Amie and the Car!

It amazes me how easily I forget about blogging! I promise to update and before I get home I completely forget! So first I would like to apologize to those I promised I would blog about Amie and the car and simply kept putting it off. Again I'm Sorry!

Amie and the Car! As I think about this amazing event I hardly know where to begin but, i think it would be best to give an introduction. I first saw Amie in Lolley Dorm where we lived. She was about the same height as I was, blond hair, and quiet. I greeted her often when we would pass, she was always polite, she would smile and say a quick "Hey Amy." before hurrying off to whatever was next on her schedule. I hardly saw her stand still, always hurrying somewhere, the only times I saw her not in motion was the rare occasion I would find her collapsed on one of the common rooms couches completely drained and dead asleep.

From the first few times I met Amie I knew she worked hard, probably harder then anyone else in the dorm. I wanted to get to know her. My roommate and I decided we wanted to invite some of the girls from the dorm to watch Hidalgo with us in our room. Amie was first on the list. I went right away to find her and another girl, Chelsea (who was just as quiet having only ever said to me "I like your glasses" ) I found Amy in the Common Room. She was grateful but sorry because she had to work that night. She then asked me to invite Chelsea.

"I want to but I can't find her." I said.

"Look in the computer room. I saw her there earlier." She answered.

I thanked her and went straight there to invite Chelsea. And as God could only plan a series of events to work out wonderfully I spent a few hours in the rain helping Chelsea "Pop the Lock" to her car door to get the keys that were locked inside.

There was an immediate connection of friendship between Chelsea and I, and I knew that night God had just given me a friend. Every meeting with Chelsea was a positive one! We were encouraging each other in tiny ways that meant so much to each other! She was teaching me so many things about faith, and the family of Christ; things I had not noticed, or simply just could not understand with my upbringing.

She began to open up about her family life, and that she seemed to always take care of herself, but God had always stepped in and provided. I was shocked! This wonderful person who was bright and loving, this girl who never whined or complained had every reason to be upset, yet she was still living as if she had never gone through a bad thing in her life. She had nothing, and yet she had so much more than everyone else.

So imagine my shock a few weeks later when she asked me for my opinion on how she should go about giving her car to Amie. I didn't even know Amie was without a car, and had to walk to work every night, as well as everywhere else! I told her to hold off on saying anything to Amie, that I would ask my dad what she needed to do, and to wait until I talked to him.

That same night I was overcome be the anxiety I had been battling with over school, Chelsea knew it, and she invited me to use the empty bed in her room. I did, and the next morning I found myself crying to her all my fears of failure and fears of rejection that comes with failure. She calmed me and prayed with me.

As I stated earlier I am constantly amazed at how God uses a long and tough series of events to bring about great things! My father knew I was hurting. He knew I needed to see him (I had been too behind to allow myself the joy of going home on weekends) even if it was only for a few hours. When I got his call I was in the middle of listening to his sermons online; sitting in a empty room with just my laptop, crying, and becoming more and more depressed, I just wanted to hear his voice.

"Guess where I am?" He said so happily I thought for sure he was teasing me about being somewhere we normally went together.

"Where?" I sniffed still trying to contain my tears.

"I just passed the Tower" Was his happy reply.

"Are you coming up here!?" I asked knowing "The Tower" was the half way point to Wake Forest and too scared to get my hopes up that he might not be coming, but he was!

My dad was on his way to see me, he knew I was struggling, and he was coming to encourage me. He drove to a local coffee shop that all the students frequent. He briefly met Chelsea, and then we drove to get lunch just me and my dad. As promised I asked him what Chelsea needed to do to give her car to Amy. His first thought had been the same one I had. "What will Chelsea use to get around in!?"

"Nothing, she is willing to walk. She says Amie could use the car more to visit her family." I said.

Then I told him some of what I knew about Chelsea, how she lived by faith knowing that God would provide for her.

"A man at church donated a car to the church to give to someone in need just this last week, lets give it to Amie so Chelsea can keep her car."

I fell apart! Immediately I began crying out to God thanking Him for providing for both my friends. We called Chelsea and told her that God had provided a way for her to keep her car and Amie could get a car for free. She called Amie and told her!

As my dad pulled up to the school to drop me off at the end of the day we looked up and saw Amie running across the campus towards us. As she got closer I saw that she was crying, she grabbed me and hugged me tightly, and then grabbed my father and hugged him as well.

"I did not think I would ever be able to get a car!"she exclaimed with tears in the corner of her eyes.

The weeks before had seemed so hard, and I felt so distant from God. I would pray "God where are you!? Have you left me!?" I had felt deserted, but God had been pulling together all the loose strings of the past few weeks slowly weaving them into a beautifully organized master piece.

While Chelsea had no clue that God was using her faith and willingness to serve others in such an amazing way, I too had no idea that my horrible fights with anxiety, and one of the biggest break downs I have ever been through would lead to one of the most fulfilling events I have ever been lucky to view. Even more amazing was that more and more people were being used to show the love of Christ through this car.

Amie's car is an old Buick Regal, and while it ran just fine, and drove smoothly it needed some cosmetic repairs: including a new wind shield which someone donated the money to pay for, a new head liner which a car interior expert put in with no charge, some minor mechanical fixes that my dad took care of, and a good scrubbin which a dear friend Mike took care of making sure the car sparkled like a new penny. The car looked great!

The day before we decided to deliver the car was Sunday, during the message my dad felt led to tell the church about the ministry of Christ that the car had turned into. The Holy Spirit moved through the church, person after person donated money to both Chelsea and Amie. I had many people empty their wallets to give whatever they had to them. I later wept at the generosity of God's people, their willingness to help and support my dear friends moved me deeply. I am still very grateful and still brought to tears when I think on it.

We left Sunday and drove straight there. When we arrived it was almost 9:00p.m. and Amie was walking to work. I called her and told her we were in town, we had her car, and we would love to have her join us for a late dinner. It was about 10:15pm when she and I made it to the restaurant. Dad showed her the car that was now hers. "Oh wow!" she said shyly. Then we sat down and told her we had something to give her from the people of our church, people that loved her and were praying for her. Dad handed her the money, and told her how much it was in all.

Amie is quiet and shy so I knew her reaction would be a sweet happiness. True to form she lowered her head and started to cry a little. Then she shocked us all by saying "This is the exact amount I was short for College tuition this year."

God was working and I was blessed to be a small part of it. I was blessed to personally see miracles happen, and needs being met by God. I needed to know He cared, and as always He proved Himself to me.

When the body of Christ joins together in harmony, when we hear the Holy Spirit speaking and we follow amazing things happen! The unthinkable gets accomplished right in front of our eyes. I want to thank my church family for being the hands and feet of Christ! Thank you for obeying the Holy Spirit! Thank you for praying for my friends! Because of your willingness to obey GREAT things have happened, and lives are changed for good! Thank you! I have been so blessed and ministered to just by seeing your love and faithfulness.

Even more importantly I want to make it known that NONE of this would have happened if not for God! He is our righteousness, and He is our provider! God help me if I doubt You again, but always remind me that You are here!