Travelin' Mercy

To make a long story short, this past month I traded my sweet Mini Cooper for a new car. It was nothing short of divine. God’s hand was in it all. I can confidently say that God delights in every detail of our lives. 

If you want the long version, read on. 

If you want to – or need to– see the testimony of His goodness, read on. 

Warning, you may laugh. You may cry.

But at the end of the story, my prayer is that you not only feel encouraged but confidently and victoriously know that you are seen and beloved by God.

~~~

I can remember it like it was yesterday.

It was Saturday, my first day of summer after graduating from high school. My dad and mom had a gift for me, and all eyes were on me as I slowly opened the gift. I pulled out a pink ‘MINI’ T-shirt, followed by some really fun burgundy MINI shoes. “Mini…” I said, very confused, that is, until my dad said, “Oh, you’ll need this, too.” And tossed me the keys to my very own car. Tears welled up and my heart leapt! I walked down the hallway of our house to the front door, my sisters giddy with joy and running ahead of me, to see my beautiful, Oxford green Mini Cooper (finished with the British flag side-view mirrors and a BIG red bow. Wow! ‘Grateful’ was an understatement of how I felt that day.

“What should I name it?” I asked.

“Tori, who’s that British actor who plays Sherlock?” My dad asked.

“Benedict Cumberbatch!”

“Yes! What about Benedict?”

“Dad, that’s literally perfect!” Instantly, I knew his name thus forth would be Benedict! I gave my parents a huge hug and took Benedict for a spin around the neighborhood. I can still remember the ‘purr-like’ sound of the engine when I started the car for the first time. 

I should tell you that I was trying to convince my dad that I really wanted to get a Mini Cooper. He insisted it was too small, to which I replied, “There are larger sizes, too!” I chuckle to myself now as I write and remember this. How was it that I got to be so, so blessed to have my dream car as my first car? I praised the LORD! 

Benedict was a great car. And he was fun, too! He had Sport mode and could go fast. He had a CD player for all of my CDs and audio books (Narnia Readers Theater, anyone?). I took road trips in that car. I drove to and from my college and church. I loaded up my car full of things for work. I had many jam sessions, worship moments, prayers, tears, phone calls, long talks, and hard talks in my sweet Benedict. A lot of life in my little car. 

Benedict experienced a lot of life, too. Well over 130,000 miles. I got rear-ended by a drunk driver five years ago, which broke the CD player to my dismay. I’ve had my handful of flat tires. One of the side view mirror covers fell off somehow, leaving me with one British flag flying. Benedict wasn’t as quick as a whip like he once was. A ‘that’s-probably-not-good’ noise when I’d turn. Oh, and he was leaking oil fast.  

Back in 2024, I prayed for a word for the year, and the LORD gave me two: “Brave” and “Steward.” Near the end of that year is when Benedict’s problems started to become more and more noticeable. I began to look into getting a new car, even test-drove a few. I started to dream of what I would love my next car to be…

SUV…

White exterior with a tan interior…

Leather, heated seats… 

Sunroof…

In my price range…

Lower mileage…

But when I prayed, I didn’t have peace about giving up Benedict quite yet. And the LORD gently reminded me of the word, ‘steward.’ I knew I could confidently keep going with Benedict for as long as I possibly could.

“I’ll drive him into the ground.”

Over the last year, while keeping Benedict, I still continued the car-hunt on my own time, just to see what was out there. I’d type in exactly what I was looking for into the filter.

I became very specific in my search that I did not want another European car - Toyota, Honda, and Lexus only – thank you very much. Oh, and no accidents. 

Filtered results (more often than not): Zero. 

I’m not going to lie – it would feel a bit disappointing to keep searching and filtering, increasing my price range, increasing my mileage… I kept slowly adjusting my filters to see more options of cars. Once, I remember a gasp - did I just find it? And, I kid you not… I hit refresh and the car listing was gone. Sold.

“Well,” I sighed. “God is protecting me and has a different car for me.” I believed it wholeheartedly, but the waiting and searching was growing challenging.

Maybe I'm being too specific, I thought.

