God was with us every step of the way. Incredible things happened in the time we were out there with my family. And the third day there, I had the assurance that my father had accepted the Lord Jesus into his heart as his Savior years ago, and had just never told anyone in the family about it.

Now for the miracle story: The second week there it was decided some of us would go fishing. My father, Ray Rasmussen; my wife, Kathleen; my sister, Flora; my son, Brian; and daughter, Shawna and I climbed into Dad's 1962 Plymouth and off we drove. After fishing that evening, we left the lake shortly after dusk, heading back to my sister's house some 20 miles away. A good five miles away from the nearest gas station or garage, and a good mile from any farmhouse, suddenly Dad's Plymouth began to clank and jerk. Dad turned on the dome light only to discover that his oil pressure gauge had suddenly dropped to zero. That meant the engine was out of oil. That also suggested the engine was potentially damaged.

Because my wife and sister and I were so close to God during that time, I sensed in my spirit that God had something good planned in what was taking place. I somehow knew this was no coincidence - the engine acting up.

Before my Dad could even get out of the car and go lift up the hood, my wife and sister joined hands and began to pray as the Holy Spirit led them. My 11-year-old son, and my 9-year-old daughter, hopped out of the car with me, and I held the flashlight as Dad went about searching out the problem. The oil line at the bottom of the engine had broken free, and where the oil pressure switch was connected, all the oil had drained out. His diagnosis? "The engine is probably frozen up."

"Don't worry; Jesus will heal it!"

My reaction, full of faith as I was: "Don't worry, Dad; Jesus will heal it! He'll make certain no damage was done to your engine. He'll help us. Let's just trust Him. He's going to prove Himself mighty in this situation."

Truthfully, I could sense that I was probably coming on a little strong with talk like that in front of my Dad. He had never seen or heard me talk like that. But, it was the new me.

Dad was able to repair the oil line temporarily, but there was no oil showing on the dipstick. He had one quart of oil in the trunk, hardly enough to get us started and into town without further damage being done to the engine.

"One quart is enough!" I assured Dad. "That's all Jesus needs!" My son and daughter were in agreement. They too were full of faith. Dad remained silent.

He stepped back into the car and turned the ignition key. The motor would hardly turn over. Every indication was the motor had indeed seized up from overheating. My wife and sister prayed more fervently. The children and I began to pray, and then I began to speak words of faith out loud to build up Dad's faith. "We trust You, Lord, to fix this engine. Thank you, Lord, for Your miracle!"

Dad continued to crank on the engine and the battery drained. Soon it was completely dead. Not once had the engine fired. Our only recourse now was to get out and push the car down the flat stretch of road, allowing Dad to pop the clutch in second gear, hoping that would break the pistons free to fire and run.

The five of us began to push, still praying and speaking our faith out loud to the Lord. Time after time Dad dumped the clutch, only to experience disappointment. Finally, after numerous attempts to start the car moving again from a near dead stop, our strength began to wane and exhaustion set in. I couldn't speak for anyone else, but my faith was also at the point of exhaustion.

Inside, I began to talk to God. Don't let us down, Lord. We've gone out on a limb for you. We've trusted you with everything in our being. These children may have a hard time trusting you for a miracle, as they grow older, if you don't come through now. I know I have no right talking to you this way, Lord, but please ... don't let this all be in vain.

Finally, there was no more strength in my wife, sister, or myself to push the car. Our hearts were pounding and our temples throbbed from the intense exertion. A little momentum was still taking the car down the road, and my son and daughter were still trying to keep it going, bless their little hearts. I'm sure they were leaning on the car more than they were pushing.

I began thinking as I stood there gasping for air: Lord you've let us down. You've let me down! I put my trust in you. All the trust I've ever . . .

The car was rolling not more than 1/2 mile an hour. It was 10 feet short of coming to a dead stop. My sister was walking behind me, still speaking softly out loud to the Lord. My heart was sinking down to my toes, when suddenly my sister began to pray very loud in an unknown tongue!  To me, it sounded like a Native American language like.  The instant she did so, a burst of electrical like current shot through my body from my feet to my head!

A couple of seconds later, with absolutely no rhyme nor reason why he should have done so, my Dad popped the clutch one last time in a desperate, final attempt to get the car going. I guess he figured he had no more help to push, so what was there to lose.

Incredibly - with no exaggeration - with that car so close to resting in a dead-still position -- the car bucked, jerked, backfired, and coughed itself to life!

Now here is what I clearly heard the Holy Spirit say to my spirit just seconds after the engine started.  "I would not have been able to start that engine if your sister had not spoken in that unknown prayer language!"

Without going into a long explanation of what that all entailed, I had secretly been struggling a great deal about whether the gift of tongues was really a gift from God, or maybe even something from the devil.  This was a turning point in my walk with God in the weeks that followed when a major stronghold of doubt and fear was blown to bits regarding this controversial issue of speaking in tongues and the value of it.

We all hopped in the car and off we drove. We made it all the way into town where we were able to get more oil, and with over 200,000 miles, Dad's 1962 Plymouth - the one I had learned to drive when I was a teenager - ran smooth as a top!

And those who know thy name will put their trust in thee; for thou, Oh Lord has not forsaken those who seek thee.  - Psalms 9:10

If you would like to read Norm's born again testimony, click here:  

GOD REVEALED HIMSELF TO ME WHEN I LEAST EXPECTED IT!  

If you would like to read Kathleen's born again testimony, click here: FINALLY FREE!

PLEASE HELP US HELP YOU SHARE THE BEST NEWS GOD HAS FOR EVERY PERSON BECAUSE...

JESUS DID IT! and...

YOU ARE SO GREATLY NEEDED!

Remember: All that we do in this life comes back to our God-given purpose which is to serve and glorify God. The money and assets we accumulate, the fame and power we've attained or seek to attain - all of the things of this nature will one day pass away, but those lives of others we impact for Jesus Christ will last for eternity, and we will be rewarded for the part we helped play by impacting those lives ... for eternity. (Matthew 6:19-21 is our assurance)