Before Mike and I were married, I had made the decision to lease a brand new car for 3 years. I worked at a car dealership at the time, and due to the environment I was in, I desired a new car, as I thought my old car said something about my social status.
As I have grown closer to the Lord and stronger in my faith, I have come to realize that that was a lie from the Master of lies himself. What kind of car I drive says nothing about who I truly am, a child of King of the universe, one of God’s most beloved children! My social status doesn't matter at all to God and it shouldn't matter to me either!
As Mike and I headed towards marriage, we made it our main goal to get out of and stay out of all debt (minus a mortgage some day). We knew we had to keep making car payments on my leased vehicle until April of this year, and then after that day, we would have the opportunity to either buy another car and take a loan on that car, or try and pay cash for a car. We both decided our goal was to pay cash for a car, to be able to rid ourselves of interest and loan payments.
As the time has drawn nearer to purchase a new car, we both sought the Lord on what we should be looking for and how much we should spend. Here are the requirements we came up with:
- It needed to have 4 doors
- It needed to get good gas mileage
- It needed to be a safe car
- It needed to have under 100,000 miles
- It needed to be newer than 2000
- It needed to cost less that $5,000.00
While we were able to save more than $5,000 toward the purchase of a new car, we felt that the Lord would provide a car within that budget, which would allow us to put the additional money towards our saving for a down payment for a house.
I diligently searched for a car for weeks upon weeks. We test drove multiple cars and after about the second month, I was feeling a bit discouraged. Every car was either a rebuilt title, didn't meet one or more of our requirements, or was in bad shape.
I decided to take our list before the Lord again. I wanted to make sure that we had heard right the first time, that we didn’t need to change any of our requirements or up our budget. I didn’t feel any stirring in my heart to make any changes to our requirements, in fact, I felt even stronger that the Lord would provide a car within our means, we just hadn’t found it yet.
I am happy to report today that this week, we bought our very first car together! God provided us a 2001 Ford Taurus with 76,000 miles. It gets great gas mileage, has 4 doors, is very safe and meets every single one of our prayed over requirements! It costs us UNDER $5,000 and our auto technician said the engine and the transmission are in like new condition!
Is there something that you need that you feel the Lord has given you guidelines for? It could be a something material, a relationship you are looking for or something emotional. Don’t comprise! God WILL provide what you need in his perfect timing! It may take a lot of faith, and a lot of patience, but if God has stirred your heart towards something specific, stay the course and let him lead you to his perfect "thing" for your life!
10"For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. 11Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? 12Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he?
13"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"
Luke 11: 10-13
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