Just Purchased My New Car (& It's an EV!)
Hello beautiful people, sorry I have been MIA for a couple of weeks due to some adjustments with the new job, new house, and this time the new car!!! GOD IS SO SO SO GRACIOUS!
For those who have known me for quite some time, you know that I have been driving a Toyota Previa Van (1994), it was a gift from my uncle. I named this car “Golden Luke”. Thankfully this car never broke down in the middle of the freeway, he was indeed very faithful over these last 5 years.
Golden Luke has been with me since the start of my college years at Chaffey (Chino & Rancho Cucamonga), then Cal Poly (Pomona), to my internship at Hilton Embassy Suites (El Segundo), to my first job after graduation at M.I.Air (Chino), and even to my current job at Emtek (City of Industry).
Being a girl who has zero knowledge about cars and maintenance has made it much more difficult for me to keep track of when I need to go to the car shop. After all, I needed to maintain this car in order to keep the engine strong and alive. Fortunately, my uncle, brother, and cousin are all car gurus so they gave me multiple pointers on how I needed to take care of my car.
Fun Fact: I have been asking the Lord for a new car since 2019. Back then I was eyeing the white Honda Civic since it was fuel-efficient and it just looks cool. In that same year, a mentor of mine who has the gift of prophecy said that God has prepared the new car for me. Right there and then, I held on to God’s promise.
“I don’t know when and how Lord. But I trust that You are a Promise Keeper, so let your will be done in Your perfect timing.”
At the beginning of this year, I told my brother that I needed to get the car FIRST before we moved into an apartment or a house. He disagreed. He said how we need to find a place FIRST, plus he said “where are you going to put your new car if we ended up not having our own garage? And will you be able to pay BOTH the housing and car payment every month?”
After some thought, I decided to postpone the idea of buying a new car. Then in April, I turned 25, a quarter of a century.YAY! (BTW growing up, I’ve always had this deep desire to see and experience God’s glory like never before, especially on my 25th Birthday.
Growing up, I would say “Lord, allow me to have a great career or company that I own. I don’t want to rely on someone else to provide for me a.k.a husband/partner, because if I can have an income of my own it will help provide for my family too.”
As women, we are called to be productive and to cultivate the talent, gift, skill, knowledge that the Lord has given us. Stop relying on your parents, husband, or partner’s income when you have it in your power and ability to create something that would produce a set of income for yourself and your family.
Women should not only clean, cook, take care of the kids, nurture their family, and stay at home. Yes, I understand women should take part in doing those things too, but it should not limit nor deny the higher calling to fulfill their God-given destiny.
Moreover, culture and social media have portrayed a false concept of how women should be treated. How women should only focus on pampering their outside look, so that they would attract a man who is rich enough to take care of her (what do they call them, oh yea “a sugar daddy.”
Apologies for the ranting haha I’ll get back to my car sharing testimony soon.
If a woman has the opportunity to produce an extra set of income through her wise decision and creativity, I believe her husband and children will be blessed. Women are called to be strong, gentle, meek, passionate, and humble.
“Strength and honor are her clothing; She shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.” Proverbs 31:25-27
One of my pet peeves is seeing stagnant, mediocre, lazy, passive people who decided to settle for less than God’s best.
Refusing to cultivate the very gift that the Lord has gifted to an individual is the most arrogant act a person can do.
STORY ABOUT THE TALENTS in the BIBLE. Matthew 25:14-30
14 “For it is just like a man who was about to take a journey, and he called his servants together and entrusted them with his possessions. 15 To one he gave five [a]talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and then he went on his journey. 16 The one who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he [made a profit and] gained five more. 17 Likewise the one who had two [made a profit and] gained two more. 18 But the one who had received the one went and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 And the one who had received the five talents came and brought him five more, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted to me five talents. See, I have [made a profit and] gained five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’
22 “Also the one who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have [made a profit and] gained two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful and trustworthy over a little, I will put you in charge of many things; share in the joy of your master.’
24 “The one who had received one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a harsh and demanding man, reaping [the harvest] where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed. 25 So I was afraid [to lose the talent], and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is your own.’
26 “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked, lazy servant, you knew that I reap [the harvest] where I did not sow and gather where I did not scatter seed. 27 Then you ought to have put my money with the bankers, and at my return, I would have received my money back with interest. 28 So take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’
29 “For to everyone who has [and values his blessings and gifts from God, and has used them wisely], more will be given, and [he will be richly supplied so that] he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have [because he has ignored or disregarded his blessings and gifts from God], even what he does have will be taken away. 30 And throw out the worthless servant into the outer darkness; in that place [of grief and torment] there will be weeping [over sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [over distress and anger].
The parable of the talents teaches us the importance of multiplying what’s been given to us.
You may be good at cooking, baking, singing, acting, writing, speaking, teaching, playing music, and so much more. Whatever your gift and talents are, know that it is in your hands for a reason. Cultivate it in such a way until it becomes your strength and gift to share with the people around you.
I never knew my position as the youth treasurer from my church and counter help at panda express who handles money was actually preparing me to be the fundraising treasurer at my church and procurement coordinator at my current job today.
Everything that we go through in life will always prepare us for what’s to come. So never despise small and humble beginnings. As you stay faithful with the little, you will be shocked as to how much you’ll be entrusted in the years to come.
Despite our family background and painful past, we can still choose to live and enjoy our best life when we start shifting our focus to God’s truth. Living in alignment with God’s word brings pure joy and fulfillment.
Alright now going back to how I purchased my first car. (Sorry I got a bit sidetracked there).
The good news is our home has a two-doors garage. Because of that, I considered buying an EV since it would save me money and time from going to the gas station and regular oil changes at the car shop. Especially since the gas prices have spiked up today to $3.80-$4.30/gal in California.
Moreover, I am a minimalist. I try to keep my life as minimal and simple as possible so I can enjoy this God-given life to the fullest. Less time and things to maintain, worry, or stress about = more time enjoying life with our loved ones.
After doing my research on which car I should buy, my options were Tesla, Hyundai Kona, Iconiq, or Nissan Leaf.
Personally, I was eyeing Tesla as my number #1 choice, but because the monthly insurance ranges from $180-200/month, I reconsidered my options. I would like to keep my sanity, enjoy good food, be able to dine out, and not stress about the monthly car payment. Thus I decided on the Nissan Leaf.
On top of that, I would receive the $7,500 EV Tax credit which was pretty cool.
How do I like my new EV so far? It’s quiet, fast, and so cute. Introducing my “Cute Leafy or Levi.”
Honestly, it still feels so surreal that I can purchase this new car. This is basically my first big girl purchase hahaha. Thank You, Jesus! It still amazes me how God is faithful to every single promise He has spoken.
My encouragement to you today is to continue to hope in the Lord. Activate your faith to the next level so that you can experience God’s abundant love, goodness, favor, and blessing.
Take some time to evaluate your life and build an intimate relationship with Jesus on a daily basis. Your intimacy is the key to your next breakthrough.
There is still so much more He wants to reveal to you. He delights in blessing His children. Make a decision today to draw yourself closer to Jesus. He is the Good Good Father who satisfy the desire of every living thing. (Psalm 145:16)
Live life passionately,
Sharon.