Posted on February 25, 2013 - by Lorna Seilstad
Flat Tires and Fleeces
To be a Christian without prayer is no more posssible than to be alive without breathing.
How many times have you found yourself at Jesus’ feet, pouring out your heart in prayer, putting your concerns in His hands, and thanking Him for your abundant blessings? If you’re like me, the answer is often, but sometimes we forget to look back at the answered prayers–both large and small.
In the next two weeks, the Inkspers are going to be sharing about some of there own answered prayers. We hope you are encouraged by our stories and your faith will be renewed in God’s amazing goodness.
Flat Tires and Fleeces
“And then, when you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream. You see, until you are ready, I am working even now, this minute, to have you both ready at the same time . . . . but, until you are satisfied exclusively with Me and with the life I have prepared for you, you will not be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me which is perfect love….Know that I love you always; I am God Almighty.”
The quote above was a portion of “On HIs Plan for Your Mate” and the author is
unknown. (You can find the whole narrative here.) I had this letter hanging in my bedroom all of my teenage and college years. I’d read it often, sometimes tearfully, when I worried what if I never met the right person.
I also spent many nights praying about the man God was preparing for me, and I knew I was going to marry David the day I met him. I wasn’t love at first sight, but it was this strange “knowing.”
However, our dating time was far from smooth. David knew all about wooing a woman, but hadn’t been friends with a woman on a long term basis. I had been friends with a lot of guys, but I wasn’t used to handling the overwhelming feelings. David also wasn’t sure he wanted to be in love with me or anyone else. He wasn’t ready to give up his single life. We’d break up, but we couldn’t stay apart long. It seemed that we’d take two steps forward and one step back on a regular basis.
I began to grow weary and doubt my first feelings. After all, how long could I wait for David to make up his mind? Truthfully, I wanted to give up. This relationship
thing was just too hard.
One night, I began to pray, begging God for direction. I’d been reading about Gideon laying out a fleece in Judges 6, and decided to lay out one of my own. I said, “God, if you want me to stay with David, just give me a flat tire on my car tomorrow.” Almost immediately, I took it back and told God to forget it.
The next morning, I hurried to get ready to go to work. I stepped onto the porch and stopped cold. There, in the driveway, was my car with a flat tire. My whole body shook.
When my ad took the tire in, there was no hole, and they couldn’t explain why it went flat.
I could.
We dated for two and half sometimes rocky years before we were married. The words from that letter came true. “When you are ready, I’ll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream.”
I think God knew I needed the flat tire and the original feelings to stick with this
relationship. David is a man who gives 110% to everything he does. That included marriage. The reason he’d been reluctant to commit was he understood how significant that commitment was. I had to learn about resting in God’s timing and a lot of other things.
God brought us together from across the world. He worked out the five year age difference and kept us exclusively for each other. He answered my prayers for a man of God, for a man I could easily respect, and for a man I could serve the Lord beside.
I didn’t expect him to come in a 6’6” package, but I’m sure glad he did!
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February 25, 2013
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Brenda Anderson said:
I don’t think I’d heard the “fleece” part of your love story before. That just gives me goosebumps!
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February 25, 2013
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Dawn Ford said:
Well, there’s far worse things you could’ve asked for as a sign. I always thought it was the girl who played hard to get, but David did a great job of that! You two are obviously meant for each other, and compliment the other beautifully. God did good.
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February 25, 2013
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Shari Barr said:
Beautiful story, Lorna. It just goes to show how God really does work for our best interests-in his time frame. Thanks for sharing.
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February 25, 2013
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Lorna Seilstad said:
Brenda, I still get goosebumps when I think of that moment when I saw the flat tire. A breeze could have floored me.
Thanks Dawn. I’m glad I only asked for a flat tire and not for the engine to blow.
Shari, isn’t that the truth! God’s timing is always perfect. Yesterday, our preacher talked about how Abraham and Sarah tried to push God’s timing with Hagar. Pushing God’s timing always gets us into trouble.
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February 25, 2013
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Kav said:
Beautiful love story, Lorna. And I’ve been one to try push God’s timing…all the time!
It’s just been in the last year or so that I’ve really become comfortable with the whole waiting on God’s timing thing. And what I’ve discovered is…light bulb moment people…it’s so much easier and peaceful when you do!!! LOL. I’m such a slow learner. It’s like my eyes have been opened and I’m noticing seemingly insignificant things that actually lead me in the direction I want to go. I have a feeling that if I hadn’t fought God on his timing I’d be way ahead of where I am now. 
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February 25, 2013
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Stacy said:
Love your story, Lorna. If only God would give us flat tires all the time (well, you know what I mean). I’m a bit thick-headed, so it generally takes a 2×4 to get me to pay attention. I’m learning – slowly – to rest in His timing. I’m like Kav. If I’d opened my eyes and heart sooner, I’d be light years ahead of myself. One step at a time, I guess.
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February 25, 2013
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Regina Merrick said:
Lorna, that was beautiful! Some of my favorite stories of faith are when people find the mate God has for them. And if it makes you feel better, Todd played hard-to-get, too!
We’ve both got keepers!
Kav, I totally know how you feel about feeling like you’d be so much farther ahead. I think I’m finally coming to the point to MAKE myself stop looking back so much, and just look forward! God is good, and He loves us. That’s enough!
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February 25, 2013
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Lorna Seilstad said:
Kav, you are so right. Whenever I try to do things my way on my time, they alway end up a mess. You’d think I’d learn that once for all, but I seem to have to learn it over and over.
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February 25, 2013
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Lorna Seilstad said:
Stacy, like I said, I’m right there with you. I’m so grateful that God is patient with his children.
Regina, I love those God blessed love stories, too. And I’m glad Todd finally saw what a gift God had put right in front of him.
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February 26, 2013
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Shannon Taylor Vannatter said:
Love this story!
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February 26, 2013
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Rose Ross Zediker said:
Neat story, Lorna.
Mike and I dated over two years too, and like yours it wasn’t always easy. Some of it had to do with other people ‘pressuring’ us to get married.
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February 26, 2013
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Lorna Seilstad said:
I do, too, Shannon!
Rose, I should have said the two and half years we dated ended up making for an easy firt year of marriage. We’d alrady dealt with a lot of the problems some couples end up facing that first year.