Ok,  so I used to really chase after what I thought I needed. I thought success and financial security - even with the outer thought of being an anonymous patron - I thought this was a noble and worthy goal. I have a lifetime of amazing stories that cross the globe that are truly entertaining. I have had an amazing life so far.   

But that success and financial freedom never came and it never worked. Trying on my own: Believing I create my own reality, that I can control my thoughts and therefore control my outcomes..... It did not work. And I was good at it.

Giving it up and giving it to God has "worked". It seems like after Pat died, and I followed her wise words to not chase business, my future is in my faith.... I found myself saying the words, "Money is not my currency". 

There is a fire that is my currency. There is a passion and boldness for Christ that is my currency. I have been blessed, so blessed with the gift of inspiration.

So let me tell you about my truck. Just ONE thing I could share in this ever-growing category of proven miracles right before me. I do go, truly, Glory to Glory with the Lord.

SO: Pat's car. Buick. Little old lady car, owned by two Little old ladies that never drove it. 2011 with 20K miles one it. By the way - HOW we got Pat's car was ALSO a miracle. I just, most unfortunately, attributed it to my "Power of Positive Belief", No Jesus involved. Oh I cringe at my naiveté. My hubris. Another story - another day.

I knew I needed to sell the Regal before it had zero value. In just a year more or so I now had 50K miles on it. SO I decided to start shopping for the car I wanted always: Toyota FJ Cruiser. I was leisurely, I could take a road trip anywhere to buy the right deal.... and after looking all around, INUNDATED with income sales alerts on FJs everywhere... I finally found the one, the dealer, the price - just down the road in Indiana.

2008 - no tracking devices and smart technology - I wanted a 2008 or 2010. Bight Yellow. What I wanted. 145KMile, $19,999K

So we began. Ended up, sight unseen at a sales price of $15,999. Pats car as described to them -they would give me $7K. Good enough. Blue book (which is brutally unfair) was $5K and I knew I could sell for $9K but really did not want to meet, call, answer and drive around in a test drive with people that were there to buy and drive down pricing...no, in Honor of Pat and how we got the car - I simplified my life and just say, "Sounds great."

All in I was $8500

I drive to the dealer as a last dance with the Regal, and really, it seemed the last big piece of Pat physically in my life anywhere. (If you just joined the storyline here, please read: It is time to tell you about Pat part 1 and 2)

SO: I prayed to God, please guide me. Let Me Know this is the right car or the wrong car. I leave it all to you, such a big shift and change in my life. Adn we delighted in one another on the drive. Well, I have a sense that He delighted in me too, anyway.

When I got to the dealership, I could see Big Yeller from the traffic light. I drove over to her and saw she was totally JACKED UP. When Rhonda came out, the first thing she said was, I was wondering if you noted in the photos I sent that it was Jacked. Do you like it?

And yes, by gosh, I did. At first it too me back but my whole "family" has big jacked trucks. Suddenly, even more so, I was part of this family. Indeed when we pull in the drive and the line-up of trucks, Cadillac SUV and Smoker/Cooker Jim says: Now THERE is a family to be reckoned with.

So I go on to the sales room. Cash/check sale - no long drawn out credit, financing all-day affair.... and I pull out my two little bank envelopes I had counted the day before, all 100 dollar bills... $2K in each one.

So I slid the 4K across the desk to the truly humorless Jeannie, and turned to my bag, saying I would pay the balance by check. When I had turned back to her she said "8500?". And that was the total I owed. So I said yes..... BUT: She was standing there with a WAD of money in her hand - twenties, tens and four 5 dollar bills. She HAD $8500. I was stunned. Speechless (a rarity). I stuttered, could you please count that again? 

Irritated, missing my surprise and joy, she counted the money again.

Ta-ta-ta-ta went the counter.

I asked if it were possible the counter were incorrect, counted twenties incorrectly (Which I KNEW I had not handed to her.... but I didn't know yet else what to say.) Irritated again, she ran it through. $8500.

 Again, $8500

I asked her, smiling, laughing really, if she could have someone else double check. She thought of course that I was thinking she was incapable, or cheating me or something - but I was just buying time as I texted my dear miracle friend Teresa. I was in unbelief and slowly moving to receivership mode!

Another lady came in, the two of them rolling their eyes, missing the entire energy that I am smiling, floating, breathing in the joy of my Father's gift.

SHE COUNTED and said,"$9,000".

Glory to God! Keep Counting, I shouted and jumped up. 

Now Jeannie was truly agitated, and they both counted again, individually, slowly on he desk without the counter and got $8500. I told her the reason I had you count is because I only brought in these two little envelope I had counted myself and marked "2" on the top of each.... Humorless. Really, think about this story: WHAT a time to be agitated and Miss It All. (Those that have eyes will see....)

So I am LOUD. Now I am texting my entire God Squad about this unexpected miracle and double portion, right in front of me.

I go out to the cavernous-by-design car sales  floor and say Praise God, He has doubled my portion! Laughing, I am texting my God Squad and trying to speak and type and share.... I go out to get Ruby's things from my Regal and bless it, and Pat - the gift that just keeps on giving - and when I come in, most everyone as smiling and delighting in my joy, my fantasy or my miracle, whichever way they were prone to think. (Maybe I was a crazy-happy person who just got the count wrong. (Please consider the SIZE of a stack of 10s and 20s that make up four thousand dollars! It is not subtle and easily missed or mistaken.)

I come in to a man standing there, clearly the owner and I say to him: Are you a Christian? He said I am a Catholic. I said, Close enough, let me tell you what just happened!!

It has surprised me over and over how people don't take this story in and marvel. My God squad and closest friends all are rejoicing with me. But RIGHT THERE, people are barely moved. I didn't want to tell Bev and waited a long time, and she wasn't impressed, much anyway. Like what does it take to chase after God? But as for ME: My House....

Joshua 24:15

15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

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Okay THEN:

Oh these tires are just given to the deal. They are $500 EACH.
And the rims - $300 EACH. The last owner got them for their son.

Then a young man came in, who had been absent from the miracle because he had taken the Regal to the shop to look it over and test drive it. SO when he comes in I am leaning back... and he says:

"Well, really great news! That car is in perfect shape!" 
"Yes, I said, Just as I promised."
"Well, I am going to give you $500 more than I stated."
"Yes, I accept," I said incredulously. "Why?" Laughing.
"Because it really IS in great shape, people usually exaggerate that (like ME?!) and I can sell it for more than I thought, and it is the Christian thing to do."

C'MON MAN. What dealer does that?
GOD'S DEALERSHIP.

I left the dealership with the car I have long wanted; extra fancy tires and wheels; custm lift package; and $500 in my pocket.

GOD'S IMPOSSIBLE MATH