My Redeemer Lives

Several of you probably saw my Facebook status from yesterday asking for prayers. Let me tell you, firstly, how incredibly thankful I am to have friends who will intercede for me and cry out for me when I just can't.

That being said, I'm sure many of you are wondering what caused me to ask for this or what specifically you were praying for. I'd like to tell you how God came through for me and even in a terrible event that never should have happened, his timing was perfect.

Yesterday, I was headed to Brunswick, Ga (off the coast, about 2 hours from Statesboro) to shoot a wedding. I had had a pretty good morning, even left early and I decided I was going to stop to get something to drink before I got on the road. I stopped at a gas station by the interstate, grabbed my cash and my phone (thankfully) and ran inside to get my drink. I had a pleasant and very short conversation with the lady at the counter and was on my way. As I stepped out of the gas station, I heard a loud cracking sound. I wrote it off as construction and rounded the corner to my car, only to see that in the 2 minutes I was inside, someone had thrown a concrete block through my window and stolen my camera bag, which contained not only about $4000 worth of equipment, but also my debit card, my drivers license and all my money except for the $6 I had in my hand. I immediately started screaming. I saw a man and a car behind the building and I screamed at him and asked him if he had done it. He of course said no and drove away. (I later found out he had pulled in right behind me and left right after I asked him this question... you do the math.)

I must've made 5 phone calls in 5 minutes. 911, my parents, the photography company I work for, etc. God immediately went to work. The police came, my parents took care of everything insurance and bank wise and my co-workers came to the rescue and found me equipment to borrow. My brother came and we traded cars (he's the best and a hero of mine) and I was on my way within the hour. I made it on time and had a great day shooting and my parents told me to expect them in the morning to help me clean up the mess. They showed up this morning with a replacement car for me. I was floored. They had purchased it a week ago for a graduation gift for me AND had time to come down and give it to me and take my other car home to be fixed and sold because this is their spring break.

Yesterday started out and I was already ready to go home. But God came through and brought me so much peace- something that easily could have been taken from me knowing that someone had all my information and my stuff. But I'm not worried. He has allowed all of my family to approach this with so much forgiveness and grace and he has had his hand on this situation every step of the way. I have seen him through this. It would be so easy to dwell on a bad situation, but I just can't look at that one person who needs Jesus so much and ignore all the other wonderful people who helped me and held me up and prayed for me yesterday. I am so thankful. There is still a lot to deal with, but God as shown us he is sovereign.