I don’t remember her name, but God sent her to us… well, really, He sent us to her.
On this day in 2014, we were on Day 2 of making our way from Houston to South Florida. My husband was driving the moving truck, and I was driving the Suburban with the kids and the pups. We were excited and absolutely exhausted.
In just two weeks, we had packed up a house into storage, hosted an estate sale, and said so many layered goodbyes. By the time we got on the road, we weren’t looking for adventure. We just wanted to get there.
Then I noticed something looked off about the moving truck as I followed behind.
Noooooo.....It was the tire!!!!
We pulled over, and sure enough, there was a huge slit on the inside tire. The company told us where to take it in the next town so they could replace it. We had only been a few hours into Day 2 of the drive, and still had about 12 hours ahead of us before reaching our new house.
We were so thankful we were safe. Thankful for double tire sets. Thankful it hadn’t happened somewhere worse. But if I’m honest, we were also frustrated.
This was not in the plan.
And isn’t that so often how faith life feels?
We make the list. We prepare. We do our best. We map the route. And then something unexpected interrupts the timeline, the energy, and the neat little picture we had in our minds.
It was going to be a few hours, so we jumped in the car and went to lunch at the yummiest little spot. We asked our server if there was a park nearby where we could take the kids and dogs, and she mentioned there was a “kids thing” happening just down the road.
So we loaded back up and decided to check it out.
We were still tired. Still a little grumbly. Still unsure how this delay would affect our final push to get home. Our bodies were weary from sitting, and our souls were weary from the whole season that had led up to this relocation.
But even in our frustration, there was gratitude. We needed a break whether we wanted one or not.
Wouldn’t you know it? It was a First Baptist Church VBS.
Yes, Lord.
It felt like such a gift from God. Not random. Not small. Not just convenient. It felt personal, like He knew exactly where we needed to stop. Like He had already prepared rest for us before we even knew how badly we needed it.
Looking back, I can see that this was part of the whole point of our move. We thought we were just changing addresses, but God was doing something deeper. He was leading us toward more of Him. More rest. More dependence. More being held.
We were coming from decades of being the givers and the leaders. The ones pouring out. The ones making things happen. And here, in the middle of travel, exhaustion, and uncertainty, He reminded us that we were also allowed to receive.
He knew.
We weren’t sure if they would let us participate or where they were in the day, but they welcomed us like long-lost relatives. It was as if they were saying, “Hey, come on! We’ve been wondering when you’d get here!”
I don’t remember her name, but I remember her heart. Sometimes I really do wonder if we entertain angels unaware. She could have been.
We explained that we were just passing through and waiting on our tire, and immediately they began caring for us in the most practical, life-giving ways. They offered water, snacks, air conditioning, bathrooms. They invited the kids to jump right into the games. They even brought bowls of cold water for the dogs.
It was simple. It was ordinary. It was holy.
That day reminded me that God’s provision doesn’t always arrive in the way we expect. Sometimes it comes through a delayed schedule. Sometimes through a stranger’s kindness. Sometimes through an interruption that turns out to be mercy in disguise.
So many times, God reminds us: He sees. He hears. He knows what we need before we know we need it.
And often, we don’t fully recognize what He was doing until years later.
I can only imagine what Heaven will be like when God shows us our life in the Book. Everything He planned for us. The things we noticed. The things we completely missed. The people He sent. The moments He protected. The places He interrupted us so He could love us in ways we were too rushed to receive.
These are what I call Living Stone moments. The kind that mark your soul and become a testimony you carry into the next season.
If you are in a season of surrender, especially one that feels messy or inconvenient, let this encourage you: not only is God preparing and sending you, He is also preparing and sending people to you.
How beautiful is the Family of God.
How beautiful are the feet of Jesus, shown through servant-hearted people.
How humbling and generous is the heart of God.
In our family life, that day became more than a story about a tire. It became a marker of God’s tenderness. A reminder that He doesn’t just care about the destination. He cares about the road, the weariness, the children, the details, the dogs, the hunger, the timing, and the hearts involved.
He is not absent in the unplanned moments. He often reveals Himself most clearly there.
What Unplanned Moments Can Teach Us
- Interruptions are not always obstacles. Sometimes they are invitations to receive what we would have rushed past.
- God’s provision is often practical. Water, rest, welcome, shade, food, and kindness are spiritual gifts too.
- Surrender opens our eyes. When we release control, we make room to see what God is doing.
- The body of Christ matters. The Family of God can become God’s hands and feet exactly when we need it most.
If You’re Feeling Kinda Blind
Maybe you are in your own unplanned moment right now. Maybe your timeline has shifted. Maybe the road feels longer than expected. Maybe you are tired, stretched thin, or unsure why things are unfolding the way they are.
Friend, ask Him for eyes to see.
Ask Him to show you where He is providing, even now.
Ask Him to help you recognize the people He has sent.
Because He’s with you.
He sees what you need.
And even here, especially here, He provides.
I once was blind, but now I see. Amazing Grace.
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