We all have experience with living out the phrase “when it rains, it pours”. I have been going through the storm the past month, but a miracle happened in the midst of mine, and I am honored to share this story with you.
The backstory:
Labor Day weekend: I had originally typed out a whole, long narrative to explain how the downhill started, but short attention spans are a by-product of our over stimulated lives, so I will suffice it to say this.
Labor Day weekend did not go as planned. I thought I would take some “me” time and stay home and write song lyrics, but my son decided to have a full-on appendix attack on a white water rafting trip three hours away.
I ended up rushing across the state in the middle of the night for an emergency, holiday weekend appendectomy.
Glad he is ok, and that it was caught before it burst, but this is sure to be royally expensive. I know it’s just part of the parenting gig, but as a single mom with two Type 1 Diabetic, insulin dependent kids, extra medical debt is not really something I casually shrug off. It stresses me out.
Now, God has blessed me with so many open doors and opportunities, but every time I feel like, “Yes! Now I will have enough money to save for a home! Or retirement!”, something will inevitably happen so that my increase covers our immediate needs, but there is never quite enough to plan for the future.
Anyone else know exactly what I mean?
It gets worse.
Later that same week: My transmission blows.
…….yeah. I am going to just let that hit you for a minute the way it hit me. Now I am officially stressed.
I know it is the transmission because I am a mechanic’s daughter. I also know that this is a very expensive problem.
Day 1: I call my neighbor in the middle of the night to come get me, because my car won’t move. I leave it in a restaurant parking lot.
Day 2: I have it towed to a local transmission shop. Why? Because I am a single female who is afraid that the car dealerships will take advantage of me.
Day 3: I am back at work, waiting nervously for a phone call about the damage and what I know will be an outrageous sum.
I underestimated the price tag.
Call comes in. $12,460.00.
That is how much they want to replace the transmission. My car is only worth $15K.
I stand up, go outside, sit in my friend’s car that I had borrowed to go to work, and I just lose it.
My co-worker comes to check on me. I pull it together and walk back inside. My boss asks me why the long face. I explain.
He says, “Let me make a phone call.” and he walks away.
Day 4: My alarm goes off. Before I open my eyes, I start thanking God for all the ways He has blessed me. I know that I am swimming in a tidal wave of what could potentially be a financial disaster for me, but I wake up encouraged by all the faith I witnessed in my teammates and family the day before. I don’t know how, but I believe that God will make a way where there seems to be no way. I go to work and apologize to my amazing co-workers for my defeated attitude the day before.
After all, having a car with issues is a 1st world problem. I am still blessed and, even with surgeries and transmission issues, I am still living my best life because God did not bring me this far to leave my side now.
Later that day I got a call from Beaman Toyota in Nashville. My boss had made a call to the owner there. One of their sales team members has been assigned to my case.
He is phenomenal with people. I can tell from his voice that he is young but knowledgeable with a genuine desire to help.
He asks me if he can have the car picked up and towed the 40 minutes from the shop it is at to the dealership service department in Nashville.
“How much?” I ask.
“No cost, we will just go get it and see what is going on.” he replies.
Absolutely. “Yes, thank you.” I say.
“Do you need a loaner car? So, you don’t have to stress about using your friend’s car?”
“Um. Yes. But how much is that?”
“No, ma’am. We will just give you a car to get you around until we know what’s going on with yours.”
“Really? Then yes! Yes, thank you so much. I can be there tomorrow morning.”
Day 5: It is confirmed. It is the transmission. Additionally, there is some filter that needs to be replaced, and the seals in my doors have gone bad and need to be replaced as well.
“How much?” I ask.
“We are working with corporate to try and get some of this credited for you because this is very unusual for this make and model. Toyota stands behind their vehicles. Let’s wait and see what they say.”
“Ok. Thank you so much for doing that. For taking the time to escalate this. I really appreciate it.”
Day 6: I am on the golf course for a fund-raising event I participate in for one of my clients. I have not seen my golfing buddies since the previous year’s event. I am filling them in on my current life struggle and one of them says, “Let’s pray about this.” So, we do. We pray that God will provide.
One hour later: “Miss, this is Toyota calling. We wanted to let you know that the transmission has been ordered. All of the items that were listed as issues are being repaired.”
“We also wanted to let you know that the request for a goodwill credit came through. Not only did we apply that credit to your bill, but we worked some magic here at the dealership to help you out on the rest.”
“What? Really? Wow! That is fantastic! Thank you so much!!! What is the remaining balance?” I say. See, I can’t even fathom what he is saying. I can’t imagine that my full debt was cancelled. It does not seem possible. I don’t deserve it. Nobody does that. Nobody just completely cancels an enormous debt for a complete stranger.
“Miss, there is no balance. We want you to have a vehicle you can safely rely on. We are taking care of everything.”
And the tears start to flood. I am overwhelmed. I am amazed. I am humbled and honored and grateful and “Thank you” is not a phrase that can communicate what is taking place in me emotionally.
The owner, my boss’s friend, calls me a few minutes later. I stumble through a thank you that I know will not do justice and he says, “You don’t know me, and I only know what your boss shared about you. But my wife was once a single mother. I know her story, and if yours is anything like hers, you deserve this. But I want you to know that God is with you. He is with you in this miracle and in every fire, every day. He is walking with you in them all and every day he is in the miracle making business.”
Friends, let that all just sink in.
My car had a complete and total internal failure. The only option was to seek help from an expert.
Instead of taking my car to its maker, I took it to someone I thought might be less knowledgeable and less skilled, but would ask less of me, because I was afraid that the expert mechanic at the dealership would demand too high a price.
Someone went to the expert, the manufacturer, the maker, and plead my case on my behalf.
My story was presented. My inability to pay was conveyed. And the maker’s heart was moved because he could relate to the journey.
My debt was completely cancelled by the same people that I was trying to avoid because I believed they would ask more of me than I could give.
And there is no way that I can ever repay it or say “Thank you” enough times to cover it. The best way I know to express my gratitude is to tell of their kindness and goodness and mercy. To make sure that their gift and their sacrifice are recognized. That they know because of my testimony that I am forever grateful because I was made fully free from the incredible load I was carrying, because they worked all things for my good when I couldn’t.
The people at Beaman Toyota worked a miracle in my life this week and they gave God the glory. I am sharing this story because their kindness deserves recognition.
They made me a brand believer for life. Absolutely. I am so impressed with Toyota because the PEOPLE matter. I will never forget what they have done for me and my kids today, and I will be an ambassador for their brand and integrity to anyone who will listen so that I can bring others to their doors for their next vehicle repair or purchase.
But what they don’t know is how many people on the golf course heard my story that day. How many people witnessed a miracle take place. The people that now have to question if maybe this God thing is real! Maybe Jesus does answer the prayers of his children. Maybe he does network one believer to another and maybe people really do want to love their neighbors as themselves! Maybe there is something mightier than the dollar bill and maybe his name is Jesus. The way maker. The miracle worker.
Maybe, just maybe, there is reason to seek counsel and ask for repair directly from the Maker Himself.
Now my pre-conceived fears and misconceptions have been replaced with humility, thanksgiving, joy and faith.
Next time, I will go straight to the source. And maybe now you will too.
Well Water Life 