-Submitted by Don Kennedy

It all started during the winter of 2005. I was active duty Air Force living in Tulsa and driving the 240 mile round trip to Tinker AFB daily a good 2 hour drive each way. I would leave early every morning about 4:00 am. During these long trips, I would listen to music or talk shows to help keep me awake. Sometimes I would listen to Dr. Charles Stanley on the local Christian radio.

On one of these trips, I remember him talking about shutting everything out, being still and quiet to listen to what God has in store for us. I shut the radio off and sat quietly praying to myself. I asked God what he wanted me to do, what is my purpose, what am I supposed to do? I asked God to use me as a tool for Him.

I sat quietly as miles rolled by, thinking of what God wants from me. Then I had this feeling like I was talking to myself but I wasn’t thinking about what was being said. I had this voice inside me. This idea my inner dialog was telling me to do was very simple and blunt. Take $100 and give it to someone! I thought this is crazy, we are barely getting by, I only had $150 in my account, and I still needed to buy two more tanks of gas before the next payday. I didn’t have the money to just throw away, besides my wife would kill me if I gave away $100. I put this crazy idea out of my head and drove the rest of the way to the base.

The next day I am driving again listening to Dr. Stanley and he said that we should listen to God and be willing to respond to what God tells us to do even when it doesn’t make sense. He used the story of Abraham and Isaac. This was like God telling me I know you think what I am telling you to do is crazy but trust in me. I prayed okay God I hear you and I did ask for you to use me as a tool, so I will do what you are telling me to do. That day on base, I went to the bank and I withdrew $100. I asked for a crisp $100 bill. I folded this and I put it in my wallet.

For the next couple of trips I kept thinking okay God I got the money now who am I supposed to give it to. The voice in my inner self kept saying I will show you. Then I started thinking what would someone think if I just went up to them and gave them $100? They
are going to think I am nuts. They are going to think I am trying to steal something from them.  They could even call the police! At home my wife was telling me about all these expenses we have and that we are short on money.

The next trip to the base I prayed to God are you sure this is what you want me to do? What if the person I give this to thinks I am a creep? What if we don’t have enough money to cover our bills? I have no idea what I would say to a person that I am giving $100 to.

After I prayed, I called my dad. He is the most Godly man I know and if anyone would have answers it would be him. I told my dad the whole story about the prayer, the inner voice, and then all the questions and doubt. Dad asked me how long I have had this thought that I should give money to someone? At this point it had been 3 weeks. He then asked me how long I had been having the doubts? About 2 weeks. He said that if God puts something on our heart it won’t go away, but the devil will try to make us doubt that it came from God and will start to use social norms to keep us from doing God’s will (making me feel like others would think I had lost my mind). Dad said this is from God; you prayed for it now do what God is calling you to do.

On the drive to work near my house I saw a trailer house with a car with the hood open and lots of kids toys in the yard. My inner voice said there. Okay we got the what, now we have the where or who, but how do I do this? All day at work I thought how do I give this money to the person in that house without looking like some kind of a weirdo who thinks he talks to God. Nothing came to mind.

The drive home that evening seemed to go faster than usual. All the way I was thinking of what to say to the persons. Then it hit me; I know I will just knock on the door, tell the person that someone told me to give this to you, and then turn and leave. Clean and simple. I am doing what God asked and I am not looking crazy!

I arrive at the trailer about sundown. I shut my truck off and begin the walk to the door. Okay, just like I rehearsed clean and simple. I knocked on the door. I hear kids running and the loud, “mom! someone’s at the door”. The door opens and three little faces appear. I ask, “is your mom or dad home?” Mom is on the phone, hang on. A young woman with light brown hair appears. She is wearing a sweater and jeans talking on the phone. She talks in to the phone, “can you hang on for just a second?” the phone dropping to her side. “Can I help you? she asks”, I quickly say,”I was told to give you this” while I hold out the 100-dollar bill. She looked intently at the bill then at me. She said “hold on” bringing the phone to her ear and telling the person on the line that she would have to call them back. Uh-oh, I was supposed to be turning around and leaving now.  If I leave, she may panic and begin to yell at me or call the police. I am stuck. What am I going to do?

The young lady looked me up and down, I am still wearing my uniform. She asked me, “who told you to give me this?” I choked up a little, looked down, and tears started to form in my eyes. I began to tingle from the energy that was taking place in that small trailer as I grasped the miracle that was taking place.  I looked at the kids then looked her in the eyes. “God told me to give that to you.” She started to cry, then she hugged me sobbing into my shoulder. She said, “I can’t believe this is happening. My heater in the house just went out the repair man said it would cost $120 to fix it. All I have is twenty dollars and we have been praying for a miracle. Thank you so much brother, thank you.” With tears in my eyes I said it wasn’t me it was God. I said bless you and your family, then I turned and left.

I will never forget how I felt being a part of a miracle from God. God had used me! I never forget that moment and I think of what a joy it was to be used by God to answer someone’s prayer. Since that day we have not had money issues and I am still asking God to use me every day.