Answered Prayer on Superbowl Sunday January 2009

To set up the answered prayer there are a few things you need to know.

1. In Troy's office there is a 1/2 bath and the toilet filler valve has stopped functioning properly so sometimes it just keeps filling and the tank overflows.
2. The metal fitting that holds the plastic filler tank valve assembly to the waterline is tightly stuck and Troy cannot get it apart.
3. Troy operated the toilet by turning the waterline valve on and off until the valve started leaking when in the on position.
4. Troy is not good at soldering but Troy had overheard a person at church tell how the secret to a good solder joint is lots of flux.
5. While purchasing the necessary parts the sales person mentioned that there are new valves that do not require solder joints so Troy bought one to try.

On Superbowl Sunday Troy was ready to begin repairing the bothersome toilet in the bathroom in his office area. He had all the parts he thought he would need and he only needed for everyone to stop using water so he could turn of the house water and effect repairs. The water use did not stop until everyone else went to bed. Troy was ready to begin and he prayed that God would help him get this repaired without trouble. Troy turned off the well pump breaker and filled up a pitcher of water so that he could also change out the water filter and rinse the housing. As soon as the waterlines were depressurized he began cutting the old waterline just behind the valve. However, the cut was not quite straight and the pipe was bent because of a solder drip on the underside of the fitting. Troy cut off another section of piping just behind the bend in the pipe and he was praying that there would be enough pipe to attach the solderless fitting. Troy then attached the solderless fitting and as he pushed it onto the pipe end it did not seem to go as far as it should but it was tight when he pulled on it. Troy decided to turn on the water to see if the fitting would hold and as soon as the water came on there was a very unusual sound from the bathroom. The fitting was still attached but water had sprayed all over the bathroom. Troy tried to hold the pipe with the fingers of one hand and push on the fitting with the other but there just was not enough room because of the thickness of Troy's fingers. Troy prayed and tried and tried and prayed but no use. The fitting would not go on far enough.

Troy wen in to wake up Ann to help him with the job. She was less than pleased to be awakened and this little task was not to her liking at all. Troy told her she could pick which part of the job she wanted to do. She could either lay on the partially wet carpet next to the toilet and push on the fitting or she could crawl under the house and push the pipe into the wall from the crawl space. Neither option was good but she decided to stay in the house and push the fitting onto the pipe.

Troy proceeded to crawl under the house through the cobwebs to the very back of the crawlspace and pushed the pipe where it disappeared into a 2 X 10. Ann said it did not move the pipe on her side at all. As Troy looked at the wall and that 2 X 10 he saw a little trickle of water about 1.5 feet from where he could push the pipe. He asked Ann to knock on the wall where the pipe came through the wall on her side. Sure enough it was right over by the little trickle of water where the knock sounded through the wall. Troy prayed again right there in the crawl space under the house and as he opened his eyes he saw a short piece of copper pipe with a fitting that he did not remember seeing before. He took the pipe and fitting and crawled out from under the house and started cleaning it up the the water from the pitcher. Ann came in and asked him what he was doing and he showed her the little piece of pipe with the union fitting. The pipe and fitting were just the right size and they were both praying that Troy could solder the joint together. The solder appeared to be OK and as soon as the pipe cooled off Troy attached the valve fitting. Ann and Troy prayed again and Troy turned on the water. Everything held as the water filled the pipes. Troy and Ann were very thankful and prayed again. They were reminded of how before we call God will answer. You see that piece of pipe with the fitting must have been under the house for more than 11 years - prior to Ann and Troy even buying the house. God knew that it would be needed late one Sunday night when the nearest open store that might have the parts would still be an hour away.