I have a true story to tell you about how God can help one in time of duress.

My parents are now just over 70 and my dad was retrenched round about August last year after being involved in an accident (which was not his fault).

However did cause health complications.

So just after our nice holiday that my sister and I had taken in October my dad dropped the bomb shell - No Money to sustain the family home. I don't live there but my sister and niece do.

My dad's pension only covered his medical aid and insurance's and that was all. Ouch problem and that is why he had called a family meeting.

Now what to do both my sister and I are single mom's and my mom has always maintained the family home. So what to do???

My sister agreed she would give up her whole salary to my mom and would only keep monies for tithing, petrol and for my nieces needs and college. I agreed to help where I could and as much as I could.

The rest we would have no option but to leave up to GOD! He knew my parents and sister's needs more then I think we actually did at that time.

And so life continued with some difficulty. My dad had recently had to have a small amputation to his foot so we where also facing bills that where unknown re what his medical aid would not cover.

None of this was easy for any of us however my Dad I think was in denial - he has since got a bit of a wake up!

Many tears where shed between my mom and sister (who was very angry at the time and which we can understand). However that's when we thought things could not get worse that God started taking over.

I had tried to get hold of my brother and explain the situation however being who he is the response was not welcoming at all. So my sister and I made a pact that we would somehow cope and one day when he wants to know what is going on we have our contact in writing and his unwelcoming response.

My mom and sister are 7th Day Adventist (now keep your shirts on) they are not weird people. The have on or two slightly different believes then us and they up hold their sabbath which is a good thing, as my mom needed a days rest which she never ever took. Now she is forced to.

So small things started to happen - my sister having worked for many years with her current boss notice things where not right and asked her - she eventually came clean with him. He now and again give her money to feed her chocoholic state!!! She loves chocolates or sometime unknowingly a patient will bring her a box when she needs it most. Again God hand is there he knows what she needs.

Then both my mom and sister needed wool to knit gifts for babies that they knew who where about to be born. They went to the shop and for some reason the owner who is known to us asked my mom how things where going and she answered not to well and explained a little of what was going on! Well the continued to get what they needed and proceeded to the counter. The lady at the counter just put all the wool in a packet and my mom asked her why she as doing that as they where different prices. She said to my mom there was no charge the only thing they had to do was to return and show then what they had knitted with the wool. A need was met.

By then my mom had started what we like to call a blessing book and I must admit God has been rather busy.

People have given without even knowing there is a need in my mom's home. One of my dad's doctors bills that we though was well over R1000 was when we got the bill reduced to R600. My mom's church unbeknown to us has a "gift" left by someone with the instruction that it was only to be used to a pensioner in need that would have to be approved by the board and was given for only three month. How that helped! Things like it would appear that God has some control over even the prepaid electricity as my mom says for some reason it is lasting longer then it used to.

My sister got a reduction from the college for being a single mom and my niece qualified for a reduced fee due to her distinctions.

My mom had battled for many years to get an old age pension. When talking to one of her ladies at church she was told to speak to another lady who is a social worker. So with her at the helm of my mom's pension issue it was quickly sorted out and she even organised a balance of pension for my dad. He did not even have to go to the pension department, the lady came to him!

Little things like my dad was waiting for a gun to be auction overseas and we could not understand why it had taken two years before it came up for auction well now we know why. The monies eventually reached my dad three days before my moms washing machine packed up. God supplied the monies just at the right time.

My sister was battling to get her refund from the receiver of revenue and again we could not understand the delay. When it came thru it was just in time to help her settle her debts to enable her to give my mom her salary cheque.

Little things like my moms favourite coffee being on special at the right time.

My being told by my boss the other day about a place that sold roses very reasonable - wow for the first time in her life my mom got 13 bunches of roses from me! The most she has ever received in her life time.

Our chemist came up with generic for the medicines my parents need at more then half the cost.

So if you have given up your faith - Please take a good look at your life because I strongly believe that God does supply our needs (not our greed's)

So don't give up hope God is still around and my family can testify to that!