The story of a family's Bible

Rewind to 1939, the pit of the Great Depression. Nelson Hutchinson's family was dirt poor. They lived in a small house on the Homosassa River, four miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Nelson's dad struggled to make a living as commercial fisherman. To help, Nelson and his mom gathered oysters in season, or chopped wood to sell to the folks in town. Sometimes they'd make $2 a day. His mom attended the Church of Jesus Christ in town, and always wanted a Bible in her home, but could never afford one, until one day when his dad came home from work with an empty boat. He had caught nothing all day, and acted like he never wanted to see the river again

Nelson watched his mother, as she got into the boat, arranged the nets, started the motor and headed downstream. After a mile, she cut off the motor; knelt in the little boat, a talked with God. She told Him she wanted a Bible in her home for her children. She promised that if God would help her catch a few fish, she'd sell them and buy a Bible before sunset. Then she started the motor and threw the net into the water. Almost immediately fat mullet began jumping into it. She had never seen anything like this. As fast as she emptied the net into the boat, it filled again. After an hour, there was hardly enough room in the boat for her. When she got home, she took Nelson with her to sell the fish in town. She had caught nearly 300 pounds, as much as his dad would catch in a good week. The wholesaler paid her three cents a pound, and they went straight to the book store to buy the best Bible. Forty years later, the Bible was still in the family. In December, 1976, Nelson's parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with a ceremony at church. "My mother and father held the family Bible between them" Nelson remembered, as proof that miracles can still happen.