God Moments: We Ran out of Gas

This is a “God moment”  story about what happened when I asked God to help me help others…

This article has been updated and is an adaptation from a story in 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This unique book was written by Lacy Ngo, a dietitian nationally recognized as a top expert in faith-based mindfulness and evidence-based nutrition. She shares the exact steps that, based on science, produce the most dramatic health and weight loss success in her book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. This book is like nothing you have ever seen before. It combines faith and science. Both are crucial when it comes to producing real change because real change involves the mind, body, and spirit. This is an adaption from a story in the book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life.

18 weeks to a healthier, happier, more purposeful life cover

Just a Normal Drive to Work

Class shouldn’t be too long tonight.” I said as I was leaving to teach nutrition to a group of college freshman. I figured I would be home shortly since this was the first class of the semester. I usually just go over the syllabus and class expectation on the first day.

As I was driving to work, I noticed a policeman carrying a gas canister to a car stopped on the side of the road. I thought to myself, ‘oh that’s nice. That driver must have run out of gas, and the policeman brought a canister of gas to the stranded driver.

God Moments: We Ran Out of Gas

The Quick Prayer

This made my mind wonder as it often does. I began to wonder how often I was too busy to notice others in need of some help or assistance on the road or in a store. I’m not sure why, but I decided to pray a very specific prayer. I prayed, “God, if I pass by someone on the side of the road who has run out of gas, please help me notice, AND help me do the right thing.” Then I went to teach my students. As predicted, my class was short. I was glad since I had lots to do at home. So I jumped in my car and headed home…

She Said “We Ran Out of Gas.”

On the way home from class that evening, I kid you not, I see a car on the side of the road! A mother and her middle school-aged son were standing beside the car.

I am going to tell you the truth even though I am embarrassed. My first thought was ‘Are you kidding me? Am I really suppose to stop NOW?!’ What is the likelihood that I would pass by a car on the side of the road right after saying that prayer?’ But I HAD just prayed to God about this very thing. I did ask God to help me notice others in need. Well, I noticed, and now I had to choose to do the right thing. So I pulled over and asked, “Are y’all okay? Do y’all need anything?” (I’m from South Carolina, so you will find I say y’all…a lot). Do you know what the mother said? She said, “We ran out of gas.”

Is that not something! How often is someone stuck on the side of the road because they specifically ran out of gas? This family’s car battery wasn’t dead, and their car wasn’t broken down for another reason. No, this family was not stuck on the side of the road because of any of these more common issues. I asked God to help me notice if someone ever runs out of gas, and here in front of me is this mother and son standing with a car WITH NO GAS!

God moments, answered prayers, helping others, RAK, random act of kindness, inspiring God stories
When God answers our prayer

Filling Their Tank and Filling My Heart

I responded, “Okay, hold on. I will get ya’ some. I’ll be right back.”

I don’t know why I prayed such a specific prayer; maybe I thought that I wouldn’t be much help if the car trouble was much more than an empty gas tank. For whatever reason, I prayed, “Please help me notice and stop when someone runs out of gas,” and the NEXT time I drove, I passed by someone who had run out of gas!

Did God know these people were going to need gas at this time? Did God find a way to encourage me to stop for this family? I don’t know, and I don’t even understand. I just know it happened, and I still remember the look of shocked appreciation on that middle school child’s face when I came back with a canister of gas. Their thankful faces, and God’s answer to my prayer filled my heart that day. As I filled the tank, my heart was filling up too.

Your God Moments

I am so thankful God leads me because my decisions would look very different without God.

Do you have any God Moments you would like to share? I always love to hear how God is working in our lives. Please share your stories in the comments. If you enjoyed these posts, and would like to be notified when a new one is posted, please follow “Mindfulness in Faith and Food.” When you follow mindfulness in faith and food, you will get a free printable Mindful Planner.

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4. God Moments: We Prayed and Then This Happened

5. God Moments: God Follows Through

What Happend after I prayed "God Help Me Help Others"
What Happend after I prayed “God Help Me Help Others”

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Lacy Ngo

Lacy Ngo is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters in Human Nutrition. Lacy focuses on mindful eaitng and living and her blog provides over 400 nutrition and weight loss tips as well as inspiring faith stories

34 thoughts on “God Moments: We Ran out of Gas”

    1. Thank you Stephanie, I love when God finds ways to remind us to :open our eyes to the needs of others.”

  3. Wow! This is such an amazing moment that you explained perfectly. God shows us his presence in the most unexpected ways. I look forward to reading more of your posts! This was very impactful and inspiring!

  4. I love this! I’ve definitely had a God moment like this where I’ve prayed for something, trying to have a pure loving heart and then the moment arises and I can’t help but feel just a teeny weeny ounce of regret! But I love that God is always reminding us that He hears us and He is here!
    Great post- definitely sharing- we all need these reminders!

    1. Thank you Tisha! Yes, I totally have experienced the “teeny, weeny ounce of regret,” but I am always thankful after I decide to follow through when God is leading me.

  5. “I am so thankful God leads me because my decisions would look very different without God.” There is so so so so so so much TRUTH in this very statement!!!!

  8. Wonderful story. I am still waiting to see what God’s bigger plan for my life is by uprooting from a place I have called home for 16 yrs.

    1. I pray that you get to know God’s plan soon. Uprooting from your home must have been so hard.

    2. I just finished reading you “God Moment” story. I loved it! I pinned it to my God Moments Pinterest board so that I can read it whenever I need my spirits lifted.

  12. I love when I pray for God to give me the words when I’m not sure what to say. (I’m a Christian mental health therapist so there are a lot of truly heartbreaking stories that have no words) And He blesses me with a bible verse or statement that comforts and encourages my clients.

    1. Oh my goodness, I cannot imagine! How wonderful that you feel God lead you in during these difficult conversations. Thank you for what you do. Your profession is so needed!

  13. People happen into our lives at just the right moments. How wonderful it is that you were there and you chose to stop. I’ve had car trouble, and I’m always so grateful when people have helped me.

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