A Lesson in Faith
It was Monday. My boss called me into his office, and told me that the Server in Connecticut needed to be repaired. Since I am the only Computer Tech for our company in North America, the job of flying out to fix it fell to me. The part was ordered, and would be delivered Tuesday Morning. I would need to fly out, and start working on it Tuesday afternoon.
Here is where the problem began. You see, the standard procedure for business travel, is to have the person traveling, charge all of the costs to their credit card, and then voucher it back to the company. I didn’t have a credit card. I quietly prayed. “Lord, please make a way. You know I can’t do this, and I don’t want to be fired. Please help me.”
A few minutes later my boss called me into his office. Now, I’m blessed at work. My boss is a good man. Kind hearted, though a little abrasive at times. The best thing about him, is that he truly cares about his employees. He asked me, “Ken you don’t have a credit card for this do you? Let me see if I can get the plane tickets, and hotel directly billed back to us. That way you only have to pay for a car, and food.”
Well, my heart felt a lot lighter. I went back to my desk, and proceeded calling car rental agencies in Hartford. Much to my dismay, and fear, I discovered that not one rental agency will allow you to rent a car without a credit card to secure it. I went back to my boss. I told him that I couldn’t secure a car. He suggested that I try calling the office in Connecticut to see if someone could pick me up from the airport.
I called the office, and they said they could, but that the maintenance team might be able to help me better. I knew the head of maintenance for the company, so I asked him. He told me, “Oh sure Ken. I even think we have a van you can use while your up there.” He made a couple phone calls, and told me that I would have someone to pick me up, and the use of the vehicle for my stay.
I was feeling very blessed. God had answered my prayers. I had a way to get there, a place to stay, and a vehicle to use. I told my wife about the blessings when I called her, and asked her to look through the budget, and make sure I had some money for food. When I arrived home, I heard the bad news.
Not only did I not have any money. My check wasn’t going to be deposited until Friday. We only had a quarter tank of gas in the car, and the drive to the airport was going to take that much. We raided the change containers in the house, and after pulling every bit of money we could find. There.. stacked in nice piles on the table… each stack representing one dollar… was eight dollars and thirteen cents.
My mind started working math. Planning. “Okay… I only have $8.13…. I’m going to need at least $6 for gas. I went to bed that night, figuring that I would be eating snicker bars from vending machines for the next 4 days. At least I knew that the flight to Connecticut was a breakfast flight.
The next morning, I loaded my family into the car, and began the one hour drive to the airport. It was six in the morning, and it was still dark. My son was asleep in the back seat, and my wife tried to stay awake, but eventually slept too. I stopped and put six dollars into the gas tank. I decided to leave one dollar with Carla. Just in case she needed more gas. I remember the weight of the $1.13 in my pocket. I prayed, and listened to a sermon on the radio. I think the sermon was on faith, but it was really only noise in my ears as I remember praying. Telling God, “Lord, I’ve asked you to help me. You have provided so far. Lord, I pray that you’ll just keep me.”
As I was less than 10 minutes from the Airport, I heard it. A quiet voice.
“Trust me.”
I remember sitting there saying to myself. “I am trusting you. I’m flying a thousand miles away and going to live for 4 days on one dollar and thirteen cents!”
Again the voice.
”If you trust me. Leave the money here.”
I sat there. Driving. Pondering. Put the last bit of money I had in the ash tray? Get on the plane with nothing?
Slowly, I reached into my pocket. I pulled out the change, and quietly emptied it into the ash tray so that I wouldn’t wake Carla. I knew she wouldn’t understand. I don’t know that I knew what I was doing at that point.
I drove up to the front of the Airport. Got out, got my luggage, and hugged and kissed my Son and wife good-bye. My wife asked me. “Are you sure you have enough money.” I nodded, and said yes. I then turned and went into the airport, in search of my flight.
On the flight to Connecticut I had breakfast on my first flight, and the second flight was a snack flight. I ate breakfast, as I hadn’t had time to eat before I left that morning. When the snack came on my second flight, I wasn’t hungry. I took the cookie and bagel and put them in my coat pocket.
I arrived at the office Tuesday afternoon. I worked for a few hours, but I was tired from traveling, and having not had much sleep the night before. I went to my hotel, checked in, and found myself not hungry. I laid back on my bed, and the next thing I knew, it was morning.
Wednesday morning, I had breakfast at the hotel. It was a wonderful continental breakfast. Fruit, and juice, coffee, bagels, and wonderful muffins. I ate my fill, took a coffee to keep me warm in this December weather, and went to the office. At the office, the ladies were very accommodating. They kept my coffee cup filled, and much to my surprise, had a fresh made pumpkin bread. I was full from breakfast, so I didn’t have any until lunch. It was wonderful bread. The best pumpkin bread I can remember. That night, before I was getting ready to leave the office, the office manager pulled me aside.
“Ken, do you have enough money for dinner? If you need some money, you can borrow some from petty cash. You can pay it back when you get your voucher if you’d like.”
I looked at her, and borrowing just didn’t feel right, so I told her, “Thanks, but I’m already taken care of.”
She told me if I needed it, not to feel uncomfortable, and to just ask. I went back to my hotel room that night, and though I still didn’t feel hungry, I decided to eat the bagel and cookies in my jacket pocket.
The next morning, I awoke, and had breakfast at the hotel again. At the office, the maintenance crew purchased doughnuts for the office. Of course there were three of my favorite doughnuts, and I ate them for lunch. That night, the office manager again approached me. She asked me if I had money for dinner. I didn’t want to lie to her, so I told her that I didn’t. She went to the petty cash, and returned to place Forty dollars into my palm. I didn’t feel comfortable with it, and I consoled myself with the fact that I just wouldn’t use it, and return it in the morning.
I still had some more work to do on the computers in the office, and when the ladies were preparing to leave a phone call came in from one of the salesmen. He asked if someone would still be there later, so he could come in and pick up a few supplies. They asked me how long I’d be in the office, and when I told them I could stay, they left. An hour later, the salesmen came in, and picked up their supplies. As they were leaving, they asked me if I would like to join them for dinner. I agreed, and packed up for the night.
We went to the best restaurant in town. I was a little worried about the prices, but then the senior salesman, turned to me and said, “Order anything you like. It’s on me tonight. I owe you for the work you’ve done on my computer anyway.”
That night, I had the best steak I have had in years. The dinner was wonderful, and I went to bed stuffed. I returned to work the next morning after eating another hearty breakfast at the hotel. I gave the money back to the office manager, thanking her for her generosity. I flew home in the afternoon, and arrived back at my house around nine o’clock.
The entire trip home, I related to my wife the story of my trip. How not only did God provide, but that he provided STEAK! After relating the story, we finally arrived home. When my foot stepped into the house, I felt for the first time this week, I was hungry.
Looking back, I learned several lessons that trip.
It wasn’t until I gave up my back-up plan that God was able to work in my life. I had to step out on faith, and completely submit myself. I had nothing but God when I stepped onto the plane. Not one Credit Card, not one Dollar, not one ATM Card that could provide me a penny.
I also learned to never presume you know how God is going to accomplish his work in your life. Just hold onto the promise he gives you, and know that he is going to provide.