Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Heb. 11:1)

The Lord has impressed me to share the following testimony to encourage you in your walk of faith. If you are believing God for something and it has not yet been manifested, I believe this word will increase your faith and give you strength and hope.

Several years ago on a sunny afternoon, I was cleaning my house when someone knocked on the door. It was a Kirby vacuum cleaner salesman.

Having so much to do, I would have turned him away, but he offered to shampoo the carpet in one room for free if I would allow him a demonstration. I agreed!

He cleaned the rug and showed me all the many ways this vacuum cleaner would benefit me and my carpets.

I really wanted one, but it was more than I felt I could pay at the time. I told him, “I will get one—but not today.”

After he left, I asked the Lord for one. I said, “Lord, this is not a selfish prayer. I need a new vacuum cleaner very badly. I ask you to give me a new Kirby in the Name of Jesus and I receive it now.”

I knew in my heart that I had one, but I did not know how I was going to get it. I thought maybe the Lord would give me the money. All I knew was that I would have one.

Every few weeks the young man from Kirby called me and asked if I was ready to buy the vacuum cleaner. I told him, “Not yet, but I am going to get one.” Finally, after a while, he quit calling.

Thank You, Lord
Still, I did not quit thanking the Lord for it. Every time I would use my vacuum cleaner, I would say, “Thank You, Lord, for my new Kirby.”

Now it is in the waiting that many people give up and stop believing. I went for months saying, “Thank You, Lord, for my new Kirby.”

I did not nag Him about it. I did not fall down and cry, “Why didn’t you give me a Kirby. I thought You would.” No, I just thanked Him every time I vacuumed.

Several months later, Happy was conducting a radio “Talk-A-Thon” at a hotel in Little Rock. We were praying for the needs of the people in the listening audience and having a great time in the Lord.

Our friends were answering the phones, taking prayer requests, and receiving new partners into the radio ministry. We also had cake, coffee, and a copy of our latest release, “Country Cajun Chorus,” for all who came by to see us.

A young man wandered in. I welcomed him, gave him a record, and told him to make himself at home. Then I received a call so I went to the phones.

When I got off the phone, he looked at me and said, “I have something to give you.” I said, “Well, praise God,” supposing it was a donation into the radio ministry. I said, “What is it?” He said, “A vacuum cleaner.”

When he said that, my mind went immediately to the day I asked the Lord for the vacuum cleaner. I thought, “Lord, could this possibly be my Kirby?”

I felt like my heart was going to explode. With trembling lips and tearful eyes, I asked, “What kind?” He paused for a moment and said, “A Kirby.”

Needless to say, I had my own campmeeting right there! I took three giant steps toward him and hugged him. I was so excited, I could not hold back the tears.

Everyone looked at me with wonder and amazement. They did not know what was going on inside of me. Only my Jesus knew.

Let me say at this point that I had not told anyone about my request to the Father—not Happy, not a friend, no one—just God, my Father who is my source.

Also, the Kirby vacuum cleaner man was not the same man who had come by my house earlier. The man in the studio was a spirit-filled Christian, led there by the Holy Spirit.

Give Those Folks A Vacuum Cleaner
I asked him how he came about giving me a vacuum cleaner. He said he was driving around town making sales calls and listening to our live broadcast.

Suddenly the Spirit of the Lord said to him, “You have been saying with your mouth that if you give, God will return your giving one hundred-fold. If you really believe that, I want you to give those folks on the air a vacuum cleaner.”

This young salesman needed to increase his sales, so he quickly obeyed!

What makes this story even better is that he had two vacuum cleaners in the trunk of his car. One was a Kirby, the other an Electrolux. I have nothing against Electrolux, I just happened to have asked for a Kirby.

Anyway, he said he did not know which one he was going to give me when he came into the studio and did not know until I asked him. He said the only thing that came to him was the Kirby vacuum cleaner!

Praise God, I received exactly what I asked Him for. He is faithful to His Word! And incidentally, that very same day the young man received an order in the mail for a new vacuum cleaner.

Praise God for His faithfulness!