A Treadmill for Christmas

“D.J. would really benefit from using a treadmill every day a lot more than he would just once a week,” said my 3-year-old son’s physical therapist at one of his sessions. D.J. has mild cerebral palsy, which was hindering use of his right foot and leg. She had been having him use the treadmill like a skateboard, one foot on the edge and one on the track. Using a treadmill meant we could position his foot while it was in motion. The only problem was … we could only do it once a week. I had no money for a treadmill.

Sarah, my best friend, was with me at the time. We looked at each other and I said, “Well, God, we need a treadmill. I don’t know how You’re going to do it, but I know You will.”

A short time later, D.J. and I went to my mother’s house for a few days and brought along Sarah and her toddler, Hannah. It was two weeks before Christmas when we made that long trip. Before we left, Sarah and I both had the thought that we needed to take out the extra bench in the minivan. We had no idea why. Yet it seemed important, so we did.

We arrived at my mother’s house shortly after sunset. It was a beautiful night. My mom suggested we drive around and see the Christmas lights in her neighborhood. That sounded great, so we piled into her car and she drove us up and down many roads including cul-de-sacs that we would have no other reason to be on. As we were turning around in one of those cul-de-sacs, the headlights hit something at the end of a driveway. One of us yelled, “Was that a treadmill?!” Mom backed up. Sure enough, there sat a treadmill. Sarah and I jumped out and ran to the house.

We knocked on the door and then asked the man who answered, “Why is that treadmill at the edge of the road?”

“Well,” he said, “I just decided to give my wife her Christmas present early. She wanted a new and fancy treadmill. That one was in the way. There is nothing wrong with it. You can have it.”

We were so excited! Mom drove us back to her house, and then Sarah and I got into my minivan and drove back to get it. It barely fit. Good thing that bench was not there.

To this day, Sarah and I marvel at the way this man acted like he was expecting us that night. God is so good. My son had a need. I put no constraints on how God could meet the need. I just believed He would, and He did!

So often, it is tempting to tell God what to do and how to do it. If we would just remember this: God is good, He loves us, and He wants the best for us.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Ephesians 3:20 NLT)

Why would we want to limit our God who wants to do more than we can think?

We will never forget that Christmas! It makes me think of the widow in 2 Kings 4. She was in danger of losing her two sons to a creditor and all she had was oil. It was all she needed. The only limit on what God provided was how many jars she collected!

Let’s not limit God. Let’s trust Him.

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Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.