Coincidence or God?: You Decide

By Charlotte Huskey

Coincidence? Or God? You Decide is a collection of episodes the author’s family and friends experienced.

These stories take place in Mexico as well as the United States. In each story, you will find a fascinating and sometimes life-threatening situation, such as a nine-passenger, six-door Excursion traveling sixty miles an hour on the icy Arkansas River Bridge railing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Read what happened to the nine fathers in this vehicle. Decide for yourself if God or luck was with them. Then, there is the girl whose foot was mangled in a packing plant accident, or the family who was marvelously saved when the train bridge over the San Rafael River collapsed and the center portion of the train they had been in, fell into the river.

In this book you will meet a man who gave his home to a poor family; and a little boy who lost his father’s best knife in a lake. His mother prayed, and moments later the boy’s brother caught a fish with the knife in its mouth. Did that just happen? You decide.

In the days before cell phones, see what happened to a fifteen-year-old boy stranded at Love’s Truck Stop in Gallup, New Mexico, 700 miles from home. You will live through a tornado with the Hightower family in Neosho, Missouri, and shiver with Dofia Margarita sitting on her house top during a long night. You will bake with the Children’s Christmas Project and learn how much they earned for the Huruma Orphanage in Kenya, Africa, and shout when a man gives Charlotte $500 for a basket of homemade bread.

While swimming on the Baja California coast, you will struggle with Tim against a strong undercurrent that was dragging him out into the Pacific Ocean. Will Tim see his family again?

Were the persons in danger accidentally saved, or did the power and love of God assist them? The author wants you to decide.

Both blessings and difficulties will swirl around us as we walk through life. Romans 8:28 says, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”

Psalms 139:17 How precious are thy thoughts toward unto me, O God! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jan 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9781665578851

Charlotte Huskey

Charlotte N. Huskey is an emerging author of juvenile memoirs. This is Charlotte’s ninth book, five of which are sequels. These books appeal to all ages because they are of days gone by when life was slower, simpler and safer. They are historical nonfiction that read like fiction, an excellent resource for parents who desire to build their children’s faith. Many homeschooling parents are using these books. They appreciate the large print, simple vocabulary, and the questions for discussions at the end of each chapter. Charlotte knows how to write stories children love. She has been involved with children all her adult life: teaching, directing VBS, organizing camps, conducting Bible Clubs, rearing six children. For fifteen years she edited a Sunday School leaflet called The Beautiful Way. She has published hundreds of short, character-building stories; two book-length serial novels, The What Would Jesus Do Club and The Nutty Nutritional Club; also, three book-length biographies of Ahn Ei Shook, Lillian Thrasher (The Nile Mother) and Jaya Kollipara. Charlotte is a Proverbs 31 woman. Her family and home have always been top priorities. She has been a lifelong student of family life, continually researching and writing about child training and other family topics. Although not a conference speaker, she has given many lessons on family life at assemblies though out the United States, Mexico and Chili. Growing Children in the Light of Eternity is a collection of some these lessons. It is filled with outstanding philosophies for Christian parenting. Charlotte and her husband Dr. James Huskey, lived in Mexico for twenty-one years, where they did evangelistic and humanitarian work. Much of her published works have been translated into other languages.

Book preview

© 2022 Charlotte Huskey.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical

means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission

from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Published by AuthorHouse  01/25/2023

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7886-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-7885-1 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version

(Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic

Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Churches and other non-commercial institutions may reproduce portions of this book

without permission. When reproducing text from this book, always include the following

credit line: Coincidences or God? You Decide by Charlotte Huskey, used by permission.

Book cover designer: Rosi Gellenbeck

Photos: Charlotte Huskey

Contact information:

E-mail: [e-mail] or [e-mail].

Social medias— Charlotte Huskey

Unless marked, Bible quotes taken from the King James Version. Public Domain.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

Foreword

The Lost Knife

Driving on the Bridge Railing

The Flood that Changed Delores

The Broken Train Bridge

An Amazing Man

Healed of Staph Infection

Working for Jesus

Walking Again After Seven Years!

Our Savings Are Gone!

A Great Reward

$500 for a Basket of Bread

Don’t Give up Your Dream!

No More Stinky Feet

Stranded 700 Miles from Home

A Mangled Foot

Just Stay Floating

The Wall Came Tumbling Down

That Looks Like Grandma

What Has the Gospel Done for You?

Vacation Bible School

God’s Mercy

Meet Walter and Edema

Miracles for Marcos

The Rescue Mission

Answers to Many Prayers

The Children’s Christmas Project

Rosi’s Fur Coat

The Tornado

Learning From Our Forefathers

About the Author

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged to a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as far that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves, no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back

I should be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I ---

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

PREFACE

I am often asked, What motivated you to publish books?

You who have read my other books know that I and my husband, James, were missionaries in Mexico. When James’ health began failing, we relocated near our adult children. He soon regained his health, then we worked several years with The American Hispanic Mission in, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After we stopped working there, one day I asked God to give me something from the Bible that would show me what I should be doing for Him. When I opened my Bible, my eyes fell on Psalms 78:4-7,

…shewing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord and His strength, and His wonderful works that He hath done. …which He commanded to our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, even the children who should be born, who should arise and declare them to their children, that they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments.

God helped me understand, that I must make known His wonders to the generations to come, and the way to do that was to write and publish books. I thought writing a book was impossible. However, I did have a great desire to share with others the wonderful things God had done in my lifetime, so I began writing. Later while confronting many problems, I became discouraged and thought maybe I had misunderstood God. Again, when I was praying for guidance, I opened my Bible and my eyes fell on Psalm 71:17-19:

O God, thou hath taught me from my youth: And hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength to this generation, and thy power to everyone who is to come.

