Emma’s cell phone had broke before she left for Africa. I really like her having one so that I can get ahold of her at any time. I wanted to try to buy her one while she was in Africa. The first week they were gone we went to the Verizon store looking. WOW! We didn’t have insurance and she wasn’t due for an upgrade, so they were super expensive. Hmmmm. Picking out a cell phone is kind of like picking out undies…all different people like all different kinds, so I decided to wait till she was home (and maybe they would be having a sale – LOL).

Since Emma has been home we went to the Verizon store again. *choke* No sale and those little things are ridiculous if you are not due for an upgrade or signing a brand new contract. So we came home again. I decided to look online on ebay. Maybe we could find a refurbished one??

Then yesterday I began to really pray seriously about this cell phone situation. As crazy as it might sound, I want to use faith in every area of my life.

Now to back track a bit, I have been asking the Lord to provide everything that we can possibly need used. Why pay retail price for something that will meet our need used? Let someone else pay the retail price and allow us to get it for free or at a significantly reduced rate so we have more money for the orphans around the world. It makes perfect sense to us and we have been talking about this as a family. We have often bought used, but what if we bought almost everything that way? I mean – everything??

So here we are needing a cell phone and yesterday I started to ask the Lord if He couldn’t provide one for free? Hmmmm. Free. I mentioned to Him that FREE would almost sound impossible, except He is a really BIG God. =) I just really believed that He could provide one for free or significantly cheap – if nothing else – just for fun and to remind me just how much HE cares.

I looked on ebay. No free one there. I wondered if my free phone might be at a yard sale this Saturday? That could work!

Today I decided to go by a different Verizon store, actually the one I normally go to. While the young men working there were helping others I looked around. The prices were again ridiculous. I even said under my breath to the Lord, “Yeah, none of these are free. Where exactly is that free one you are going to provide?”

When it was my turn I explained that we were not due for an upgrade and the prices were crazy, but I really needed a cell phone so if my daughter had a problem she could get ahold of me. I asked him if he had any that were consigned? He didn’t. I asked him what he would do if he were me? I figured he would tell me of some recycling place or consignment place or ebay store or something. Instead he said, “Ya’ know what? I have one someone turned in that is fine, they just left it here to recycle. I will give it to you – for FREE.” My mouth dropped and then I got giddy!! I thanked him profusely and promised him all my future business. I also told him that I had been praying for one and he was the answer to my prayers! I told him I had even asked the Lord for a free one.

In about 10 minutes he had Emma’s number plugged in and I went out to the car where Emma had waited with the younger kids. Emma was so excited when I handed her her “new” phone! What an absolute miracle!! A FREE CELL PHONE – straight from God’s hand! Yippeee Jesus! What a love gift!