My wonderful miracle oven–that actually bakes and heats like ovens are supposed to do!
I have been reading lots of books all summer–trying to fill up my soul after a demanding year. One of the books I read was so encouraging to me in seeking to develop a deeper prayer life. (More on that later.)
So, of course, I have been seeking the Lord more diligently every day in worshipping Him, in seeking to see His hand in my life and thanking Him for all of His daily graces in my life. Of course my foundational prayer for many, many years, has been that my children, Clay and I, will love Him more every day, with all of our heart and serve Him faithfully until we see Him face to face. I have also been seeking Him and asking for blessing and a pouring out of His Spirit on our ministry, and on the women leading Bible studies and starting groups–and also on our leadership training coming up and my wonderful ministry team who helps in our ministry so much.
My heart has been greatly encouraged in this discipline as I really believe that it is the power of God in our lives, from being with Him, seeking Him and asking for His work in and through us that will manifest His work and ways in our lives. I am amazed that He would condescend to listen and respond and love and encourage us, as He is so holy and above us. But still, He loves to respond to us–personally, as a Father to His children–in the most minut details.
Soooo……., there was this matter of an oven. I have 54 women coming to my house in a couple of weeks for training in writing, speaking and ministry. But my small double oven is/was quite old and the top oven died a year ago. And the dilemma was that I was planning on feeding these 54 women for 3 days was looming large in my mind.
So, I read, “Pray about everything.”
“You have not because you ask not.”
“But when He comes back to the earth, will He find faith?”
“Ask in my name.”
So, I humbly asked for a double oven with a convection top so we could prepare the meals and keep them warm.
Now, Clay and I had already decided that we couldn’t afford the $2200 price of the oven from our local store. Something about having 3 older children who are still finding their way through school, and all have cars and insurance and medical issues and just life, with a new driver in the making! You know the issues.
“My God shall supply your needs according to His riches.”
So, we prayed. And we asked our ministry team here in town to pray with us.
Out of the clear blue sky, one day, I found a check in a letter in the mail. A friend of our ministry, all the way across the United States, sent me a check for $300 and said, “I am not there to help you prepare for the intensive training coming up, so use this check for something in your house as you get ready for the women to come.I felt like I needed to send this to you.”
Meanwhile, Clay began to look for an oven in Craig’s list, because of a friend’s advice who had been at the prayer dinner at our home, when we prayed for the leadership conference coming up. So under “appliances”, nothing came up. But, under “garage sale”, he found a less than two year old, 30 inch double oven, convection on top, oven on bottom. And less than ten minutes from our home. We called and went to the home of the man who had advertised.
A beloved friend, a board member, who just “happened” to be in the area (from North Carolina) went with us to look. Because He oversees construction for a major restaurant business all over the United States, he knows building and kitchens and ovens and such. He went with us to give us his expert advice on whether we could fit it in the space where our 26 inch oven had been.
Turns out, the man selling the oven was a believer and knew mutual friends of ours that we worked with in ministry. The oven was like new and seemed to be calling out, “Sally, take me. I’m yours!”
Clay inquired, “What price would you ask for the oven?”
“Well, since you all are in ministry, I think I would like to get $300 for it?” –the exact price I had received a check for in the mail. And when we asked him the specs of the oven, it would fit into the space in our kitchen within an eighth of an inch!
And so a week after we began praying, we have our miracle oven right in my kitchen–a picture of God’s sweet provision and grace.
And, by the way, when the installer came to our home, who had been recommended by a friend who builds cabinets, he just happened to be a young man, who had 3 very small children and whose wife had just begun to homeschool–who needed some advice and encouragement and support group.
So God linked us with a believer with an oven and an installer who just happened to need help that we were so blessed to be able to give. So fun to see His hand at work.
If He would care that I have an oven to cook in for my leadership conference, what else might He be willing to answer as I pray for Him to bring about His power in and amongst us in our Kingdom work amongst families, mothers and children? Hmmmm…… I just can’t wait to see what is ahead!
