Hand Up Brevard

So the whole thing began with a trip to Ft. Myers, from my home in Clearwater. I was going to a workrelated convention down there and it was my first time at that particular venue. I had to stop in Lakeland to drop off my daughter and right from the get go, my car was acting funny...when I would step on the gas, the whole engine would take a couple of seconds to respond...coasting dead for five seconds and then revving all at once and moving. It's always stressful when your car is clearly having trouble, but the whole thing started a train of panic in my head. Was the car going to make it? To the show? Would I get stuck on the highway with my daughter? If it does break down, what am I going to do? I had no way to tow it...no way to pay for it. I was at the time the proud owner of $19.27 in my bank account, and my anxiety was riding high. But I've also been making an effort to let go of fear lately...trusting that God will not give me challenges that I can't handle. So I said a silent prayer that the car would at least make it to Lakeland, and that my daughter wouldn't be stranded on the side of a highway in the middle of rush hour traffic. I decided to let God carry the worry for me, and trusted that no matter what happened, I would just do my best, and God would be there to help me along my path. Two hours later, I arrived in Lakeland with my car acting hinkier than ever...in stop and go traffic with the engine taking a full 15 seconds to respond when the gas was applied....cars honking and racing around me in frustration as I sat coasting in the middle of traffic. But I made it. Let out a sigh of relief. My daughter was safe. I'd like to say that I was a brave little soldier and that there was no fear in me about my car working enough to get me to the show...but I was really worried. If I didn't make it to the show, I wouldn't have ANY money to tow the car, let alone get it fixed. And what if it broke in Ft. Myers? How much would a tow from there to Clearwater even cost? And I really HAD to make it to the show...the organizers had paid for the hotel room, and they were all counting on me to be there. Not only that, but if it broke down along the way, I didn't even have enough money to rent a car to get the rest of the way. But I had no choice but to try, so I said another prayer, and headed out to Ft Myers. This happened multiple times over the next two hours...me saying "Ok God. I trust that this is what you've put in front of me, and I'll walk this path without fear and do the best I can". It almost became a mantra because piece by piece, things continued to fall apart. I got out on the road, and for half a mile, the car seemed to have righted itself. I thought "Yes! Thank you God!", and then as I turned out onto a major road (with rush hour traffic now at it's peak), the car started to do the same thing again...but this time it refused to even switch out of first gear, and for the next mile the engine was revving at 7 thousand RPM...threatening to explode right then and there. "Ok God. I trust you. I'll do the best I can with this..." whipped out my phone, asked Siri for the nearest garage...and wouldn't you know it, half a mile up on the right there was a shop. I said a quick, "Thank you God" as I pulled in, and tried to put my worries aside as I parked and went to talk to the folks that ran the shop. As it turned out, they didn't repair cars...just belts and hoses. BUT, they knew of a spot just up the road...AJ's tires, but they assured me that it had a garage, and they could do repairs. So I got back in, praying the car would start...praying that the gears would engage...praying that the car would make it the half mile up the road without blowing up. And I made it. I was still trying to put my fears aside as I parked the car...telling myself that I would figure this out, that God doesn't put things in our path that we can't handle...although I still had no idea how I was going to pay for any of this, or even get myself to the show. I walked in and the shop was packed to the gills. People were lined up along the walls waiting for their cars. I went to the girl at the counter, explained what was going on with my car, .and she told me that they didn't actually repair cars there, only tires. BUT...there was a place next door (a block away) and they definitely DID repair cars. So I walked out and over to the next shop. As I went, there was a terrible storm blowing in. The wind had picked up, and there were small raindrops beginning to fall as I reached the door and went in. This place was deserted, and I thought "OK God... maybe this will work out...maybe it's a simple fix, and I will still be able to make it to the show tonight...". I walked up to the girl at the window, described the problem I was having, and she said "Well, that definitely sounds like your transmission...we COULD take it here, but honestly, we'll just send it over to the transmission specialist down the road. They're about two miles from here. You will need to take it to them yourself, since it's 4:30 on a Friday. We won't even bring it to them until Monday." So I left the shop with an address programmed in my phone, and walked back to my car through what was beginning to be a fierce rainstorm. I reached my car just as the heaviest part of the downpour started. Exhaled. Started the car and it miraculously started. Miraculously engaged in gear...and pulled out into the street to the greetings of horn blows and people shaking their fists at me as I crept along at one mile an hour for the first quarter mile or so. Then the engine finally engaged, revving up to seven thousand RPM's again, and there it rode for the remainder of the ride. The rain was coming down harder than I think I've ever seen it before, with enormous lighting strikes hitting all around me. My stomach was in knots at this point...I felt alone and terrified. I