I prayed, LORD, You know the next car You have for me. If I need to change any of my preferences or desires, I can. I will. Change my heart to be more open-minded to the car You have for me. Even if it looks different than what I dreamed. 

Some time back, in March 2022, my parents were in the process of selling our house, and I started to wonder if I needed a more practical car. I asked, “LORD, when should I sell my car?”

I felt like I heard the LORD say, “May.”

I wrote it down, and thought, ‘May?! That’s two months from now!” 

May came and went, and I still had Benedict. But I’m glad I documented that word. Because at the end of April of this year (2026), Benedict’s issues were at an all-time high. I got another flat tire. I knew the bill to fix all of his issues was more than what I could get traded in for him. 

It was time.

And then I remembered: “May.” 

The LORD told me four years ago that I would sell my car in May. He just didn’t tell me what year! 😂 (God is so good like that!)

I began the search, but this time felt a peace about expanding the strict search of the THL (Toyota-Honda-Lexus only). One of my sweet friends loves her Mazda, so I began to look for one. I found one that checked almost all the boxes... minus the price range one. 😅 But, it just arrived on the lot just minutes from where I live. No way! Could this be it? I told my parents, and my dad was willing to go with me to try it out. I felt excitement rising in me; yet, still not 100% sure I’d be able to afford it. 

My dad said, “Hey, Tori. Let’s go check out this car. But, I found one for you, too. And… I think you’re really going to like it.”

“Really?” I asked, hopeful.

“I made a call.” He said with his Italian mob voice. 

“You made a call? Why are you holding out on me if you gotta car-guy?” We laughed together. 

And then, feeling a tiny pride rise up in me like, Dad, I have searched high and low for a car that checks all the boxes all over the metroplex. I feel like I’ve seen every option.

He told me the website of the dealership for me to search on my laptop. “I looked here already–”

“Just keep scrolling.” He said, with a kind giddiness in his voice. “Keep going, keep going…. Keep going….There!”

A Mercedez-Benz, SUV. White exterior. Tan interior. Right in the price range. But, I had already ruled it out as it went against my two preferences: European. And it had an accident. 

“Dad, it’s European. And it has an accident on it.”

“You drive a European car right now.”

“Well, that’s true.”

“And I checked, it was a very small accident and it’s been fixed.”

While that did bring some relief, I still felt hesitant because it was going against my filters. We talked some more, and I considered his points, but not quite convinced yet. 

“Let’s just go test drive your car. And then, we can just go and try this one. It’s your choice, sweet pea. If you don’t like it, it’s okay! At the end of the day, you don’t have to buy a car today.” He was right.  

As we were pulling into the very fancy, hot-shot dealership where the Mazda was, I felt very nervous all of a sudden. I’m 29, but I felt like I was 9 in that moment. I had never made this big of a purchase before. “Dad, can we wait just a minute before going in?” 

My dad immediately began to pray for me and our time searching for the car, and thanking Jesus for having the right one. As we were walking in, I started to feel that I didn’t care if this was the car for me anymore. I just felt so glad to have my dad there with me. 

To make an already long story short, we went in, saw and drove the car. We looked at the numbers, and didn’t quite feel that peace. Sure, it drove well. The timing of its arrival felt divine. And even though it checked the boxes, I didn’t have that… peace. 

Now is a good time to tell you that shalom (which means ‘peace’ - and so much more!) is my word for 2026. 

As my dad drove us to the next dealership where the Mercedes was. It was already getting late in the afternoon, but the sun was warm and the hour felt golden. We went down a windy road, passing beautiful, big oak trees, making the sunshine flicker and dance it as it shone through the leaves. Then, sweet memories of all my times with Benedict flooded my mind. “I don’t know why, Dad, but I feel like I’m saying goodbye to Benedict, like I’m soaking up final moments with him. Whether it’s this car or another car, I just feel like I’m saying goodbye.” 

As we rounded the corner, into the dealership, we pulled up to the front to see a sparkling, white Mercedes Benz parked out front. It looked so pretty, I was caught a bit by surprise.

“Is that the one?”

My dad smiled and nodded, “I had them clean it before we came.” 

