That first year of our marriage did have its challenges. Being young and in love doesn’t pay the bills.

A friend had suggested I might try selling cookware. It seemed the perfect way to keep up with the bills since it was so easy to sell. And wherever we went, there would be people needing such a fine product. It made sense to me.

So, I signed on the dotted line, purchased samples of the cookware and practiced my sales pitch. What could go wrong??

I filled up the tank of my bright blue VW and headed for the rural northern Missouri.  Friday closed with four orders in my pocket and four fat down payment checks. My heart swelled with pride as I anticipated my wife’s relief when she saw this paycheck. 

I checked into the local hotel after a quick burger and fries at the diner down the street.

As the night went slowly by, my throat tightened and got more painful by the hour. I realized I was getting the bug that had been going around the college campus.

“Oh well”, I thought. “At least I have four confirmed sales already”.

As Saturday dawned, I filled the VW up again and headed for home. Sick as I was, I dropped by the office and turned in my four cookware contracts anticipating a handsome paycheck to take home to my wife. But with a sad face, the secretary let me know all four of my purchasers had called to cancel their orders. Those down payment checks would be returned and the contracts voided. My heart felt like a stone in my chest as I broke the news to my young wife; there would be no paycheck that week. Not only was there no income but considerable expense had been incurred for the sales trip plus a doctor’s visit to address the strep throat I had brought home.

But somehow, the bills got paid. We learned through this and many other experiences in early marriage, God can be trusted with our impossibilities. He comes through when all our best efforts fall short. Does that mean we can just quit trying and wait for Him to do it all? Nope…I don’t think so. Often, our most meaningful miracles show up in work clothes. But when we truly have done the best we can and failed, we can trust God to come through.

You’re going to make it. God will not let you down!

Lovingly,

Richard Orrell