I woke up Friday night feeling groggy and frustrated. My head hurt and my eyes burned. I was exhausted. On top of working 92 hours in 11 days, I had not been sleeping very well. I’d been full of worry. The anxiety caused me to grind my teeth and wake up after only three hours of slumber. I was anxious about the World Race. I was stressed about being away from friends and family for such a long period of time, and I was worried about my ability to fit a years-worth of my life into one 60 gallon backpack. Most of all though, I was concerned about the money. The start of 2014 really put things into perspective for me. I will be leaving in only 6 months! By that time, I would like to be fully funded. Although I am almost 25% of the way there, I still have a long way to go. In my panic, I text one of my squad mates and explained my concerns. He reminded me of Matthew 6:30-34. The verse comforted me a little, but I was unable to take it literally. That was January 3rd. The 4th is when the storm hit. By the time I left work Sunday morning, there was a substantial amount of snow that had accumulated over night. It was rough driving, but my little car finally made it home. I stepped inside to get ready for church and ended up falling asleep; an occurrence that is unfortunately all too common after a 10 hour 3rd shift. By the time I had to leave for a friend’s wedding shower later that day, the lack of traction on my tires and the continued piling of snow prevented me from making it even half a block down the block. I needed a ride. A friend picked me up and that was the last time I was to see home for a couple days.
After the shower, since I had no car, I left with my friend Holly. We braved the unplowed roads and made our way to her friends’ house for the evening. The two guys, lit a fire, started a movie and I fell asleep under their oversized 2” thick blanket. Outside, it continued to snow. And snow. And snow. By the time I woke up later that night, there was more powder covering the ground than I’d ever seen. I’ve lived in Michigan my entire life and the waist-high banks outside caused my jaw to drop. Shortly after my waking, the mayor announced that the county was in a state of emergency. Almost every business was closed and all non-essential driving was prohibited. The city had no choice but to be on winter lock down. We were snowed in. The whole concept was incredibly exciting. The idea of the entire state being disabled seemed a little apocalyptic to me and because I love adventure, I was enjoying every minute of it! That night, while Holly and I slept warm and cozy in our hospitable friends’ home, temperatures fell to -6 degrees Fahrenheit, with a wind chill that made it seem like -20. It was frigid! Three minutes outside would make your fingers go numb.
The following morning, the bitter cold remained. We spent about 10 minutes playing in the snow drifts and then resolved to stay the rest of the day inside. We watched movies, and more movies and after about the 5th one, my mind began to wander. My thoughts went back to the verse my squad mate had reminded me of a couple nights before. As I looked out the frosted window, I realized God had done it! He’d put that verse into action. He’d demonstrated it to me with an (epic) real-life situation. He’d clothed the grass, not in flower peddles like most people think of when they read that passage, but in snow! Two feet of it, only a night before temperatures dropped to a degree that seemed unbearable for Michigan life. He’d protected the earth by placing a thick, warm blanket over it. If God does that to trees, shrubs and weeds, how much more will he do that for his children? He loves people more than anything else he’s ever created, and he loves me; as a father loves his daughter.
I now have a renewed sense of confidence that God will provide, not only for the World Race, but for my entire future. As I sit here, in a house that isn’t mine, wearing gigantic men’s clothes that have been lent to me, with hair that smells like the guys’ shampoo I was allowed to borrow, I am reminded that God demonstrates his love to us through other people, and he will use our brothers and sisters to provide. How blessed we are to be called his Children!
Matthew 6 30-34
If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ … But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
