Last Sunday morning at our Church, I shared the story about the famous blind hymnwriter Fanny Crosby and the day she needed $5. Back in 1900, $5 was actually worth more like what $180 is worth in today’s currency. And this was a modestly substantial amount for Fanny, who needed it quite badly!

She wrote, “Not long after I had prayed for the money, a gentleman came into the house, passed the time of day, shook hands with me, and went out immediately. When I closed my hand, after the friendly salutation, I found in it a bill which he left there.  A visitor later told me it was a five dollar bill.” (Read the full story at Enjoying the Journey). Rejoicing in God’s goodness, she immediately penned the words to the beloved hymn “All the Way My Savior Leads Me“:

All the way my Savior leads me –
Cheers each winding path I tread, 
Gives me grace for every trial, 
Feeds me with the living bread. 
Though my weary steps may falter
And my soul a-thirst may be, 
Gushing from the rock before me, 
Lo! A spring of joy I see.

This story from Fanny Crosby’s life came alive to me in a very personal way for me the very next day (on Monday) as my mechanic friend Chris and I worked to fix our little Honda Odyssey family van. Pulling off the old CV axles, it was discovered to my dismay that the carrier bearing had failed, causing one of the axles to fuse together with the half shaft! Sadly, this critical part of the steering is not available through any of our local parts stores … and the one through the dealer came with a price tag of $600! Wow, that would significantly increase the cost of our little project and completely blow our repair budget out of the water. My friend did find a used one online for $350 … but it wouldn’t arrive until the end of the month! 😲

Thankfully, Chris called the local junkyard and found that they had one car on the lot. So he kindly offered to run over before it closed in hopes that it would have the part that we needed … while my wife and I prayed! 🙏

The car at the yard did indeed have the needed part … but due to an unfortunate chain of events, my friend did not have the particular tool required to take it off! The junkyard was just about to close and this was the only day he had available to work on the project.

At that moment, lo and behold, Chris looked over and sitting right there not too far away from where he was working was the very tool needed. To his amazement, someone at the yard had previously left it behind!

Pulling the part off, it was discovered that the half shaft and carrier bearing assembly sitting on this junkyard car were practically brand new. Whoever owned that smashed up Honda Odyssey must have put in a brand new half shaft right before the accident. The junkyard charged $25 for it and our mini van was running smoothly by the end of the day! 🚐

The same God that helped Fanny Crosby back in 1900 was answering our prayers this week and providing for us along our journey! 👏

All the way my Savior leads me –
What have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His faithful mercy
Who through life has been my guide ?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
Here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er fall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.