Writing blog post for me is a weird thing, my brain goes twenty different directions at varying speeds and so they often get started, but rarely get finished. This blog for example has been a thought for the last two months, and today I am finally getting around to finishing it. When I wrote this blog the first time I made it nearly to the end before I realized I was going about it all wrong so here we go again.
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September 28th. This is the day that has been shaping my last two months; this is the day of my accident. As some of you may know, I was moving down to Indiana when I was rear-ended in a construction zone by a distracted semi driver. As I had to stop for traffic I watched the semi in my rearview mirror get closer and closer as I prayed He would be able to stop in time, little did I know he wasn’t stopping at all. The driver hit me going 60-65mph and sent me into and over the guardrail where I ended up on my side in the ditch/ trees on the side of the highway.
Originally this blog described what happened, but I scrapped that and decided to talk about WHO happened. God happened and had His arms around me during that moment and He hasn’t let go since. I have never been able to look at a moment in my life and know so clearly that God was right there with me and protecting me. Long story short I was told by a lot of people that I should have died, medical professionals, first responders, insurance company, tow truck drivers, etc, but I WALKED away, right into the ambulance with only a broken rib, concussion, whiplash, and minimal scrapes and bruises.
When I heard the song, ‘Three Wooden Crosses’ a couple days ago, it hit me hard. If what everyone is saying has some truth to it, there should be a wooden cross on the side of the road with my name on it, but the side of the road is just as empty as the tomb of the man who saved me. I will forever rejoice in how wild that is!
It is a strange thing being told by others that you shouldn’t be alive. I’ve been wrestling with that thought for the past two months and still struggle with it. You see, I didn’t have an epiphany or watch my life flash before my eyes or have anything crazy happen. As person after person told me I should have died, I wasn’t surprised that I survived or that I was barely injured, it was just a fact to me. To me of course I was okay because God is good and He cares about me and is more than capable to protect me. Am I surprised that God protected me? No, because He’s God and He has a plan that is far more complex and beautiful than I could ever imagine, so regardless of how that night ended, He was in control. This has been as interesting truth to entertain because not all accidents end the way mine did, yet God cares deeply for everyone. He cares deeply about me, about the truck driver, the first responders, everyone that will hear this story (that means you) and every other person that has or ever will be. You are His Beloved child and no matter what life hits you with, He is good and is in control. I’m not going to pretend I understand God’s plan when things like this happen because the outcomes can vary greatly, but the God behind them is unwavering, as is His goodness and love.
Here are a few examples of God’s hand in this, some things went perfectly wrong:
- The driver that hit me was in a semi. At first that seems like a horrible thing, but because the driver was in a semi, he was protected from the impact, especially since he wasn’t looking. This means one less wooden cross.
- I went over the guardrail. Because I went over the guardrail I didn’t hit the car in front of me and that driver and any passengers were also safe from harm. Even fewer wooden crosses!
- The airbags didn’t deploy. Well, I am a little short so I sit close to the steering wheel and the airbag didn’t break my nose or just the simple fact that I was protected despite the fact that the airbags didn’t work.
- The cars behind the semi were volunteer firemen and first responders. I didn’t have to wait for an ambulance or the fire department to get me out of my car. They were kind enough to stop and help.
- It happened next to Muncie. Jake’s sister, Kylie, goes to school there and visited me in the hospital and was able to relay information to Jake because I lost my phone.
- I was out of state. However, Morgan, my brother’s fiancée was visiting her family and was in Fort Wayne for the day and was able to visit me in the hospital too and take me back to her parents when they released me until my parents could drive down the next morning.
His hand was in every little detail that night, it will forever amaze me.
So, the point isn’t me, that God saved ME. The point is that God is GOOD and He CAN save and that He DID save. However, this is so much bigger than not dying in a car accident; this is being saved from death, not just the physical kind. Jesus took the force of much more than a semi to save me, to save you. Jesus was hit with and took on the weight of the world and all of its sin so that you would know His love for you, so that you no longer need to be separated from God. He died in your place and rose again defeating death forever! Isn’t that crazy?! A semi sure is a small thing compared to the weight of the world and the sin of all mankind. I am eternally thankful He saved me from both.
So, what does this mean for you? Well, what is wrecking you or weighing down on you? Is it shame, anger, loneliness, depression, anxiety, judgement, fear,…etc? Will you let go and let Him take the weight from you? Whatever it is, Jesus wants to save you. He is sitting right next to you, holding and protecting you, just let him take the weight and the pain, nothing is too much, He has already defeated it. Don’t you want to walk away and leave the side of the road empty too?
If you want to know more about this man, friend, teacher and savior, Jesus, get ahold of me! I could talk about Him for days or I would love to answer any questions about Jesus, my relationship with Him, about the World Race, anything!
Thanks for reading,
Michaela
P.S. You are loved deeper than you will ever know!
