lessons in obedience

One morning, I received a postcard from the leader of a prayer group in Amersfoort. The letter said that the Holy Spirit had instructed them to get in touch with me. They didn’t know why perhaps I’d like to visit Amersfoort? I was immediately curious.

The group, about twelve men and women, gathered in the home of Karel de Graaf, a dike builder. I had never met a group like this before. There was no set program for the evening, no leader or topic, as I had experienced in other prayer groups. Instead, they seemed to spend most of their time listening.

Days later, I was working in my room when Jeltje knocked on the door. “Someone’s here for you, Anne. I don’t know him.” I walked to the front door, and there stood Karel de Graaf. “Hello!” I said, surprised. “Hello, Anne. Do you have a driver’s license?” “A driver’s license?” “No,” I replied, puzzled. “Last night during our prayer time, the Lord spoke about you. It’s important that you learn to drive.”

“Why on earth?” I said. “I’ll never own a car, that’s for sure.” The idea of learning to drive seemed so far-fetched that I didn’t act on it. But a week later, the dike builder was at my door again. “Have you started driving lessons yet?” “Uh… no, not really.” “Haven’t you learned how important obedience is? Then I suppose I’ll have to teach you myself. Get in.”

Mr. de Graaf kept coming back and was such a good instructor that just a few weeks later, I was able to take my driving test and passed on the first try.

Some time later, I shared more good news with a close acquaintance of ours: “I’ve received the visa for Yugoslavia,” I told Mr. Koornstra. “I’m going to travel behind the Iron Curtain as a missionary!” “Anne, you’d better come home quickly for your keys.” “Sorry, Mr. Koornstra, this is a bad connection. I thought you said keys.” “I did say keys. We’ve talked about it extensively, and you won’t talk us out of it. Mrs. Koornstra and I decided months ago that if you got a visa, you’d also get our car.”

That same afternoon, I went with Mr. Koornstra to register the car in my name—wrestling with doubt and excitement and became the owner of a nearly new, beautiful, blue Volkswagen Beetle.

This story of Anne van der Bijl is shared with permission from the book God’s Smuggler, published by opendoors  It’s a powerful testimony of obedience, divine guidance, and provision. Would you like help turning this into a devotional or reflection piece?