Jesus, Take The Wheel (Part 2)

It was never determined what happened with the two ladies driving westbound who drove right in front of the semi-truck, inches away from two different head on collisions. And One of the head on collisions being us. The driver couldn't remember what had happen. We all feel like she fell asleep. Whatever the case was, we all know that God was active in all of ours lives that day. In fact, God was active the whole weekend. The weekend started out different for us than normal anyhow. Tammie and I had a new ministy that we attended for the first meeting on Friday night. It was a prayer ministry that our church just started. We almost didn't go knowing that we were going to be getting up early in the morning on Saturday to head to Kansas. But we went anyhow, and had a blessing. Only three people attended the first meeting. Tammie, myself and Diana Harton. Being kind of down about some issues in my life for the past couple of weeks, I found this fellowship this night was very encouraging and uplifting. I left there feeling pretty good about issues and felt genuinely uplifted. The ride up to Kansas was very pleasant. Tammie and I spent quality time together that we hadn't had for a while.
However, by the time I woke up on Sunday morning, I was already dreading the ride back, and the return back to work, knowing ahead of time, that I would be tired. You know worrying makes you even more tired than you already are. We really didn't have the money to be going on a trip like this, so that was another "worry" on my shoulders. "Will we have enough money to get back home?" was ours thoughts all weekend long.
Tammie and I are terrible financial planners. We live from paycheck to paycheck, never saving for a rainy day. In fact, According to what I bring home in a month, actually, we should be in the hole more and more each month. But somehow, God makes it work for us. God still blesses us even though, when we get some extra money for some reason, instead of saving for a rainy day, we splurge and squander it away, until it is gone. Elders have always told us that the happiest days of their lives were early in their marriage when they didn't have anything but love for each other. Well Tammie and I have been married for 23 years still relying on the love for each other to get us by. When will the early years be gone, because I feel like I've been married to her forever............Don't take that the wrong way, honey, I would never trade you for anything.........

Time to return home, When we left Sunday evening at 4:30 pm, we had a Walmart card with enough $ on it to fill up our van one more time, and $15 in our pocket. We had already written a check that day in hopes that it wouldn't clear the bank until after I get paid, because according to our records we had a negative amount in the bank. We had a few snacks and some drinks, and that was it for us. No credit card, no savings account, this was it. With a 10 hour trip ahead of us we knew that we better plan our return wisely. We never dreamed that "the wreck" was in the making.
The wreck took up about 2-3 hours of our precious time. After the wreck, we were on pins and needles, worn out and irritable. We were arguing with each other about every little thing. We made a wrong turn in one town, then got lost in another town after we ate and filled our van up with gasoline. It was going on 9:30 pm, and still in Kansas. I was thinking now that we might not get home until the sun starts rising the next morning. Thinking, how in the world are we going to be able to do this. I was too tired to drive and Tammie can't see very well at night, but was giving it a valid attempt. As I was thinking to myself, "God, I wish I had enough money to stay overnight in a hotel" another miracle happened.
My cell phone rang. I'm not going to name this individual on the account that it would probably embarrass him. For now I will call him John Doe.
John Doe has always been a great Christian friend of mine. He has been an accountability partner at times, an encourager when I've needed encouraging. A counselor when I've needed counseling. What a great friend John Doe is to me. So giving. So trustworthy. A true deacon in the presence of the Lord. A true ambassador for Christ himself.
My cell phone rang, and it was John Doe.
" Kevin......I felt the sudden urge to call you.....Is everything OK?"
Isn't that amazing ???????? God whispered in John Does ear to check on me!!!!!!!
After telling him about the situation that we've encountered all day, he asks, "Where are you right now?" I answered, "somewhere in Kansas". He asked, "You are spending the night somewhere aren't you?" To which my reply was, "nope, don't have any money". Of course, being in Kansas, if you're getting a signal on your cell phone, it's a blessing within it self, and we lost our connection.
Tammie and I finally figured out which way we needed to go, and we just passed a sign that said "Joplin, Missouri........9 miles". We finally left Kansas and entered Missouri, that was a milestone all by itself.
My cell phone rang again, and again, it was John Doe. First thing he asks me was, "How far are you away from Joplin, Missouri?" I answer with excitement, "9 Miles"!!!!!!!
He proceeds to tell me that there is a reservation at Super Eight Motel in Joplin for me. There is a free breakfast at the hotel in the morning. He told me to stop and get a good nights rest.


Wow !!!!!!!!! I still get chill bumps thinking about the miracles in my life all during this one weekend. God was active in my life the whole way. Watching my every move, tending to my every need. Knowing what I needed before I did. Whispering to a friend to help me. Planning my whole trip and then guiding me through it. With all of the crisis in the world today, the war in Israel, in Iraq, in Afghanistan and many other parts of the world. With all of the starving people in so many countries, including our own. With all of the hurting people crying out to Him all over the world. So many other people are so much more worthy of God's time than me. Still.....Still.... He had time to cater to my every need, in order to bring me back home safely to my home. Thank you God, for the chance to live another day and tell people about what you did for me. I shared this story with the men at the prison Tuesday night in Dermott. God chose me to deliver the message that night.

My thanks go out to John Doe, you know who you are, Thank you for being such a great Christian Soldier for God. With God's guidance that night, you played a huge part in saving mine and Tammie's life. So Thank you, and God bless you and your family.

From the Cruise control going out to the second we pulled safely in our driveway,
Jesus had the Wheel in His hands the whole way. AMEN.