I looked at my dad, wide-eyed, beginning to get choked up. 

“You did?” 

“You’re my princess.” [I’m getting choked up as I write this.] 

I walked in, my head held high, alongside my thoughtful dad. My dad’s 'car-guy' - the manager of the dealership - met us with a genuine smile and opened the door for us. It was a smaller, family run dealership. Everyone was so kind and intentional. I didn’t feel pressured or a lack of peace one bit. They even had a piano, which I got to play a little. 

Then, it was time for the test drive. My dad and I walked to the car, inspected it. It twinkled the closer we got. It looked new. Pristine. We were shocked to learn it only had been driven approximately 4,000 miles each year the last thirteen years. A car as old as Benedict, looking this clean? Not even a scratch or hail damage dent. What?! My dad and I deduced it must have been a praying grandmother who owned this car, taking it only to the church and Bible study. We opened the doors, and my eyes fell upon the gorgeous almond leather interior. A sunroof. Leather, heated seats. And, a CD player. 

You know that famous passage of Scripture in Philippians 4? Verses 6 and 7 say, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.” I can testify that the peace of God - the peace that transcends all understanding - is true! (Of course it is!). Indescribable peace overwhelmed me as we drove out of the parking lot. Down the road, onto the highway. Smooth. Safe. 

“Dad, I love it. I would take this car home today. And not just because you found it. I don’t feel obligated to get this. This is the car.” 

And within 40 minutes, I left as the owner of my very own car. 

There are so many details that I could go into about how divine this entire experience was. But I will say, even as we were talking about the financial part of things, which always would make me nervous, I had zero hesitations or anxiety. The last thing anyone wants is buyers remorse, right? 100% peace. Everything fell into place. 

I said my farewell to Benedict, and with the help of my dad, moved my personal items to the Mercedes (which included a worship CD that was hidden in one of Benedict seat-back-pockets! Perfect for the drive home.). We had the big red bow on it, took some pictures, and headed home in the golden hour of that Saturday afternoon. 

Over and over again, giddy like a kid, I kept saying, “Dad! This is my car! Wow! Thank You, Lord!”

We pulled up to my parents house and my mom came out with her jaw-dropped, so, so excited that everything had worked out and that she, too, was praying that I would have peace in finding the right car! Oh, I am so thankful for her and my dad’s prayers!

I was not only filled with the indescribable peace, but also overwhelming joy. There were so many times I could have settled for any car just to be able to get to and from work. I have joy in knowing I didn’t settle. I waited. Despite how challenging the wait was, especially with Benedict actively falling apart over the span of months, I took God at His word and stewarded to the best of my ability having Benedict for however much time was left.

That night, I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, overflowing with gratitude. Earlier that night, my parents and I went back and forth on some names for my new Mercedes. 

I laughed, “Well, it definitely feels like a girl. So she will have a girl's name. And because we’re convinced it must have been a praying grandmother driving this car. So, maybe her name will be something along those lines…”

And as I lay there, the name dropped in my spirit. I heard the Father whisper in my heart:

“Mercy.”

Mercy the Mercedes. 

And now, as the story is nearing its end (thank you for making it this far), this is the part I want you to see, friend. What I learned is not only for purchasing a car but truly for any area of waiting on a promise in your life:

I didn’t want to wait.

I mean, who likes to wait? Waiting is hard. “The deferred hope makes the heart sick” is a proverb for a reason (Proverbs 13:12a). The waiting is challenging. It can feel like you’re forgotten or that the promise will never come. 

Yet, the rest of that verse says, “but, a dream fulfilled is like a tree of life.” 

Friend, because I waited for what the Father had for me, I am experiencing that tree of life. Waiting  and trusting in His timing, His choice, His best, holding onto the words He had spoken. 

I needed to open my hands.

What do I mean by that? I mean, I surrendered my grip, my control, on my desires for the outcome. I told God exactly what I was hoping for, but still let it be His choice at the end of the day.

