This morning, eight of our ten chlldren happened to look out the window ... only to see a brand new van parked right in our driveway.  The van, which was wheelchair accessable, was larger (and longer) than most, and it was a beautiful candy apple green in color.  Festooned at the top of the antenna was a nice, fat, bright-red Christmas bow.

There was a big sign on the front of the van.  It was witten in bold, black, block letters.  It read: MERRY CHRISTMAS, JOHNSON FAMILY!!

The sight (and magnitude) of it all caused my husband and myself to burst into tears.  The new van couldn't have come at a better time.

Our van we had until just a few weeks back gave up the ghost after ten years of service.  Engine blew and the struts, transmission, and radiator all went out (all at the same time).  

There was no way on God's green earth we could afford to get it fixed, not with the constant need of several of our children, who all had serious special needs.  Medical bills were commonplace and they often left us in debt.  

Often our bills were two, three, even up to five months behind and we had to rely on our church family (or complete strangers) to help bail us out of yet another jam.

Apparently, one of our friends from church wrote to a local radio station (or the local newspaper) about our plight; the radio station happneed to be granting Christmas wishes for people who were needy.  We fit in that category because two of our children were in and out of the hospital and needed constant care when they were home.  

One child, Tobias, had a colostomy, a tracheotomy (he breathed with a ventilator), and was tube-fed; the other child, Mikaelah, had brain damage and cerebral palsy: she was unable to walk.  Because ot their health needs, they were in and out of the hospital (especially Tobias).

The radio station took mercy on us upon reading our story; unbeknownst to us, they decided to grant our wish for a brand new handicap-accessable van.  According to the station, no Christmas wish was too outlandish or expensive for them to be able to help.  

When we saw the van this morning, we wondered what was going on.  That was when there was a knock at the front door.  A man and woman stood upon our front porch.  That was when they relayed the story to us and the fact that we had been chosen to have our Christmas wish granted.

Oh, how the tears flowed!!  

So now we have a brand new van, thanks to the generosity of caring people from our church.  It only reaffirmed our faith and trust in God.  God provided a huge blessing when we needed it the most.  He knew we were faithful in our tithes, worship, prayer life, Bible and devotion time, and church duties, so He decided to honor us by blessing us with a surprise that totally rocked our minds!  And He couldn't have picked a better day: Christmas.

I don't know how we are ever going to repay God for what He has done for us, but all I have to say is this: God is still in the miracle making business even today, over 2,000 years later!!  Praise His holy name!!!!