Once upon a time…I had dreams for my life. The plan was to graduate high school, go to college, meet the man of my dreams who would be my best friend forever, move to Orlando FL, have 2 kids, and work at Disney World the rest of my life. And I'm sure that makes most of you laugh…but my life revolved around Disney World (and Donald Duck) and the annual family vacation there every year. I have the pictures, scrapbooks, and souvenirs to prove it. I even know several guys who are as obsessed with Disney as I was who I could have married.
I went to church, so my idea of serving in other countries as a missionary would have been working at Epcot in World Showcase. 11 countries in just a matter of minutes. My life revolved around Disney World and the next time I'd go back so it only made sense I would live there and make a career, and I could serve God on the side. I would witness to someone standing in line while waiting to get on Space Mountain or something.
I graduated high school, went to college…but no prince charming in the picture. I had tuned God out whenever I felt Him dealing with my and "other gods" I had allowed in my life. At the time I was in denial, but reality looking back…I didn't want to face what I knew was the truth. Then 2 days before my 24 birthday I was headed to a friends house after shopping at the mall. I was under a great deal of conviction and kept fighting God over this issue. There was a car in front of my on the interstate with an extremely low back tire. I didn't talk to strangers, but decided as long as there wasn't a man in the car I would try and get them to pull over. So the car pulls over, I got out and ran up to the car and told them about their tire. I got back in my car still fighting God. I put my seat belt on and that is all I remember….
The next thing I remember is a man's arm reaching in my car, taking my seat belt off, helping me out of the car and sitting me up on the grass. A bunch of people were running at me and yelling, "move her away from the car it is smoking!!!" I had driven 1.3 miles down I-26 unconscious. Later I was told that all the witnesses that called 911 had requested a body bag be brought. I never went back and looked at the car. There are pictures different witnesses took. I haven't been to Disney since 3 months before my wreck. You see my other god….Disney and the dream I had for my life. That night, laying in the Emergency Room I surrendered my dreams, goal and my life over to God. Told Him I was completely sold out to Him and His plans. The storage building full of Donald Ducks is now gone.
So now my Once upon a time….is more than I could ever have dreamed for myself. I am serving God daily whether I am at work, feeding the homeless, or just sitting listening to a lonely patient that has no family, and preparing to travel the world proclaiming the love of Christ. My dreams are no longer my dreams but God's dreams for me. So here I am….preparing to leave for The World Race. And the ironic thing (but not really ironic as much as God's sense of humor coming out) The World Race is 11 countries….World Showcase in Disney is also 11 countries.
So as for my happily ever after….I can't think of anything better than living daily for Christ and being His hands and feet, loving people the world sees as unlovable.
