The Quarter Bicycle

~ Written by Amy Shirk

My husband was in seminary, I was expecting our third child, and money was tight. I often went to garage sales to find clothes and toys for the girls.  

That day I gave our oldest, Elizabeth, a quarter and told her she could buy whatever she wanted. She proudly said, “I am going to buy myself a bike!” 

I went into mom mode. “You know there probably will not be a bike for a quarter. You probably will not get a bike.” She looked at me and said, “I am going to pray that God gives me a bike for a quarter.”   

As we pulled up to a house Elizabeth spotted a bike. She yelled, “That’s my bike” and ran right up to the bike. I thought, “God, I will have a screaming daughter when we leave without the bike. How am I going to tell her that we can’t afford it? As I got close I saw the price: 25 cents. I had a hard time believing, but my daughter was jumping up and down. I went over to the lady and asked if 25 cents was the actual price.  

She said they just wanted to get rid of the bike and yes, it was 25 cents. Elizabeth gave her the quarter. The faith of a child was rewarded.