and finally, just when he was sure he'd hit the woman, his pickup came to a dead stop, only inches away from her. There was a loud screech and a hard jolt from behind shoved the pickup another foot forward, but the woman had already jumped out of the way.

Burt leapt from his pickup, racing around the front of it just to make sure he had really missed her. She stood there, quivering, her eyes huge, her face washed of all color.

"Lady, are you ok? I almost hit you!" Burt stepped closer, afraid that the woman would collapse. She was as white as a sheet.

Another man rushed around the front of the pickup.

"Is everyone alright? I'm sorry about running into you, man, but you just stopped so fast." The man rubbed his head as though it ached.

Another woman rushed out from the shabby looking apartment complex across the street and came running.
"Is anyone hurt? I heard the accident from inside! Is there anything I can do to help? Do I need to call 911?"

"I'm so sorry!" the first woman said. "I wasn't paying attention, and now look what I've caused."

She looked at the pickup, sitting almost sideways in the street, and then at the car mashed up against the back bumper.

The other woman stepped closer. "Don't worry. There is a reason for all things. It seems that no one was injured, so you were all very fortunate."

Burt nodded, thinking it was true, but the other man looked doubtful.

The first woman looked as if she was going to cry. "I was just so happy, you see, thinking about..." her voice trailed off. "I'm so sorry to have caused everyone so much trouble. My name is Sheila."

Burt stepped forward and extended his hand. "My name is Burt. I'm glad that you are ok."

"Burt? My sister has a new boyfriend named Burt." Sheila took his hand and gave him a shaky smile, seeming to ignore the dust and grime that coated both his hand and his face.

The other man stepped forward, holding out an insurance card. "Here's my insurance information, Burt. My name is Ted Smith. I hope that I didn't damage your truck too badly." Ted's mind whirled with the implications as he handed over his card. His rates were going to go up after this, and how was he going to pay them if he had no job?

A young girl came running out of the building behind them calling, "Mama? Mama?"

"Over here, Honey. Be careful crossing the street." the lady from the apartment called back to the child.

"Dad?" a young boy asked, peeking from around the pickup truck at the gathered adults.

The girl came to stand by her mother, and she and the boy stared at each other for a moment.

"Sam?"
"Lindy, what are you doing here?"

"I live here," she pointed to the shabby apartment building behind them.

"I'm Lindy's mother, Maria. Who are you?" the woman from the apartment building asked kindly.

"I'm Sam, I go to school with Lindy."

"Lindy," Ted asked. "Are you the same Lindy who has cancer? And," he looked at Maria then, "didn't I hear that you'd lost your job and your husband passed away last year?"

Ted suddenly realized that his own problems seemed very small in comparison. He stepped closer to the woman, compassion filling his heart and washing away thoughts of his own problems. "I'm so sorry. I'm in the same boat - just lost my job today - but if there is anything I can do to help, you just let me know, ok?"

"Wait a minute! You both have no job?" Burt asked, his mind whirling. "You two do accounting work?"

Ted and Maria both looked astonish as they nodded in unison.

"Well, then, let me offer you both a job. My office manager just fired two office workers today, and I’d like you both to come in on Monday and take over for them."

Ted and Maria looked stunned.

Sheila's phone rang and she answered. "Hello? Oh, yeah, I remembered. I, uh, I'm running a little late. I, uh, caused a little accident, but I'll be there in a while to pick Tim up. No, no, I'm fine. No, Linda, everything is ok."

She hung up the phone and smiled sheepishly at the group.

Burt smiled, "So, you're the one picking up Tim so Linda and I can go out tonight? I sure am glad I didn't run over you! I would never have forgiven myself, and I don't think Linda would have forgiven me either.'

Sheila smiled back, "Oh, I don't know, she might. She likes you an awful lot!"

Burt grinned bigger, "Well, does she now?"

Ted couldn't help but smile at the look on Burt's face. There was nothing like a new romance to put a spring in a man’s step.

"Maria, I have the strangest feeling that you are right, this all did happen for a reason. How would you and Lindy like to have supper with Tim and I tonight? I think I may be able to help you out a little until you get back on your feet working at Burt’s offices.”

Maria’s eyes filled with tears. “That is so wonderful, thank the Lord! He has sent me the help that I so desperately needed! I would be happy to have supper with you tonight. Thank you so much! Let me just go lock up the apartment.”

She turned to Burt. “And thank you for offering me a job! It is all such a miracle!”

Maria turned and rushed back in to the building, with Lindy at her side. The girl’s joyous smile at the prospect of having dinner out was enough to melt Sheila’s heart.

Burt handed Ted back his insurance card. “You know what? Just forget about the accident. I doubt you caused much damage to my old beat up truck. See you on Monday then? Bright and early? Here, let me give you my card.”

Ted’s hand shook as he took the cards from Burt. “Thank you. You can’t know how much this means to me.”

Burt grinned, “Oh, I think I do. I’ve been unemployed before, and that was without a family like you’ve got. It has got to be even harder when you have dependants. And, like Maria said, I think things happen for a reason. So, don’t thank me, thank God.”

“Isn’t that Romans 8:28 ‘…all things work together for good to them that love God…’ Dad?” Sam asked.

Ted laughed out loud, his headache all but gone. “Yes, it is, Son. Yes it is!”