can’t understand why it would have done that. The mechanic just checked it out a few weeks ago.”
“I know. I thought it was strange, too.” Krista stood beside him, her knees still shaking from the close call with the masked
man.
Her father opened the hood and aimed the flashlight inside. For a long while he stood there, saying nothing. Then he took
a step back as the flashlight fell slowly to his side. His eyes were wide, his mouth open.
“What’s wrong?” Krista looked from her father to the car and back again.
“It’s impossible,” he muttered.
“What?” Krista moved closer, looking under the car’s hood.
“There.” Her father pointed the flashlight once more at the engine. “The battery is gone.”
“What?” Krista was confused. “Can a car run without a battery?”
A strange chuckle came from her father. “That’s just it. It’s impossible.”
“So how did I … “ Krista’s voice trailed off.
Her father shook his head and lifted his eyes to hers. “Don’t you see? Someone set you up. While you were shopping, someone
took your battery and then waited for you. They knew you wouldn’t be able to start your car and …” Her father stoppedmid-sentence and Krista guessed he was imagining what the masked man had intended.
“It’s impossible,” he said again.
“I don’t understand,” Krista said. She was more confused than ever, and terrified at her father’s discovery. She had been
set up and yet somehow she had escaped being attacked. “If the battery is gone, how did the car start, Dad?”
“That’s what I mean. There isn’t any way to start this engine without a battery.”
Chills made their way down Krista’s spine and she reached for her father’s hand. “What are you saying?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Somehow you made it home without a battery. It’s impossible.”
Suddenly Krista felt a peace wash over her. “Could it be God was watching out for me?”
Her father’s eyes widened and a knowing look came over his face. Slowly, deliberately, he stared up at the star-covered sky.
Krista followed his example, and for several minutes they gazed into the night. Finally, her father broke the silence. “God,
we may never understand what happened tonight,” he whispered. “But we are eternally grateful. Thank you.”
A Heavenly Reminder
W hen her mother presented her with the idea, Ashley Payton was anything but excited.
“Wyoming!” she whined, her hands in the air. She was a nineteen-year-old minister’s daughter who had grown up in Southern
California. Beaches, sunshine, and city life was something she took for granted and enjoyed. “I hate country life, Mom. There’s
no way I’m going to Wyoming.”
The plan, her mother explained, was for Ashley to meet up with one of their church friends in Wyoming, where she would join
an eight-member Christian singing group called Alive. If the week in Wyoming went well, she could travel with the group across
the country, visiting churches for one year.
“It’ll be good for you, Ashley.” Her mother sounded confident. “At least think about it. You’ve been looking for a way to
get out of town, haven’t you?”
“Out of San Bernardino, yes. But I was thinkingsomething more like New York or Chicago.” She huffed hard. “Not Wyoming.”
But secretly, Ashley’s mother had her thinking. Hadn’t she always wanted to sing on tour? Was this trip—even if it started
off in Wyoming—God’s way of letting her have her dream? Ashley pictured herself standing in the spotlight, singing for thousands
of people every night. She was blonde with brown eyes and her voice easily rivaled any of the professional recording artists.
Maybe this was the break she was looking for.
But what if they didn’t play to large crowds? What if the tour stayed in small towns for an entire year? Ashley shuddered
at the thought. She had lived in Southern California
“I know. I thought it was strange, too.” Krista stood beside him, her knees still shaking from the close call with the masked
man.
Her father opened the hood and aimed the flashlight inside. For a long while he stood there, saying nothing. Then he took
a step back as the flashlight fell slowly to his side. His eyes were wide, his mouth open.
“What’s wrong?” Krista looked from her father to the car and back again.
“It’s impossible,” he muttered.
“What?” Krista moved closer, looking under the car’s hood.
“There.” Her father pointed the flashlight once more at the engine. “The battery is gone.”
“What?” Krista was confused. “Can a car run without a battery?”
A strange chuckle came from her father. “That’s just it. It’s impossible.”
“So how did I … “ Krista’s voice trailed off.
Her father shook his head and lifted his eyes to hers. “Don’t you see? Someone set you up. While you were shopping, someone
took your battery and then waited for you. They knew you wouldn’t be able to start your car and …” Her father stoppedmid-sentence and Krista guessed he was imagining what the masked man had intended.
“It’s impossible,” he said again.
“I don’t understand,” Krista said. She was more confused than ever, and terrified at her father’s discovery. She had been
set up and yet somehow she had escaped being attacked. “If the battery is gone, how did the car start, Dad?”
“That’s what I mean. There isn’t any way to start this engine without a battery.”
Chills made their way down Krista’s spine and she reached for her father’s hand. “What are you saying?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. Somehow you made it home without a battery. It’s impossible.”
Suddenly Krista felt a peace wash over her. “Could it be God was watching out for me?”
Her father’s eyes widened and a knowing look came over his face. Slowly, deliberately, he stared up at the star-covered sky.
Krista followed his example, and for several minutes they gazed into the night. Finally, her father broke the silence. “God,
we may never understand what happened tonight,” he whispered. “But we are eternally grateful. Thank you.”
A Heavenly Reminder
W hen her mother presented her with the idea, Ashley Payton was anything but excited.
“Wyoming!” she whined, her hands in the air. She was a nineteen-year-old minister’s daughter who had grown up in Southern
California. Beaches, sunshine, and city life was something she took for granted and enjoyed. “I hate country life, Mom. There’s
no way I’m going to Wyoming.”
The plan, her mother explained, was for Ashley to meet up with one of their church friends in Wyoming, where she would join
an eight-member Christian singing group called Alive. If the week in Wyoming went well, she could travel with the group across
the country, visiting churches for one year.
“It’ll be good for you, Ashley.” Her mother sounded confident. “At least think about it. You’ve been looking for a way to
get out of town, haven’t you?”
“Out of San Bernardino, yes. But I was thinkingsomething more like New York or Chicago.” She huffed hard. “Not Wyoming.”
But secretly, Ashley’s mother had her thinking. Hadn’t she always wanted to sing on tour? Was this trip—even if it started
off in Wyoming—God’s way of letting her have her dream? Ashley pictured herself standing in the spotlight, singing for thousands
of people every night. She was blonde with brown eyes and her voice easily rivaled any of the professional recording artists.
Maybe this was the break she was looking for.
But what if they didn’t play to large crowds? What if the tour stayed in small towns for an entire year? Ashley shuddered
at the thought. She had lived in Southern California
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