When I was seven years old I found this beautiful art set that I wanted like nothing else. It came in a gorgeous wooden case, had graphite pencils, a few watercolors and- oil paints. Ten of them. All of them in their own perfect plastic spot that they could snap in and out of in the case. The set also included 2 canvases, palette for mixing and 2 spatulas for mixing paint colors. As you can see it was an art set like no other- at least to this seven year old mind! But it was $20! That was like a year of allowances! My birthday was far away and Christmas even further. I had to come up with some way to get that money- I wanted that art set so badly!!
A week later I found myself at church- no closer to coming up with the money and I was getting frustrated. There was an alter call and a time of prayer was called. Everyone bowed their heads, some sitting on the pew some kneeling up front at the altar. A collage of voices rose to Heaven.
At this point I had given my little life over to Christ but there was still a little bit of doubt in me. I knew God was real because of what I had been taught- not by what I had experienced. So I decided to ask God for the impossible, If he could do it I would know once and for all that He was real. I asked God to give me a way to make money for the art set- and quickly please. I went away from the church service and told no one about what I had prayed- I didn’t want my test results to get muddled!
The next morning I walked into the room where my mother was and without me even opening my mouth she told me that she had some extra chores I could do if I wanted to make some spending money. Did I ever!! Within 3 days I had earned the money for my art set. And before the week was even up, I was painting with my new oil paints.
People may argue that this was all just coincidence and that is fine- let them argue. But that was when I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was real, and He heard me, and He cared about me- a little 7 year old child.