“But, Tori, what about the accident on the car? What about that it was a European car – which is what you didn’t want? How can you say you didn’t settle if you knew what you didn’t want?” 

That’s a great question, friend. Simply put, the small accident was what more than likely made the price be exactly where it needed to be for me to be able to afford it. And I truly felt released from the car needing to be a THL.  

I can identify Godly peace.

I can confidently say I know what it feels like to have the peace of God that transcends all understanding when making a big decision. 

I love how no matter how hard I searched and tried to adjust my preferences and filters (ie. settle), God did not withhold the good thing - but revealed it in His perfect time. The month of May, just like He said. And, I believe I needed to come to a place in my heart where I surrendered what I thought to His will. 

And isn’t it just like God to check all of the boxes of what my dreams were for the next vehicle I would drive? Isn’t it just like God, knowing that I love CDs for it to be a car with a CD player of all things? Isn’t that just the grace of God? The kindness of God. The mercy of God? It's the little things...

God is a Good, Good Father.

I get choked up, too, as I remember my dad… my good father… had called ahead. He asked for the car to be cleaned. He asked it it could be brought around to the front for me. He was working behind the scenes, and I didn’t even know it. 

Isn’t that just like the Good, Good Father? Because God has given us the gift of free will, He honors our wishes to do things our own way. Yet, the Father knows us. He knows our dreams. Our heart’s desires. Remember, He delights in every detail of our lives. He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift. He withholds no good things. When we delight in Him, He really does give us the desires of our heart. 

Sometimes, we think we know the desire of our heart, so we try things our own way. Yet, I’m learning to trust my Father – the One who made me and knit me together in my mother’s womb, knows every detail of my entire life from start to finish, knows what knows me far better than I know myself. 

The real gift isn't always the gift itself.

One of the best parts of this testimony is that I could share it with my dad. I think that’s another beautiful thing– the gift wasn’t just in the car (although hallelujah - exact prayer answered!). It was sharing it with the presence of my dad. 

And where there is God’s presence, there is His shalom peace. His presence is the present. His peace is in His presence. What a gift that far exceeds it all. He not only blessed me with the answered prayer of the car that checked above and beyond the boxes, but He was also with me the entire time. All along, He was orchestrating something far more beautiful and better than I could ever imagine. 

Friend, if you read all the way through, thank you. I pray you are seeing that God’s divine hand is clearly on more than just purchasing a car.

You are seen.

You are infinitely loved.

You are adored by your Heavenly Father, the King of Kings. 

You’re His prince or princess.

He is faithful.

He is compassionate and merciful.

He has good plans for you.

He is orchestrating something far better than you could imagine. 

He is a good gift-Giver (but He is the best gift!) 

I don’t understand His ways and thoughts because they are higher than my own. I can’t tell you why your prayers haven’t been answered yet.

For the hope deferred, making your heart sick.

But perhaps, He is waiting for just the right time, and tending to your heart in the waiting. 

And sometimes, that means coming to the end of yourself as you wait. 

Not trying to do it all on your own. 

Not thinking you know it all (I’m preaching to myself over here).

Surrendering to the One who made you, who loves you so much that He sent the Prince of Peace to you and redeemed you. 

He knows every detail of your life and my life – the good, the bad, and the ugly– and still loves and delights and sings over you and me. 

I have seen this and experienced Him in my own life.

That is the grace and mercy of God. He is calling you by name, friend.

~~~

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.”

Ephesians 2:4-5

“The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

    His mercies never cease.

Great is his faithfulness;

    His mercies begin afresh each morning.”

Lamentations 3:22-23

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.”

Psalm 23:6