I have a couple of “crying in the attic” stories, but after praying, I think this is the one God wanted me to share.

After years of struggle, I was finally blessed to buy my own home.  It wasn’t much, but it was mine, needed repairs and all.  One Sunday afternoon, it was storming outside and I was in my bedroom getting ready for Sunday night Bible Study. I just happened to look up and there was a brown water mark. My heart fell as I realized that there was no water pipe that went over that ceiling. With dread, I pulled down the attic ladder and started climbing. Immediately I heard the water. I turned my eyes reluctantly to the source of the sound and there was a golf-ball size hole in the plywood beneath the shingles. Water was just pouring in.

I started crying as I went to find a bucket. I was broke, but I couldn’t have this hole in my roof! I was so scared… and MAD! I brought the bucket up and fixed some boards to hold it and then I just lost it. I started screaming at God! “You PROMISED to take care of me! I don’t have a husband. I don’t have anyone to turn to. Your Word PROMISES to take care of me! How could you let this happen?” I was sobbing. If anyone was outside, they were probably wondering what was louder, my wailing or the storm’s!

I sat up there for about 10 minutes crying, feeling sorry for myself and then trying to remember a person’s number that I had served with in the Youth Ministry. His name was Lester. I climbed down from the attic and storm started letting up, which was a relief. I started looking for Lester’s number. It had been so long! I searched my emails. I searched my cell phone. It had been a couple of years since I’d talked to him. “Oh well,” I decided. I might as well go to Bible Study.

I was so disheartened. I walked into Bible Study and guess who was there? Yep. It was Lester! We talked and he came out to my house the next day. I was prepared to pay him in increments. He had to replace the whole board and all of the shingles. He wouldn’t accept a penny from me. As I thanked him, he said, “Thank God, not me. I just did what He told me to do.” Let it be known that I had never seen Lester in that Bible Study before or since!

Of course I had some apologizing to do. I know now, that this was a faith-building exercise. One of many. As the years went on and these “things” would happen, I gradually learned to just know I would be taken care of. He promises us that in Matthew 6:25-34

25 Therefore I say unto you, be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than the food, and the body than the raiment?    26 Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value then they?    27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit unto the measure of his life?    28 And why are ye anxious concerning raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 But if God doth so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?    31 Be not therefore anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?    32 For after all these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.    33 But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   34 Be not therefore anxious for the morrow: for the morrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.