"Batching it" in my first pastorate, and having to do my own cooking, caused me to I decide that I needed a wife. A wonderful lady came into my life. I don't want to go into all the details of our love, but it was strong. We decided on a wedding date.
A certain preacher said, "If you will marry Phyllis, I will perform the marriage ceremony for free." I owned an old Model-T Ford, so Phyllis and I drove from her father's farm to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and got married in this preacher's house.
We were happy about getting married and glad to be on our way. But, as we left the preacher's house, I suddenly felt the responsibility of marriage overtake me. I said to myself, "What have I done?"
We went to the hotel and booked in. After I paid the hotel bill, I only had thirty five cents left. Those were the days of the dry thirties, when we had to trust the Lord to provide every day. We decided we would drive the Model-T to a town called Stat City, where Phyllis' sister (who married a pastor) lived. The problem? We only had thirty five cents.
The next morning, we awoke early. It was still dark. Neither of us had a watch, so I got dressed and went out to ask someone what time it was.
As I walked down the hall, I saw a man staggering toward me. He had been drinking. I said, "Friend, can you tell me the time?" He went over to the window, looked, and said, "It's 4:30 AM."
He stared at me for a moment, as if he knew who I was. Suddenly he hollered out, "Red, what in the...(nasty word)!" I told him, "I just got married." Then he said, "...(nasty word again), I don't believe it." I told him, "I will show you my wife."
By that time Phyllis was dressed. I introduced her to Andy. He smiled and said, "You gotta meet my Dad, my Mother, and my wife."
Who was Andy? I had worked for him on his farm, shortly after I got saved. Being a young convert at the time, I had difficulty talking to people. I wasn't yet comfortable sharing my testimony about how I got saved. So I said to myself, "I'll work for Andy. I will be a good hired-hand. Hard work will be my testimony." There was many a night I would drive him home from town because he was too drunk to drive. Andy never forgot that kindness.
Phyllis and I went to met his parents and his wife. Andy's Dad had been drinking too. We went to his room. At five o'clock in the morning, we told him and his family about God's mercy and goodness. We prayed for all of them.
Later I was told that Andy's wife got saved. I believe it happened in their home, during those early hours of the morning. I think she wanted something to happen in Andy's life. We did too, but we had to leave before we got to see the fruits of our labor. We committed him and his family to the Lord, trusting that our prayers would be answered.
As we said good-bye, Andy turned and gave me five dollars. His Dad gave Phyllis a dollar. Now we had six dollars and thirty five cents, enough to buy breakfast and put gas in our car.
That's how God met our needs. A small miracle to some, but a big one for us.