Brandon was converted at 12, but slid away at 17. He’s been dancing on the line ever since. Here’s how he sees things:
So I lost my job. On Labor Day. Hah. Which isn’t funny. Actually it kinda sucks. Everybody tells you what you wanna hear: “It’ll work out. You got this!” Only nobody means what they say. And God’s no different. He says tell him what you want and he’ll answer if you pray real hard and crap. But then nothing. Nada.
Then my car gets smashed up. And it isn’t even my fault. Well, it could be, maybe, but… So my mom covers it, and now I owe her fifteen hundred bucks. And you never want to owe my mom anything ‘cause she’s like, “Aha! Now I control you.” She doesn’t need the money. She just wants the power—I owe her money so now she can tell me how to live my life, right? Um, no, I don’t think so, Mom!
I mean, it’s not like I’m mega into money, but when you’re broke everything’s about money. So I start praying, “God, I know I haven’t talked to you for like…a while.” I used to believe in God a lot when I was like 13 and in youth group and stuff, but now…I don’t know. So I say, “Look, God, if you get me the money to pay my mom off, then I will seriously believe in you. Seriously.” So I start praying every day, and I’m even starting to like it, kind of. But does God answer? Nope. Not a peep.
But meanwhile I start finding money on my own. Like I find a twenty dollar bill blowing down Hamilton Avenue. And I still don’t have a real job, but I start getting calls from this guy I used to know who does construction clean-up, and I actually kind of rock at it. Then I find $27 in this box my grandma gave me, and 43 bucks I forgot about for some junk I sold at a flea market. It’s just a little here and a little there, you know, but it starts adding up.
So it takes a while, but I finally pay my mom off. And suddenly she’s like “Whoa, you’re actually acting responsible, Brandon.” Then she starts acting like she’s my friend instead of my mom, you know, and she’s actually pretty cool. I mean, in a weird mom-cool way.
So the point is: Things are actually going pretty good. But all this time I’m praying and where’s God? Nowhere. I mean, I had to do it all myself. I mean, OK, there was this moment when I thought maybe… But, nah, that was just me, right?
Right?
⇔
Actors and drama teams: You can download the performance version of Parable of the Spare Change at SkitGuys.com.
Mitch Teemley 
“But all this time I’m praying and where’s God? Nowhere. I mean, I had to do it all myself. I mean, OK, there was this moment I thought maybe… But, nah, that was just me, right?”
It’s funny because it is so real…We humans are too entirely human sometimes!
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Indeed. All TOO human.
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Little epiphanies, look for them, recognize them, know where they come from.
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Ha! Too cute. I think I’m married to “Brandon.” My husband absolutely hates it when I say, “the Lord will provide,” with complete faith. He’s like, “No, I will!” Well yes, but I also know all the prayers that brought that timely knock to our door. I can see the miracle in the way things just fall into place, the opportunities that come our way, the way the money looks so bad on paper, but somehow manages to provide everything we need. My poor husband, he can’t always see these things clearly. I mean it’s so obvious to me that the man has the Lord’s unmerited favor, just look at his wife 🙂
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;>)
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Oh how we liss those God moments.
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Miss
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I guessed. ;>)
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Goes to show you, God “does” answer prayers… he gave Brandon $$, just not the way Brandon “thought” the money would come to him. Prayer is like that. We pray and expect the exact prayer we want answered – ANSWERED! Well, God treats us like children, he listens to the prayer and says, “Now, Brandon, I know you THINK you want this, but I THINK you need this, so I will help you, but it is going to be THIS WAY.” I find that is how prayers work. They are answered, but in God’s way and the direction HE thinks we should be going in. Moral of the story: prayer is GOOD! Thanks for a good story Mitch.
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😊
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So many Brandons – so little time… 😀 I say love ’em all and let God sort ’em out.
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Amen, Roo!
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Oh, another great power story, Mitch!
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Reblogged this on Forever Caught.
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Honored, 4ever.
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He’s closer than you think.
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Isn’t he something else! Both God and Brandon. To those who seek to see God, he is there clear as day. But deniers will deny. But it seems Brandon is getting a whiff. He might back into the love he knew at 13.
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Yep.
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God shows up in so many different ways. Eventually, Brandon would say, that’s impossible, not done by me!
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Excellent Mitch. Oh, how we are afraid to believe He is so Faithful, even when we can have blocks of wood for heads and eyes that cannot grasp the beauty of His of Love:)
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Great parable, happens every day!
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It does indeed.
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How often I have overlooked the “ordinary means” by which He provides. I am, often, Brandon. Thankfully, He widens my scope of sight often to see the wonder of His hand consistently moving on my behalf.
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Sometimes we don’t see what is right in front of us, do we?
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Reblogged this on Quotes, thoughts and musings and commented:
Great modern day parable. Love it!
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Thank you, Michael!
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Reminds me of one Joel Osteen said, about the person in the grocery store parking lot, praying for a spot. Just then, a car pulls out, and he says, “Nevermind, God. I already got one.” Brandons are a tough crowd.
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🙂
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