It all started Dec 29th 2006, the day that I took my wife to the hospital to have our daughter Clarissa. We loaded up in the car and started driving down the road and less than a block from our home I started to hear a clunking noise under the front of our car. To me it sounded like I had run something over and it was stuck under the car. When it seemed to get worse I pulled over about two blocks from our home and pulled over for an inspection only to find that everything looked normal. With the fact that we only had one car and we were going to deliver a baby I really wasn’t in the position to waist time. So I concluded that it was my front struts that went on to the Hospital.

Over the next 3 weeks it continued to have a clunking noise mostly when I would hit a bump and randomly when I would hit the brakes it would sound like something was hitting my tire rip with a repeating thumping noise. I then decided the next Saturday to tear the tire off the front wheel that was producing the noise and see if I could find anything obvious that could me making this noise. Unfortunately I found nothing, but when I put the front end back together it stopped. So I thought I somehow fixed it.
Then a week later, I was driving to work and to my fear the noise started again. It is now beyond my knowledge. After two days of this noise irritating me as I drove, I dropped the car off at a garage and explained to them what was happening and walked to work.

Later they called me and said that they found the problem. I was relieved. What had happened is I lost a bolt. To be mechanically correct, one of the caliper to bracket mounting bolts was gone and the other was loose. This was causing the brake caliper to bounce around when I hit bumps and occasionally hit the tire rim when braking. They told me that for liability reasons they would not replace the bolt and all they could do was replace the whole caliper which would cost $160. I called the dealership and they told me that I could get a bolt for $10 but would have to order it. This was now an easy decision. I then said a prayer that my brakes would last the rest of the week to allow for the bolt to be ordered and received and for Saturday to come which is when I have time to repair it myself.

My prayers were answered. It was Saturday and I called the dealership and the bolt had arrived. I drove the car to get the bolt and drove back home to fix the car. I tore apart the front end once again and when I found the place the bolt was to go, of course the bolt was twice as big as the hole. It was obviously the wrong bolt. This means that I have to reorder the part and wait for a few days to get it in. Put my car back together and rely on prayers once more to get me through the week so I can attempt to repair it once again.

I called the dealership and after a long conversation we figured out which bolt I needed and ordered it and he said it would be in on Monday. I went back outside and looked at my car all torn apart and grieved putting it back together just to tear it apart again 2 days later. Just then a thought came to my mind. I know that it has been 7 weeks since I first heard the thumping noise, but I first heard it back when I went to the hospital in December. Today is February 11th. What is the chance that the bolt is laying on the road out there with in the 2 blocks that I first heard the noise? I thought, “What can it hurt?”

I stopped in my tracks and said another prayer. I said, “Father, I know the chances of this bolt lying on the street waiting for me for seven weeks is quite slim, but I also know that if it needs to be there for me right now that you can make sure that I find it. If it is Thy will please let me find this bolt today when I go for this little walk.” I started down one side of the road looking at every foreign object in the road. I found a screw, a few washers, a nut, and a few old AA batteries. “It must me be here.” I thought, walking, analyzing every object and comparing it to another bolt that I had taken from my car. Suddenly I saw a bolt that looked similar but it looked to small to me at first. Picking it up thinking it was just another spare part I compared with the correct one and sure enough, it was it. The right bolt. It was in the location that I remember pulling over, to check under the car, when taking my wife to the hospital. It has actually sat there through 3 big snow storms, possible street sweepers, and little kids who collect odd items like that.

I walked home with my head high yet still amazed at the miracle. I went home immediately said a prayer of thanks and gratitude for God being there, and listening to my little prayer to find a little bolt. I put the bolt in place and put my car back together and called the dealership and canceled my order for the new replacement bolt.

What I gained from this experience is a stronger testimony in prayer and I saved $150.