God Surpassed My Hopes

Today I want to share a true miracle I experienced when I was about nine years old. As a child, I hoped in God until God surpassed my hopes! Back then, my Dad and I would go fishing often. In Southern California, if you’ve ever been out deep-sea fishing, you know there’s this space between Catalina Island and the coast where you can’t see land anywhere. As a youngster, your imagination elevates this experience even more. 

One afternoon when my Dad and I were fishing, we hadn’t eaten anything all day and we forgot to bring food. All we had was water, and I remember my Dad commenting, “I hope we catch some fish.” He also said, “Let’s pray for food,” as we both felt a need for God’s intervention. As someone who’s been fishing my whole life, to this day, I’ve never actually liked fish. So as we prayed, we’re thinking fish, but I’m hoping for something else, and I’m praying, “God, please don’t let it be fish!” With the help of binoculars, we saw something on the horizon. So we pull up, and we get closer and closer. It was a massive plastic barrel of my favorite snack, beef jerky! I could not believe it was beef jerky! 

Friend, this God-given provision still sticks with me as an adult — the way God loves to surpass our hopes. When we’re thinking fish, He’s thinking beef jerky. If I was asked to watch my life in a reel, I would see many moments like this when I’m praying for something, but God gives me more than what I’m hoping for. Would you feel this way too if you look back at your life? What a great God we serve!