“We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-” (2 Cor. 4:8,9)
I have been struggling to come up with things to write on this blog before the World Race begins. I keep telling myself that I only have 4 more weeks until amazing and challenging things will happen to me that will be worth writing about. Well, God has been proving to me that there are so many teachable moments right here in my home town, in my normal everyday life.
On Thanksgiving Day I had a wonderful time with my family and reflected on how thankful I was for the many many blessings in my life including my family, friends, and the opportunity to go on the World Race. After sharing a great Thanksgiving meal at my Aunts house my family and I headed home. While we were driving around 55mph down the road a car pulled out right in front of us and we hit it. My mom and I were on the side of impact and were taken to the ER. We were both examined and left there with relatively minor injuries. That Thanksgiving I was truly thankful for my family and for our safety. In the days following the accident I was sore and took it easy but began to heal quickly with the help of chiropractic care.
Three weeks later I was feeling much better and felt like I really didn’t need much more therapy. As I was driving to meet a friend a deer ran across the road right in front of me and I nearly hit it. (Anyone living in an area with deer can relate to how dangerous and terrifying it is to almost hit a deer). I relaxed for a moment thinking that the danger had passed when a second deer ran out and struck my car. I immediately felt my back tense up in pain which was still healing from the first injury. It was scary just as the first accident was but I couldn’t stop thinking about how thankful I was for Gods protection and how it could have been so much worse.
I know the World Race will be full of challenges, and some will be unexpected such as these accidents were. Life is full of trials and tribulations; they look differently for each person. Sometimes in life you think you have avoided a bad situation just to be confronted head on with another problem; like I felt when I avoided the first deer I saw only to hit the second one I wasn’t looking for.
As believers in Christ we can overcome adversity when it hits us. We are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37) When tough times come, and we know they will- God is our strength and our comfort. We know that things will come and knock us to the ground. For me that meant getting in two car accidents three weeks apart BUT God will not abandon His children and He will be there through every trial and tribulation to bring us back on our feet.
God is good in every situation.
