The following is a true story.  It happened Christmas 1984, but it still warms and encourages our hearts today.  We wish you this kind of Christmas!  Blessings, Roger and Gerri

It was Christmas time.  We had no money for a tree much less presents or anything else!  I was very depressed and angry.  We continued to minister and give and give and give every way we knew how. 

 Our church had planned a Christmas dinner.  The purpose was to include the poor, the homeless and the unchurched.  The church secured a large room at the county fair grounds for the event.  Each family was to bring a large covered dish to add to the table that was being prepared.  When that day came we had two quarts of home canned green beans.  That was all that was left in the pantry: two quarts of green beans.   Gerri and I knew we could fast, but what about Matt?  What are we going to feed him for breakfast?  These were really hard difficult days.  When we say we had no money, that is just exactly what we mean.  Twenty dollars in the check book, and we would have felt rich!

Gerri prepared those two quarts of green beans and the three of us left for the Christmas dinner.  Arriving a bit early we helped set up and then enjoyed a banquet of Christmas food.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  When the evening was over, we stayed and helped clean up.  It was quite late when we arrived back home that night. 

 I pulled into the driveway and up to the garage door.  I asked Matt if he would get out and open it for me.  Just then he said, “Dad, someone has been in the garage.” 

  I said, “What?” 

 He said, “Yea, look under the door Dad.  It’s not all the way down like we left it, and there is something shiny there where the car goes.”

 “Great.  Just great.  I suppose we have been ripped off.  Somebody has gone in and stolen our stuff!  Let’s open it up and see what’s missing.”

 We all got out of the car.  I raised the garage door.  What a total shock!  Sitting on the floor of the garage were twenty six bags of groceries!  Included were Christmas presents for each of us and a Christmas card containing a $50 dollar bill.  It was simply signed GOD LOVES YOU.

 We all tried not to shout because it was so late and we didn’t want to disturb our neighbors, but we could hardly contain ourselves that night.  Every need was met including toothpaste and toilet paper!

Lord you are so faithful.  Forgive us for doubting you!

  “Then Jesus told them, “I assure you, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more.  You can even say to the mountain, ‘May God lift you up and throw you into the sea, and it will happen.’  If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”  Matthew 21:21-22 NLT

Excerpt from Our Glory Stories, Chapter  19, “Green Beans and Groceries”