Seeds of Faith A'Bloomin': First writer's contest

Funny thing happened today. I was sending out a special mailing to a few institutions I thought should subscribe to "Canticle," and was going to include a copy of one of our recent articles that seemed particularly relevent to their needs. I had a simple choice to make: color copies, which would make the better impression? Or black-and-white, which was significantly cheaper?

It was tempting to go the cheaper route, as I was financing this effort myself. But then I thought, "What impression do I want to make here? What is going to get the results? How much faith do I have that God is going to bless this effort?"

And so I bit the bullet and went full-color. It's Lent ... nobody is going to notice if we eat beans and rice all week! "Lord, I offer this to you, and ask that You take these little seeds of faith and make them bloom for Your Kingdom..."

Imagine my surprise when I arrived at the mailbox that afternoon and found a check from one of my clients ... money I'd forgotten they owed me, representing three times my small investment. I had to laugh. And then I smiled, reminded of the little ditty I learned from my mother, who was a great believer in these kinds of "seedling" prayers...

Have you ever talked to God above, told him that you need a friend to love?
Pray in Jesus name believing that God answers prayer.
Have you told him all your cares and woes, every tiny little fear he knows,
You can always run to him and he will answer prayer!
You can whisper in a crowd to him, you can cry when you're alone to him,
You don't have to pray aloud to him, he knows your thoughts.
On a lofty mountain peak, he's there, in a meadow by a stream, he's there
Anywhere on earth you go, he's been there from the start.
Find the answer in his Word, it's true, you'll be strong because he walks with you.
By his faithfulness he'll change you, too, God answers prayer!

OK... Now it's your turn! Send me a little story about the last unexpected answer to prayer that you received. The winner will win $25 and get printed in Canticle (300-500 words) -- both in print and online!