When a Florida mom lost her wedding ring just before Hurricane Ian, she never thought she would see it again. God knew better.
When Ashley Garner lost her wedding ring a few days before Hurricane Ian came through her neighborhood, she never thought she would see it again.
The mom of three misplaced her ring outside her home in Fort Myers, Florida. At first, she searched everywhere for it, with help from her husband and kids. They combed their yard and garage.
But with the hurricane on its way, it seemed impossible that the ring would stay in their yard throughout the 150 mph winds. Sadly, Garner tried to accept that it was gone for good.
She told NBC News:
I just accepted that it was gone. It was only a thing. It’s replaceable, and I just let it go. We knew the hurricane was coming, so we just kind of said goodbye.
It turned out that God had a surprise for her.
When the hurricane passed through her neighborhood, it left huge piles of trees and brush throughout the area. Garner was outside in her yard clearing the brush piles with her family, when her husband found something really incredible.
Just 10 minutes into cleaning, her husband spotted the ring under a pile of brush and trees. It was a joyful surprise she hadn’t even dared hope for.
Garner felt that finding her ring was a sign of God’s providence, bringing her hope during a difficult time.
“I just sat on the curb, and I prayed to God and thanked him for providing and giving us a sign that there’s hope for the community,” Garner said.
Often God surprises us by doing things that seem impossible, or improbable and unlikely. And often, these little surprises are gentle reminders of his loving care for every tiny detail of our lives.