Each one of us is so individually loved by our Heavenly Father, that He will orchestrate situations around us, to deliver His gifts, yet we often don’t recognize what He has done until sometimes years later.
Other times however, He will show us His love immediately, in ways that just cannot be denied. I’ve been privileged to both receive those gifts from Him, and to be able to be a part of delivering His gifts to people around us.
When He allows us that privilege, it often increases my faith even more than the times that I receive the gift. It’s always a win/win, when we are obedient to His voice.
I’m sharing this story with the permission of those involved because I believe that it will help someone out there who is struggling with their own painful situation and needs to see how our Father has met the needs of others, in their moments of crisis.
Four years ago, Steve was about a year into his retirement, after a 30 year career in the sports industry, and I was disabled with my neurological disease, so our “retirement” wasn’t going quite as we had planned. That’s when he decided to look into buying a business.
He didn’t care what type of business it was, he just wanted a challenge and he had always wondered about his ability to make something grow for himself, through his labors.
Eventually he found a small medical supply store for sale, called the Home Ability Store, and decided that it was a great opportunity for him to start with something small and see what he could do with it.
Well, the timing of the sale was in May of 2020 and it was a gamble because of the state our country was in with Covid. Little did we know that it would bless our family and others in so many ways. Only in hindsight have we been able to see how our Heavenly Father was working then.
Our children both had to come home after college because they found it difficult to find good job opportunities during Covid, so they both went to work with their dad. We literally became the 21st century Waltons, with our children and our parents living in the same house and working together.
I was still homebound but I spent most my time in Facebook support groups, helping others with my disabilities. Facebook was also my only social life at that time and one day an old High School friend, Vicki Brown posted that her husband, Willie, had been diagnosed with bone cancer.
I know from my own medical knowledge that bone cancer is considered one of the most painful diagnosis’ a person can receive. I immediately felt God tell me to message Vicki that we were going to deliver Willie a lift chair.
I sent the message without even consulting Steve about it, because I knew it was God and not my own emotions. We had only owned the store for about two months at this point and here I was, giving away the merchandise!
That very same day, my daughter Abby received a call at the store from a woman who had bought a lift chair for her mother, before we purchased the store. Unfortunately, her mother had passed away without ever getting home to use it.
Because our chairs are considered medical devices, they can’t be returned but we often have similar situations and we will sometimes buy a chair back, at a reduced price, and then sell it used.
As Abby explained this to the woman, the woman stopped Abby and said “Oh no, I don’t want to sell it. I feel like God wants me to give it to someone in need and that you will find that person.”
When I told my family about Willie later that day, they told me about the chair. Not only had it never been used, but if I had to pick out the perfect chair for Willie, it would have been THAT CHAIR!
You see, Vicki and Willie have dedicated their lives to fitness, and when looking at Willie you would just see strength and muscles! He also rode motorcycles and is just the epitome of masculinity.
The chair that God was giving Willie was the only BLACK lift chair that we have ever given to a “customer”. We have personally never bought one or ordered one for a customer in 3 1/2 years but God meant for that chair to be Willie’s chair!
The following Monday, my family picked up the chair and we all went to Vicki and Willie’s house to deliver it! The woman gave the chair, out of obedience to God, on the same day that God told me we were going to give them that chair! We were simply privileged enough to get to be His delivery people!
Abby was able to call the woman back and share the story with her and we were able to know that our business was where God meant for us to be, despite Covid!
The day after delivery I got a message from Vicki. She had overheard Willie talking with his mom and he told her “Mom, I didn’t know Jesus had feet!” Then he told her that he had slept without pain for the first time in 3 months!
I’m happy to be able to end this post with the report that Willie has been in remission now for a couple of years, after a very long and difficult battle! He still loves his chair and he and Vicki have not only stayed inspirational in their physical fitness but are now even more inspiring with their faith fitness!
Long before Willie’s fight, Vicki was one of THE most faithful friends that I had on Facebook. She regularly sent me uplifting messages of prayer and concern. She sewed into my life at some of my own darkest moments and for us to be able to deliver in their time of need, was precious to me.
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