I had volunteered to mow the yard. What I didn't know was that the grass in the backyard was up to my waist. We found a gasoline push mower that had potential (there were three of them there, but two of them were not functional at all). We eventually got one to run after switching out one of the spark plugs from another mower. That evening, as I pushed the mower into the jungle of grass, my back got plenty of exercise. I had to lower the handle, which raised the mower, and come down on this tall grass, in an effort to chomp away at it.

The hot September afternoon took its toll on me and, having only tackled a small portion of this jungle, I turned off the mower, knowing I'd be back to finish the job the next day. In addition, having finally gotten it started, I assumed it would start easily the next day. I was wrong.

It was mid-afternoon when we arrived to continue working on the house. Eva was going to work on the inside, while I planned on whacking down the jungle growth in the backyard. First, however, she was going to help me start the mower. She pushed the rubber primer button on the gas tank three times per mower instructions so that gasoline would flow into the parts of the engine it was supposed to. I pulled the starter cord about fifteen times, then five more times. It didn't sound even close to turning over. Eva got some carburetor spray to assist in the starting of the mower and sprayed liberally. I pulled that cord another 15 to 20 times. Nothing. Neither of us could understand this because it ran very well just yesterday.

I checked the gas. There was still half a tank. Then I checked the oil. I put some in but it wasn't dry either. We were both frustrated. When frustration hits me, I go to God. It is at this time I need God's powerful supernatural intervention.

Eva was overwhelmed with the work the old house needed, as well as roof leak issues. I noticed a spirit of despair begin to come over her and suggested we remember Joshua's overcoming by having his army walk around the walled city of Jericho seven times. I suggested we walk around the house seven times. She agreed, adding that we should praise God as we walked the seventh time around. As we prayed to our Almighty God each time we walked around, we began to notice a lifting of our burden. The seventh time around was filled with praise to God and I felt the tears well up as I praised Him.

We sat down on the edge of the wooden porch to gather our thoughts about what to do. Wanting only to do God's will, I took a coin out of my pocket as Eva phrased the question: "Lord, God, we want to do Your will. Do you want us to attempt to start the mower again?" I flipped the coin. Heads (yes).

We got up and slowly walked down to the back yard where the mower sat waiting for us. I voiced my opinion that even if the mower didn't start, I wanted to acknowledge God's hand in this whole thing. As we walked down, I also considered that if we had inadvertently flooded it, by this time it would have started when I pulled the cord. I pulled the cord again many times with no results. She sprayed her carburetor spray, but to no avail. I muttered, "I accept that." I knew in my heart that, no matter what, I was going to do the will of my Almighty God. I just didn't know what that was.

Continuing our prayers and, with coin in hand, we began to ask some very pointed questions: What do you want us to do, Lord? Shall we take it and try to get it fixed? No, a prayerful coin toss revealed. Shall we buy a used mower? No. (Financially, we could not afford one.) Should we buy a new mower. No (Thank you, God, we could not afford a new one, either.) Do you have an alternative for us to do? Yes. I wondered, aloud, "What could the alternative be?"

Just then, Eva felt an urge that she attributes to the Holy Spirit. She suddenly felt God's power surge through her as the thought went through her mind, "It just worked last night. It should work! I refuse to accept that this mower won't start!" She moved over to the lawnmower as I pulled the cord. It sputtered. I pulled again. It started.

We praised God. I thought about what had just happened as I slowly mowed down that high grass and felt God's peace, as well as a certain excitement. God had spoken to us once again, through our sincere and prayerful coin toss. He had said No to all the questions we had asked about repair and replacement of that mower. He had said Yes to an alternative. We determined later that the "alternative" was this: "Go ahead and do what I told you to do when you were on the front porch after your Joshua/Jericho walk: Go ahead and start the mower. I will give you your faith."

Nature of God: He was with us throughout this ordeal. God used this mower incident to reveal the power of faith, a gift He had given to Eva and myself. Without faith, we cannot do God's will. Jesus said, often, "Oh ye of little faith" when He confronted someone who felt they could not do something, or heal someone. When Eva felt God's spirit surge through her, God's spirit gave her a thought: That mower should start! That was when it did start. All other times were only leading up to this one, faith-filled time.

About 1/3 of the way through, I ran out of gas. Eva had gone into town to get some so I had it when the fuel ran out. I put some in and it started right up. That evening, I got the entire jungle in the back of the house mowed down and then took the mower to the front of the house, where I finished the job. Thank you, Lord.

It wasn't a parting of the Red Sea, it wasn't a raising from the dead, nor was it water turned into wine. It was simply the starting of a lawnmower that didn't appear to want to start. But, with our sincere prayers, and the movement of God's spirit through us, God showed us that He cares for each little (and big) thing that happens to us.

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