didn't know where I was going...I couldn't see in front of me...my car was screaming at me...and I didn't know what I would do when I got there, IF I got there. And then I remembered again that God is with me...even in my darkest moments, and I had a real epiphany moment...I said to myself "God...I know you're there and that you're with me...I know that the sun will rise tomorrow, and no matter what happens, all I can do is trust in you and do my best. So I'm going to let you carry this burden, and I will just focus on what's right in front of me and let the rest go." And I did. It was strange, but I literally felt the anxiety and fear leave my body...float up and away from me. And I smiled. Really smiled, because I knew it was going to be ok. I turned the radio up and started to sing along...lighting striking all around me. I found my turns, and I made it to the transmission shop. I walked in to a grubby dark dank little office, where there was a man sitting in the back room. I remember he asked me "how you doin'?" I laughed inwardly to myself and said, "I'm really grateful to be here." "Well, someone'll be right with you." I had every confidence that someone would come out...they would look at my car...and for eighteen dollars and a transmission flush later I would be on my way to Ft. Myers. But that didn't happen. An angry little man came out and informed me that they could look at it on Monday, since it was going to need a diagnostic. I asked if there was any way they could look at it that night...that I needed to be in Ft. Myers in a couple of hours? But no go...he wouldn't budge. In fact he seemed a little put out that I would walk in a quarter to closing time and even ASK them to look at it. So I smiled, thanked him, and arranged for them to look at it Monday...filled out the paperwork...and told them I would drop the key in the box later, I had to get a bunch of gear out of the car before I could leave it. Still smiling, still unrattled, I went outside and started to text people for the next step. First I contacted my ex to see if she could pick me up from the shop. She wrote back right away, "Sure, I just got out of work!" and it turned out she was right around the corner from the shop. Next I contacted Travis...to see if there was any way he could pay me for the cover I was drawing for his book. It wasn't finished yet, but the piece was on its way, and I was trying to get as much money together for Monday as I could, since I had heard tell that transmission fixes were usually up over the thousand mark. He said no problem, it might take a few hours but don't worry. And then he mentioned that he had a friend through church that might be able to help out in a situation like this. I said thanks, I can take all the help I can get, and called another guy I was working for at the time, .oddly his name is ALSO Travis....to make a similar request on work I was in the middle of for him. He also said no problem, and within ten minutes had sent over the money via paypal. At this point, my ex had showed up as I was talking to (other) Travis about renting a car. She overheard this, and immediately offered her car to me for the weekend. I was blown away by this, but she just said, "that's what family is for!". Then the first Travis called back, and said that his friend had offered to rent me a car for the weekend. I remember feeling a little overwhelmed with gratitude over how everything was working out. It was like God was literally reaching down and pulling all the strings to help me. I thanked him, and said to please thank his friend for me, but I wouldn't need the rental after all. I got my stuff, dropped my ex at her house, and drove off to Ft. Myers. And I had one of the best shows of my life. It was really strange, how every event seemed to line up perfectly...every conversation was an eye opening life changer...I really felt the presence of God that entire weekend. And beyond. I'm not sure when it was exactly, but I think right after the show, the first Travis contacted me again, and said that his friend wanted to help me with the cost of the repairs on my transmission. Again, I couldn't believe my good fortune, and at the same time, it really felt like God was reaching down and out to me through Travis and through his friend. Helping hands paid the repair shop over $1600 on my behalf, and I am so thankful for their help. I could never have managed a bill that big and still kept my electricity on, or paid my rent. They really helped me like they were an instrument of God. I told Travis that I didn’t know if he wanted to pass this story along to them, but at the very least, I would like to tell them all again how grateful I was and am for the help. God bless you and yours for keeping the faith and doing good work for others. Our side of this story: When Travis shared the need of his friend we felt lead by God to explore what we could do. The start of this ministry was just in the beginning stages and no real structure had been established yet. While we were figuring out how we could do it Karl found a service station willing to fix his vehicle and they did so with only hearing about a couple from across the state that were going to pay for it. Deborah called the station to assure them that the check was on its way. It was then she learned that Manny was a believer and when she shared the concept of the ministry we were starting and that this was our first project he was so blessed that God arranged for him to be part of it. We were so blessed that the repairs were done by another believer who did them without truly knowing how they were going to be paid. We think we were all struck and blessed how we became the part of God’s plan to help Karl. Now Karl is able to get to work and support his family. This timely hand up made all the difference to Karl and it truly fit the focus and heart of our ministry.