| Matthew 6, 31, 32: "Therefore take no thought, | | | | pen." |
| saying, what shall we eat? Or, what shall we drink? | | | | We started on our trip to Hazlehurst. My friend was |
| Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all | | | | driving, and I was thinking he was driving too fast |
| these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly | | | | and maybe I should be driving. I've learned if you |
| Father knoweth that ye have need of all these | | | | drive the speed limit you get there just as soon, and |
| things." | | | | you don't have the worry that you'll get a ticket. |
| I was a single parent with three children, and we | | | | About 15 miles down the road, my friend suddenly |
| were out of toilet paper, and I had no money to buy | | | | whipped the Camaro over on the shoulder, stopped |
| some. I prayed and asked the Lord to give me | | | | and said "You drive." |
| enough money to make it through that day. Shortly | | | | I got out of my door and went to get in the driver's |
| thereafter, a friend of mine called and told me if I did | | | | door when I glanced down in front of me. There, |
| a little work for him he would pay me $40. As I | | | | pretty as you please, was a brand new gold Cross |
| drove out to his farm, I was thinking now I could buy | | | | ink pen! Out of all the spots my friend could have |
| some toilet paper. About five miles down the road, I | | | | stopped, he picked (God moved on him and he didn't |
| spied something beside the road. It looked like a | | | | even know it) this spot. The Cross brand of pen |
| grocery sack. I came to a stop, backed up, got out | | | | reminded me of the Cross where Jesus died for our |
| of my car, picked up the bag, looked inside, and | | | | sins. |
| shouted, "Praise the Lord!" Inside the bag was a | | | | A few months later, the Lord told me to take the |
| brand new packet containing eight rolls of toilet | | | | tractor and bush hog and go mow down by my |
| paper! You can't tell me that the Lord is not | | | | neighbors. There was an old cemetery on their |
| concerned with every detail of your life. I had tears | | | | property and the road leading to it was overgrown. |
| of joy in my eyes as I placed that precious gift in | | | | It was a beautiful place with hundreds of pecan trees |
| my car and drove on to my friend's house. The Lord | | | | and three or four old buildings. No one lived there. Mr. |
| not only gave me a small job so I could have some | | | | and Mrs. Fussell had passed and their children lived in |
| money, he also gave me something more precious | | | | other states. John, who lived in New York City, had |
| than gold. The eight rolls of toilet paper revealed his | | | | asked me to keep the lawn of the brick house |
| great love he has for his own. | | | | mowed and gave me permission to go on the |
| I had planted a garden and needed some fertilizer. I | | | | property at any time (to keep an eye on things). |
| didn't have the money to buy it, so I asked the Lord | | | | I began to mow. I mowed around the old buildings |
| to provide it. My children sure enjoyed fresh squash, | | | | and cleaned up the road to the cemetery. I was |
| silver queen corn, and watermelons. Once again, I | | | | thinking, "Lord, I've done used about $10 worth of |
| drove down this country road, spied something out | | | | gas doing this." As I made the last round, I glanced |
| of the corner of my eye, stopped my car, backed | | | | up under a nearby pecan tree and saw a green piece |
| up, and there, just for me, was a 50 pound bag of | | | | of paper. I stopped the old red Ford tractor, turned |
| fertilizer. That example of God's love not only | | | | off the green John Deere mower, and walked to the |
| strengthened and encouraged me, it also made my | | | | tree. Sure enough, it was a ten dollar bill! |
| garden grow. | | | | I could give you hundreds of more examples how |
| About a year later, a friend of mine called and | | | | God has given me "roadside" gifts and provided the |
| wanted me to go with him to Hazlehurst, a town | | | | things I needed. Looking back, it still amazes me |
| about 50 miles away. I said, "Okay", and drove on | | | | when I think of how much God cares for and |
| out to his place. I had forgotten to place an ink pen | | | | provides for his own. |
| in my pocket. Usually I carry one and a small piece of | | | | Matthew 6.33 "But seek ye first the Kingdom of |
| paper to write my thoughts down. I said nothing to | | | | God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall |
| my friend but to the Lord I said, "Lord, I need an ink | | | | be added unto you. |