It wasn't just the laptop that was crushed, but her dreams and her hopes. Our financial picture, at this time, was grim and there was no way we could afford to get the laptop repaired. Eva had, just recently, spent some time playing solitaire on the laptop instead of doing some intense praying she had felt the need to do. She wondered if God were punishing her for that act. Much of Eva's creativity was on that device and it was easy to see it as a rejection by God, who is sovereign, for allowing this to happen.

Before this happened, and during the time it was undiscovered, Eva had received some Christmas and belated birthday money amounting to $110.00. She assumed that it was her money to do with as she pleased—and what she pleased to do with it, was buy a digital camera. Our previous one had bit the dust and was beyond repair. Eva wanted the camera so that relatives in California could see pictures of Kristina. Eva also knew I had a knack at taking good pictures and, quite unselfishly, she had always wanted me to have a nice camera.

The morning after Christmas, as we casually rested in bed, I overstepped my bounds and took it upon myself to ask the Lord (through the usual way) if it was okay for Eva to buy a camera. The answer I got (which brought me back to my senses) was No. Eva was taken aback by this and I was a little embarrassed that I had even asked—because it wasn't my place to do so. The next thing I did was ask the Lord if I could completely back out of the situation I had put myself in. That is, make what I did (the question and the coin toss) null and void. By the usual method, He said I could do that. Relieved, I pointed out to Eva that I was out of line to ask the question I did. She was free to do as she wanted to with her money.

Later, of her own volition, she chose to ask God: "Isn't my Christmas and birthday money mine to do with as I please?" God said No. We both felt a stirring of the Holy Spirit on this point, that in reality, none of us "owns" anything. All truly belongs to Him and it is our desire that everything be used for His purposes. So, now, Eva asked if she could get a camera and got Yes. That evening we looked at digital cameras, but in my spirit I was not feeling excited about it and didn't even feel like committing to one in our price range.

The next evening we made the horrible discovery regarding Eva's laptop. Now Eva understood that, though she COULD get a camera, the money may be needed for something else. She then asked, "Do You mean that I can choose between getting the laptop repaired and a camera?" Yes.

The morning after that, I made a call to a National electronic's chain and discovered that repair of the LCD screen would run anywhere from $500 to $1000 (way beyond what we could afford). I had hoped that, since the main computer was not damaged, that the LCD screen for it would not cost all that much. My hopes were dashed. I called a local computer repair service gentleman I trusted and he said he did not feel qualified in working with laptops, but he gave me the name of a retired friend who is very proficient in laptops and very reasonable in his pricing.

I called him and gave him the model number. He said he'd check around and get back to me on this. In the conversation, though, he revealed that these screens might cost over $300 and $70 for labor. Still way out of our financial ability.

Eva began to think creatively about this and pondered whether a regular monitor could be used with a laptop. I called the repair man and he said that was quite feasible. Monitors only cost around $20. I asked him about those really thin, light monitors and he said he had a few used ones and he'd be glad to sell us one at $80. This was within the limits of her Christmas money.

Meanwhile, Eva had logged onto the Internet at home and, checking E-bay, found that someone was selling an LCD laptop computer screen that was EXACTLY her model. It was in pristine condition. It had been on the auction block for seven days and the auction was coming to a close. Bidding was at $100. I wasn't home, on an errand, but when Eva related this to me, I called our repair man back to see if she was on the right track and how much he'd charge to install it. He said that was a very good deal and he'd only charge $30 to attach that monitor and take the ruined one off.

Bidding was coming to a close in two hours. Though we had our regular Wednesday night prayer group, she asked whether she should stay home and bid on this. God said Yes. Before I left for the prayer group, we asked what the limit should be on bidding. I felt in my heart, $150. Eva wanted so much for it to be $175 or $200, but the Lord said $150 was to be the highest we were to bid. I assured her we'd go to plan B (the thin monitor) if she failed to win the bid. Nevertheless, I could feel some disappointment at that limit imposed by God. (Eva, later, asked God again if He would reconsider and, again, He said No.)

Toward the end of the class, Eva and Kristina came marching in, Eva wearing a triumphant grin. Though we didn't have DSL, only dial-up, she had placed her $150 limit in the last 6 seconds of bidding. The one she was bidding against had only gone $10 higher, which gave Eva the win. She realized that God was NOT rejecting her creative works after all since He enabled her to get a new monitor for her laptop, so quickly and reasonably priced. She also said a prayer for the other bidder, that God place a computer monitor in his hands as easily as He placed one in hers. She got it for $112.50. Shipping was $15. Installing it was $30. Eva has gotten her laptop, restored and like new, thanks to the Lord (and her Christmas money).

Nature of God: God doesn't want us to ask Him questions for someone else unless that person is in full agreement with the process and is willing to take God's sovereign answer and run with it. I should never have taken the initiative and asked that question regarding Eva's Christmas/birthday money from her mother. I am very grateful that God allowed me to withdraw the question (especially since the answer was not a pleasant one).

Often I find that my faith is lacking. God says, via the coin toss, that something is so…but I, lacking faith, have doubts and concerns about it. Invariably, it turns out, by the fruit of the experience, that God was correct all along and my doubts were unfounded. God's bidding limit of $150 MORE than covered what was going to be necessary to win it. We didn't need to worry that it wouldn't be enough…but we did.

Another miracle manifesting from this story was that, though the repairman checked E-bay for a computer screen for Eva's laptop, and entered his query in exactly the same way, he never found the one Eva found. Had he found it, he most certainly would have added a profit margin onto it before selling it to us. This would have raised it, straining our finances even more. But, though it had been on the market for seven days, he missed it and God showed it to Eva AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME (at the end of a seven-day bidding). Incredible! When the trust is in place, question after question raised to God via this method, is answered logically, leading to obviously fruitful results.

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