The thought came again; you must write so the generations to come will have in their hands a copy of the wonderful things God has done. I thought I was too old to start a book, but I relied on my mother’s favorite verse, Philippians 4:13. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,

The following year I published my first book, MABEL, a Demonstration of the Power of God’s Word. Now, Coincidence? Or God? You Decide is my seventh book. (Three of my books have been translated into the Spanish language.) God is still reminding me of more miracles He has done in my lifetime.

I pray God will help the stories shared in these books to inspire readers. May they be a reminder that the incidents in each life are never coincidental. They are all part of God’s plan to get us and those around us to Heaven.

My other books are listed in the back of this book.

Charlotte Huskey

FOREWORD

Coincidence or God? will come to mind in the events of our lives from this day forward. The personal experiences shared by this author remind us of experiences we have faced. Were they just coincidental or were they allowed by a Higher Being whose priority is preparing us for Heaven? Our blessings and our difficulties, when viewed as Coincidence or God? suddenly have a deeper meaning in our lives. We will readily give Him thanks for each blessing and seek guidance in each difficulty. We will no longer be merely victims of circumstances. There is now no such thing as being lucky or unlucky as we sail down the rapids of life like a boat without a rudder.

Some of the stories in this book are almost beyond comprehension. Being personally acquainted with the author and many of the characters, I attest to the integrity of these life experiences and testimonies.

This book is fascinating to share in family devotions, opening many teaching opportunities. The title alone will remind us in future experiences to always recognize the hand of our Heavenly Father in our lives. Coincidence or God? You decide.

Thank you, Charlotte Huskey, for this pivotal reminder.

Irma Sallee

THE LOST KNIFE

37323.png

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will

answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."

—Isaiah 65:24 KJV

W hy haven’t you picked up those tools you left scattered on the patio? And must you save every stick in the neighborhood to make those dusty pigeons a roost? James Bell, the youngest of 3 sons, trembled at the sound of his daddy’s demanding voice. He loved his pigeons and was always trying to fix them a nicer home. He feared his daddy would make him get rid of them. Get moving! Don’t just stand there. It should only take you five minutes!

Daddy, Joe Bell, ran the Bell Furniture Store in the morning then went to his evening job at McDonald Douglas helping make airplane parts. Their home was in view of the furniture store so he expected his home to look the best in the neighborhood. He wanted the newest car, the nicest house, and the best-behaved children that portrayed his image of perfection, and he expected his three sons to do their part making this happen.

Mama prayed every day for a quiet and peaceful home that was filled with love and kindness. She helped in the furniture store, kept a clean, orderly home, and cooked the best food in the county. Her biggest challenge was getting the boys to do what daddy expected of them so that he would be happy when he came home.

One day they had a fishing trip planned. Get your fishing gear ready, Mama said to her sons, as she was frying chicken for their lunch the following day. We are leaving early in the morning, and the boat must have all the fishing poles and life jackets packed in place. It’s going to be a great day for fishing at Lake Tenkiller. It is one of the prettiest lakes in Oklahoma, and the water is deep and clean.

I have some new lures I bought with my birthday money. I think we’ll really catch some big fish, James said to Michael, his brother.

There were two things everyone in Joe Bell’s family loved—one was Mama’s delicious meals and the other was fishing. They loved fishing off the bank of a pond, a river, or a lake; but to be fishing from a boat was much more exciting. One of their favorite lakes was Lake Tenkiller in Green Country. The lake was about 75 miles away. The 1963 Chevy station wagon was packed and the boat was hitched, ready for the early morning drive.

At six o’clock, everyone was up and Mama was making a hardy breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy with her whipped eggs. Everyone sat quietly while they ate their breakfast. No one dared say anything that might upset Daddy enough that he would change his mind about their plans for this wonderful day. They ate fast and topped the last of the hot, buttery biscuits with Mama’s strawberry freezer jam. They sighed in relief when Daddy said without tension, It’s going to be a perfect day for you boys to do some serious fishing. They quickly and respectfully agreed and gathered their plates, putting them in the sink. After washing the dishes, Mama gathered the food she had prepared for the day. It was a lunch fit for a king’s family. They all piled into the station wagon and headed off.

As they topped the hill going down to the dock, the lake was more beautiful than they ever remembered. Daddy backed the boat into the water and tied it to the dock. Then Daddy went to buy bait, and the three boys fished while waiting in the boat.

James was excited and was trying hard to be good so Daddy would not be upset. Preparing to add a bigger hook to his line, James noticed Daddy’s knife in the boat. He snatched it up to cut his line. As another boat docked beside them, their boat rocked to one side, and Daddy’s shiny, sharp knife slipped out of James’ hand and fell into the deep lake.

Oh, Mamma, he cried, I dropped Daddy’s knife into the lake.

Oh, my son. Where? she exclaimed frantically.

Right there, Mama. It’s so deep I can’t see anything.

Son, let’s pray, she cried.

Dear Lord, have mercy on us today. You see we have come to have fun with the boys, but it will all end if we don’t find this knife. Please help us. You promised to be a present help in time of need. Amen.

They quietly prepared themselves for their hot-tempered Daddy. They couldn’t hide it from him. He would soon find out. They earnestly prayed for God’s help.

Michael and Dennis could swim well, so they jumped out of the boat and started diving to see if they could find the knife at the bottom of the lake. They dove repeatedly and came up with nothing. They gave up and decided to suffer the consequences with James.

All three were soon fishing while they waited for Daddy to return. Minutes later, Dennis hollered, "I’ve got one!