Yeah…yeah…yeah….I should have been asleep like 5 hours ago, but since I’m up….humor me……….
So, in November of 2015, one of my brothers married the love of his life. 🙂 Sweet…I agree…but no, this story isn’t about them (I know you’re bummed…their wedding was GORG! but I don’t really have a story about that). Anyhoo, they were
First, let me tell you something that will seem TOTALLY unrelated to this story. I had an extreme fear of driving over water. It was terrible! To the point that, if I drove over a bridge, I had to put my head down enough where I couldn’t see the water and I could see the road just enough to make it across. If I was in the passenger seat, I’d close my eyes and put my head down, almost between my knees. The longer the bridge, the longer my head was down. And sometimes, I even held my breath until I made it over (my soul look back and wonder…). Yeah….that bad. Okay……back to your regularly scheduled program…er uh…blogpost……
Mmmkay…so…the drive started out like any highway drive I’d taken. For the first few hours, we’d go and stop every 2-3 hours for restroom breaks (I had the nephew riding with me, 6 at the time). Once we got into the mountains, I. Was. TERRIFIED! The size of the mountains and the shadows that draped over the road intimidated me. It was to the point that, while driving over a few of them, I held my breath and gripped the steering so tight, that my fingernails dug into the palms of my hands. I could barely stand it! And then, let’s not forget the bear crossing signs, they were posted like the deer crossing signs over here in the Midwest; on the shoulder of the road, as if it was OKAY for a bear to cross the road while I was driving. At one point, I remember asking my god sister if they really meant what they looked like they meant; she had the nerve to laugh at me….I knew that meant “YES”.
Due to severe fog at the TOP OF A MOUNTAIN (where the speed limit was 70mph as I shared the narrow roads with semi drivers that don’t slow down around curves), and a detour (FIRST OF ALL…..who told them it was okay to detour me while I’m driving through a mountain???? Okay…sorry….), an 8 hour drive turned into an eleven hour drive. I realized at least two things that night…morning…whatever…………
Jesus really does put children to sleep during ong trips if you ask Him too. The last thing I needed was for my VERY inquisitive nephew to ask a TERRIFIED tee tee if we were almost there for 11 hours.
AND
Jesus REALLY DOES LOVE ME!!! Cause HONEY………………..for EVERY mountain He brought me over…..(and a praise…goes…THERE)!!!!!
As we entered the city, after five in the a.m., terror left me and exhaustion came over me. As we were on our way to the hotel, we drove over a bridge and I looked out of my window to admire the glistening water. I remember smiling and thanking God for making something so amazing. WAIT….!!!! I LOOKED OUT OF MY WINDOW TO ADMIRE THE WATER THAT I WAS DRIVING OVER!!! You see how that happened??? Those two instances were totally unrelated but God “killed two birds with one stone”, if you will. And, were they really “unrelated”? They both had a common denominator, FEAR! They both caused me to be fearful, a characteristic that my God did NOT bestow upon me. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) He gave me power….over fear. He gave me love…I’m sure to be able to admire His handy work, I.e…creating those large mountains and that glistening water. He gave me a sound mind…the ability to think for myself, and I’m sure, to understand that His creations are for me to appreciate, not be terrified of.
My point is……SO OFTEN, God allows us to go through a major situation because He knows that delivering us from that is the ONLY WAY that we will ever let go of the distraction and devastation from the other stuff (He made us and knows us better than we know ourselves). “Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (Psalms 100:3) You see, God brought me over and through those mountains to let me know that He can deliver me from ANYTHING!!! And that made me “realize” that the Creator of those mountains, is also the Creator of that water; and if He didn’t allow me to be consumed at an elevation of 2,000 or more feet (outside of an airplane), then He had no plans of allowing some rinky dink bridge to take me out either!
He wants us to allow Him to deliver us from and bring us through ALL THINGS! Not just the surface level stuff….but that deep down, hidden, skeleton in the closet stuff as well. I had NO IDEA I would be that afraid as I drove all those hours, but God did, and it took all those hours to deliver me from a fear that had momentary control over me, EVERY TIME I would drive over water and He delivered me from a fear I didn’t realize I had.
Spiritually, God let me know that no matter the size of the mountain, He will deliver me from it; no matter how much or how deep the “water” is, He won’t let me drown.
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.”
Psalms 46:1-3
Now….what an AMAZING GOD we serve!
“And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” (Psalms 37:40)
Be encouraged y’all! And know that there “ain’t no mountain high enough” to keep God from rescuing you!
Love y’all…I’m gonna actually go to sleep now……
Ms. A.M.White
#Fear #Inspiration #Focus #Encouragement #Thanks #reflection #Peace #Emotions #Prayer #Life #God #Process #Worship #Gratitude