One of the joys of being here in Hawaii at the Youth With A Mission base is that Nelson is here, too – on staff. He was highly instrumental in making our arrival as smooth as possible.

Once we were here, he did favor-after-favor to make us comfortable, even securing a car for me to use, since my room is a mile from Birgitta and Emerald’s. We’ve used this little car for everything from grocery runs to beach trips but mostly just for getting back and forth between our two rooms. Though YWAM provides occasional shuttle vans, we haven’t had to worry about their schedules and hauling Emerald’s car seat around.

That is, until yesterday.

Saturdays are usually free, so Birgitta, Emerald, and I decided to  spend a couple of hours at the local pool – a large aquatic center free to the public and virtually empty.

Our car took us there without a problem, but when it was time to leave, it wouldn’t start. Turning the key activated all the dashboard lights, the AC, the headlights, but made absolutely no noise. No grinding, no hint of a lazy battery. Just silence.

Nelson, located over an hour away and without a car, called a friend on the base, who came and rescued Birgitta and Emerald, since it was well past lunch and approaching nap time. I stayed with the car, waiting to hear back from its owner about what to do.

Plunking myself down on a curb and preparing myself to be frustrated, I looked up at the fluffy white clouds in an azure Hawaiian sky and thought, “It’s January…. and I’m sitting here in a swimming suit on an 82 degree day. What’s not to like about this breakdown?”

As I waited, thoroughly enjoying myself, God brought to mind all sorts of other breakdown-blessings. For example, the car could have malfunctioned when we were pressed to get to a meeting or other important commitment. As it was, we had no specific obligations.

It might have quit running the other day when I was driving an unfamiliar route in the mountains at night with sharp lava rock on both sides of a shoulder-less road and no place to pull over, cars coming both ways.

Or it could have broken down on a busy street, causing an accident.

As the blessings mounted, I could almost hear God say, “No matter the problem, look for the good things. I always put them there, so when you see them, thank me.”

Eventually a tow truck arrived, after which Nelson sent someone to rescue me, too. We don’t know when or if the car will return to us, but if it does, it’ll be God’s good gift. If it doesn’t, it might be more difficult to find the positives, but after today, I’ll be sure to open my eyes and look — because I know they’ll be there.

The Lord is good to all. (Psalm 145:9)