9-09-07 QUAD RIDING LOST & FOUND GLASSES MIRACLE!

Testimony from: John S. Lanphear- Lawrence, MI.

This story makes me think of the story of Elisha and the axe head that was lost in the water and then floated to the top! (2 Kings 6:1-6)  I was riding my quad with my friends last fall for a hour or so and went back to the trail head parking lot for some rest and food.  Afterwards, we jumped on our quads for another ride and took off like the wind!  We had ridden for about two miles when we got to a crossroads where we all stopped briefly to make sure we all stayed together.  That is when my friend Dan asked me, "where are your glasses?".  I had taken off my goggles briefly as we were stopped and didn't even realize that my glasses were not on!  I only have one "bad" eye, and in the excitement I had not even noticed that I had not put them back on before putting my goggles on.  We turned around and raced back to the trail head parking lot knowing that they must have been left there.  Upon arrival, we were disappointed to find out that they were NOT there!  I then remembered that I had placed them on top of my gas tank while we were eating, and that they had probably fell off as we took off.  That sent some panic through us as we knew that there was a good chance they would never be found, let alone in one piece!  I started walking across the paved parking lot hoping to find them right away, but was again disappointed.  I then started walking down the dirt trail that was about twelve feet across and full of loose sandy dirt with lots of tracks of bikes and quads.  As my heart started to sink into despair, my mind immediately went up to God in a humble cry for help.  I knew that this was by far one of the hardest cases of lost items that I had ever asked Him to help with, but He had always came through before and I kept encouraging myself with that thought.  I have to admit that I had to force myself to keep praying, because every step that sank into the sandy dirt felt like I was walking past my glasses that could be easily buried, or just right beside me on the five feet of track each way or even flung into the woods!  One of my friends then went past me on his quad riding slowly trying to look for them too, which made me feel even more like the possibility of finding them in one piece was futile, but again I forced myself to pray harder!  "Lord, please forgive any sins I have committed, and fill me completely with your Holy Spirit so that you can guide me perfectly right to my glasses!  I will never find them without you, and I so want to have another reason to praise Your Name and tell the world of Your Power!  Please Lord, Please!  Help Me!  I want you to totally control my senses and lead me right to them."  I kept praying as I kept walking slowly, looking back and forth across the trail and into the woods, and picking up twigs that might be my glasses sticking out of the sand, just to be disappointed and toss it into the woods.  I kept praying and the idea came to me to start kicking the dirt sideways with each step in case they were hidden under the sand.  I started doing this even though there was still those five feet on each side of me that I was not touching.  I started feeling so out of control and wandering a little to the left, and a little to the right, trying to be right where God wanted me to be as I kept praying for direction.  I had walked now at least 1/8th of a mile when I heard a little "tunk" as my foot kicked across the sand in front of the other foot.  I didn't think much of it, since it could be a stone or stick or anything.  But as I took another step I was strongly impressed to stop and look down.  I stepped back and peered down, searching for anything that might resemble my glasses.  I didn't see anything, and was about to keep walking when again I was stopped and impressed strongly to move some of the dirt with my foot in that area!  I have learned to know when the Holy Spirit is talking, and this was one of those times!  I started moving my foot from side to side, gently moving small layers of sand at a time.  All of a sudden my foot hit something and exposed what looked like another twig.  I reached down to pick it up, and as I got closer I realized that it was not a twig at all but something black and metal and looked a lot like one of the bows on my glasses!  I grasp it gently with my fingers and slowly lifted what ended up being my glasses right out of the sand!!!  I HARDLY BELIEVE MY EYES!!!  They were in almost perfect condition with only one lens gone.  I sifted through the sand and behold, there it was too!  I lifted up my head to the heavens and PRAISED THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE who cares so much for us!  I can not express how that felt at that moment, but I will NEVER FORGET that moment the rest of my life!  The chances of me finding those glasses 1/8th mile down a 12 foot wide sandy trail buried under at least 4 inches of sandy dirt without the guidance of God's Holy Spirit is nearly impossible!  We have such an awesome opportunity to become friends with the God of the universe!  It makes a scripture come to mind in Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?