Jeanne and John Artz and their grandson, Gage, pictured with their dog, Spot, were able to purchase a new mobile home after theirs burned. Photo by Vanessa Schaecher.
It took eight years for John and Jeanne Artz to purchase and fix up the 1963 mobile home they shared with their 12-year-old grandson, Gage. It took only minutes for that home to burn to the ground, while the couple watched in shock.
Jeanne, a member of Lincoln’s Piedmont Park Church, had taken a nap that morning, while Gage went to school and John walked the dog. Awakened by a smoke alarm, she opened her eyes to see a small fire burning by the window. Returning from his walk, John tried to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher, but decided it was best to evacuate. They had barely left the doorway when the trailer exploded in flames.
Firefighters told them the small fire they saw, caused by faulty wiring, was only a tiny portion of what was already burning inside the trailer walls.
When informed of this tragedy, Piedmont members helped with store gift cards and food baskets. A special offering taken on Sabbath morning brought in over $4,000 for the family. Piedmont’s head deacon, Mark Snyder, led a crew to clean up the burned trailer and lot.
Since Jeanne helps her neighbor, Arlene, on a daily basis, the Artz family didn’t want to leave the mobile home park. In an answer to prayer, they moved into a newly-purchased mobile home located just a few lots away.
Recently, John and Jeanne were watching TV when a show came on about homeless children. They wondered why God had helped their family so much when these kids needed help, too. Jeanne went to bed asking to hear God’s voice. Lying there in tears, she heard Him say, “I helped you because you called on Me and said you needed Me. I know you love Me, and I love you.”
The Artz family say their story is full of miracles—from God saving their lives and inspiring the donations to important documents surviving the fire to a new and better mobile home and a renewed faith in God’s providence.
This article originally appeared in the October 2014 issue of OUTLOOK. It was written by Vanessa Schaecher, communication correspondent for the Piedmont Park Church in Lincoln, Nebraska.
