Our "New" Van--God Makes No Mistakes!

Last Sunday morning in Salem, OH, an old acquaintance, Brant Luther, who had spent time in Russia and is now married and serving on a county commissioners' board near Salem, sang the special song. 

He read the background of the story behind the song, how the author had just found out that he would never have his one eye again.

Yet he penned the inspiring words,

"Rejoice in the Lord; He makes no mistakes. 

He knoweth the end of each path that I take,
For when I am tried
And purified,
I shall come forth as gold."

We sat there listening to the words, having just spent a very long day of travel to and from purchasing another van after our collision, 

and had felt we should go on to be in Salem on that Sunday.

I felt like that song had been sung just for us, that it had been worth the whole 8 hours of travel from Chicago to Salem for Sunday.

"God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;
In darkness He giveth a song."

"I could not see through the shadows ahead;
So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day;
Then peace came and tears fled away."

"Now I can see testing comes from above;
God strengthens His children and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging more fruit I will bear."

It wasn't just about the van that we were thinking. It was about the whole set of circumstances that we are in the middle of.

The van was just something easier to see and understand.

I don't think we could have sold our old van for half the amount the insurance company gave us,

so we couldn't help feeling that the collision was more of a blessing than an "accident."

Jonathan researched online for a couple weeks. Most vans in this area were going for more than Blue Book value, but this one up in Chicago was several thousand below Blue Book value due to a significant crunch on the edge of the side door.

It was worth extra travel to get the kind of van we wanted, Jonathan felt. It is much newer than the old one, has far fewer miles, has significantly more power, and so on. As a sort of pre-Valentine get-away, Jonathan wanted me to come along, and Crystal came along, too, to spend some time with friends in Salem, OH.

Not only did we get a van (and free, warm, homemade burritos the dealer generously shared with us) but we got to stop in to encourage someone in crisis on our way to Salem, OH, and then spent the weekend with friends at Salem.
Andy Troyer showed us into the home of Forrest and Karen Wheeler who were away at the FEA campmeeting. (Since then, Forrest is right now in Guatemala preparing for the Mission Helps crew Jonathan will be with next week roofing a church under HIM. )

Kenn and Carol Lefever and their children has us for Sunday dinner.

Jonathan spent about 17 years in school with Kenn, so they understand each other pretty well. 

I was happy to see some people I went to school with--and am so thankful for those who have remained faithful to the way they believed.

The pianist pictured a little above was Lydia [Troyer] Kunselman, who was the librarian 29 years ago when I attended AWC, and at whose double wedding my sister Dorcas played the piano and our family sang. Lydia and her husband have been musicians for the Salem church and the Allegheny Camp Meeting for many years. Lydia's sister Dorcas, also former fellow student with me, sang with her son that evening, a lovely song.

Pastor Stanley Grabill and his wife were also fellow students with me 29 years ago at AWC.

So were Andy and Shirlene [Treese] Troyer, whose home we were blessed to visit after church Sunday evening. It had been built in 1863 and was one of these vast old houses that even had a second staircase to servant's quarters above the kitchen!

We enjoyed visiting by the fireplace, reminiscing and encouraging one another in the Lord.

Shirleen's arm suddenly around me as we headed to the door, saying, "We went to college together and we understand each other!" That meant so much to me.
I wondered how long it has been since someone has thought they understood me!!!!!

Jonathan and I have discussed how even in the conservative holiness circles there are significant differences

in culture from place to place. There are differences between the east and the west, between the  north and the south, between the classy and the low class, between the E's and the I's, between the Midwest Pilgrims and the New York Pilgrims and the Pilgrim Nazarenes...
When I married Jonathan and moved west, I left not only the east behind with its lush greenery, flowers, trees, and rainfall, but I left behind my family and friends and everything familiar, including many intricacies and nuances of culture, dress standards, and even beliefs. 

Some of these differences are unwritten rather than stated rules.
Like how to look humble.
I was taught over and over, in speech class and otherwise, to stand up straight, keep your head up and your eyes out on the audience, to smile and look pleasant for the sake of the people who have to look at you when you are up front singing or speaking.
Other places you start to understand (though no one ever says anything at all) that if by chance you are asked to sing or speak, (you must NEVER want to do it, because if you want to, that is carnal, but if you don't want to and are unwilling, that is carnal, too, so really, it is always hopeless for you to know how on earth you should feel about it, if feelings are allowed at all)
but anyway, if you do happen to have to go up front, my dear,
make sure to look down at the floor the whole way up there and back,
and make sure your shoulders are scrunched a little, just sooo, there that is the way!
Because you need to look humble enough to cause people to think well of you. 
BUT enough of that.

It felt so good to sit in the home of someone I had attended Bible College with and who had led similar lives since--involved in missions, ministry, and now as lay people, with some similar down times, similar deep heartaches, and similar joys. 

God makes no mistakes! 

Whether we sit in a 150-year-old house or one that is only 17 years old,

whether we drive a battered van or a newer one,

whether we are a missionary or a layman,
whether we hang our head up or down,

we can rejoice in the Lord.

"He makes no mistake.

He knoweth the end of the path that I take.

And when I am tried

And purified

I shall come forth as gold."