Dear Sally,
I am rejoicing and thanking Jesus with you and Clay! What a sweet, loving, caring, all powerful God we serve. He cares for all our needs~ The God who sees and the God who provides! Thank you for sharing this with us and pointing our hearts to the deep prayer times with him. Also,I’m thanking Him for giving you such a tangible, strong reminder of His watch and provision over you, Clay and WWM.
Love and happy baking!
Ashley in Lubbock
Awesome!
That is another wonderful story of God’s provision for the “hairs on our heads”! 
I love stories that tell of a God who loves us PERSONALLY! He is an amazing God!
Hooray!!! So happy for you!! Thank you Jesus for blessing sweet Sally!
Courtney
Sally~
Wow! Thanks so much for sharing your story of how God is tangibly working in so many ways…in ways that are “exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine.” (Eph. 3:20-21)
Your post is very timely for me because I am finding myself discontent and discouraged but when we trust, rest and place our hope in Him, we can find ourselves in a much better place!
Thanks so much for sharing. God is a good all the time.
I love, love, love how God demonstrates His provision in even the practical aspects of our everyday lives! Thanks for sharing and reminding me of Jehovah-jireh, my provider.
How wonderful!
Isn’t it like God to answer a need in such a way that you know it has to be Him?
What a show of love.
God is so good!
That’s our God for you!
Isn’t that amazing! I love it when the Lord does stuff like this. I am encouraged now to go on and look for my van which we DESPERATELY need.
Thanks for sharing!
awesome!!!
This is one of those goosebump moments! I love to hear stories about how God provides for his children. We have a few stories like that too. For me it’s just one more reminder that God cares about the little things as well as the big things.
I so wish I could have signed up for your seminar, but circumstance just won’t allow me to leave home at this time. But I think it’s a great thing you’re doing and I’m praying for this ministry.
Blessings,
Kris in NE
I love stories like that!
Many years ago, I was so sick of our tattered old couches that were covered with makeshift cloths. I prayed for a pair of matching couches. I wanted to go look at Goodwill but couldn’t because of a big storm. The next day, a neighbor called and said, “Virginia, I have two matching couches here to give you because my daughter just moved back home. One of them is a sofa bed, too.” Imagine that! She hadn’t even known my need, and I don’t think she’d ever been in my living room before to see what we had. So we got a furniture dolly and rolled them down the street! We used those couches for many years, and I always remembered the answer to prayer.
God is working out so many little details around here for us too. If he is so involved in items such as ovens, we can only begin to imagine what he has planned along this path of reaching families for him. It’s overwhelming to see how many minute details he is weaving together for his glory. thanks for sharing
I love this story. Thanks for sharing Sally!
That is so awesome Sally! What a blessing! It’s amazing what we see God do when we believe, walk by faith and wholly surrender to Him. What a great blessing!
Hugs!
My eldest daughter, Lyndsay, age 20, wants to know if she can call you Aunt Sally?.! You’re just the kind of Aunt she’s looking for! What inspiration! Thanks for sharing with Lyndsay and I this evening! We needed to hear that! KellieC
Thanks Sally just what I needed to hear. We are needing a house within the next 4 weeks. Your story bolstered my faith.
Just the kind of story I needed to hear. We are selling our home and need our buyers to get a bank commitment by July 26th. I have been praying for God to answer this prayer. What book were you reading Sally, maybe it would encourage my heart also. Thanks for the wonderful story. Praise God for His answer!!!!Love, Lilly
Awesome! Love it!
Wonderful! God cares for you!
You are blessed and a blessing!
This is great! It has been on my heart to become a better pray-er. And I am reading a book on prayer this summer, too. Thanks for the encouragement. My mentor who led me to a deep walk with Jesus used to pray before she baked a cake. What wisdom there is in that! Your story reminded me of her. Thank you!
Praise to our King!
Oh, how He loves us… and those details. Well, as we see He knows all about them, He orchestrates them!
This is such an encouragement to me! Thank you for sharing.