My friends had an opportunity to realize a long awaited dream of building their own home. For years, she and her husband had been instrumental in keeping the nursery and working in the Sunday school department at church. But when the building process started, they gradually gave excuses why they couldn't serve.

When I told her we missed them, she asked me to pray that God would eliminate some of the problems they were experiencing so they could get back into church. Since they both worked full time, they had been pouring all their energy into finishing the house and yard on the weekends.

The front yard had lots of rock and stumps and because her husband had back trouble, she felt she should help him with the task. Later that day, she told her husband that she felt badly because they had been missing church and believed God would help them if they set their priorities straight.

They both agreed to be in church the very next Sunday.

Saturday afternoon, she left to go to a baby shower at church. About an hour later, her husband looked outside to see someone unloading heavy equipment in the front yard. He went outside and asked the worker what he was doing.

 The man replied, "Don't worry about a thing. My boss sent me to grade your yard."

 Puzzled, he walked back to the house.

 As he watched from the front porch, he thought perhaps his wife had said something to one of her friends at the shower who knew someone in the grading business. The rocky yard was soon transformed into smooth ground.

 Shortly, a truck came to a screeching halt and the driver ran to the man on the bulldozer. They talked for a few minutes, and he left. What the husband did not know was a company had sent this man to the wrong address. When they realized their mistake, they thought it was best to finish the job, free of charge, as an act of good will.

As the sun was starting to set, the wife returned home. She looked amazed as she asked her husband how they could afford the heavy equipment. He confessed that he didn't have a clue how this came about.

They both walked outside to talk to the man and finally learned what had happened. They thanked him for finishing a task in one afternoon that would have taken them both weeks to complete. My friends become conscious that their priorities had been out of order and asked God to forgive them for putting him last.

God truly digs our problems. He needs workers in church and wants us to look to him for solutions without sacrificing our commitment. Matthew 6:33 tells us, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Colleen Capes Jackson is the director of the East Metro Atlanta Christian Writers and can be reached at (404) 444-7514.