Deviating from my usual rhyming poetry, I wrote a short story for today's read. It may or may not have actually happened, but I know I have always had a fear of being lost in the dark.
Lost but not Alone
There were no stars in the night sky. The clouds had covered the moon. It was a pitch black; a darkness that was
haunting. As she drove in the darkness,
the white lines on the road looked blurred.
Her inability to see in front of her was alarming. She clutched the steering wheel with a grip
that caused her shoulders to raise and stiffen in a crouched position. Her teeth were clenched tightly making her
jaw throb in pain. There was a
hollowness in the pit of her stomach.
Her heart pounded deep in her chest, and she felt like her throat was
going to close. She blinked her eyes to
try and clear the fog from her head. The
literal fog was blinding, and she was lost.
When and where she took the wrong turn was something she did not
know. Then rain started to fall. As her windshield wipers kept the beat, fear
overtook her, and her thoughts were running wild. Her 1974 Chevy was running low on gas, or was
it? It was hard to know as the gas gauge
was unreliable and had needed repair for some time. Was she running on fumes? Would she be forced
to stop along a road she did not know?
The rain came down harder, and she didn’t know where to go. Her fear was overwhelming. There were no road signs, no landmarks, no
civilization. She did not even see a
random house along the roadside. She argued within herself whether to turn
around and go back into the unknown or continue forward into the unknown.
It was tormenting to be driving alone, in the dark, possibly
with no fuel and to be lost with no sense of direction. She pulled off to the shoulder of the narrow
road, laid her head down onto the steering wheel and began sobbing. It was a sob that didn’t relieve her fear or
distress; it only escalated her situation into a panic attack. She tried to calm herself as she almost
hyperventilated. She rolled down her
window and let the rain fall onto her face mixing with her tears. Her hopelessness and her thought process had
already begun to fabricate the horrible scenarios that could happen to
her.
At that moment, she began to pray, harder than she ever had
in her lifetime: “Please God. Help
me. Lead me. Guide me. Keep me Safe. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Just as quickly, a calm came over her
body. The pressure inside her chest was lifted. She knew she was not alone. She realized she was never really alone. Lost, yes.
Afraid, yes, but not alone. She
called on her heavenly Father to help her in her time of need. Her strength was renewed, and she collected herself
with a surge of confidence that was necessary to carry on. It was then she decided to turn back. She would turn around and go back the way she
came. With a deep breath and a huge
exhale, she put the car in gear.
The rain slowly started to let up as she returned along the
same route she had just travelled. She
had her resolve. Her shoulders relaxed some, and the clinch in her jaw
softened. Her mind which had been racing
was starting to think more clearly. And
she prayed, “I put my trust in you Lord” and “I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me”. The panic
lifted and she had a feeling of safety.
She continued to drive, but still no other cars were in sight. After about 3 miles, she heard a small voice
inside her head urging her to turn right at the next road. She thought it strange, but she had an
uncontrollable urge to turn right, and she felt led to turn. She made the turn, and the rain completely
stopped. Now her visibility had improved
and even though nothing looked familiar to her, she felt better. In another mile or so, she again felt compelled
to make another turn. After she made
that turn, she began to pass a few cars along the way. She was so encouraged. Cars were coming from the direction she was
heading. That was a good sign. “Thank you, Jesus” she said under her breath. Almost without warning, the road opened up
into a major intersection with a gas station on her right. It was lit up brightly and was
welcoming. She had tears of joy flowing
down her face as she pulled up slowly to the gas pumps. She was definitely going to fill up her tank
and go inside for directions. Her
prayers had been answered. Her heart was uplifted, and she knew she was going
to be okay.
In times of trouble, she had always been taught she could call on the God of all creation. She had heard that her entire childhood. She was raised to hear the miracles of Jesus in class every Sunday. She remembered a poster that was in her classroom that proclaimed: “Faith is always stronger than Fear”. She felt thankful and blessed. Her faith had carried her through a frightening situation. The next day she wrestled with the idea of sharing her experience with others. Would they think she was a lunatic? On one hand, she wanted to tell everyone she knew what had happened, but on the other hand, she was not willing to subject herself to the judgement of others. Again, fear was dictating her life. It was one thing for her to have a personal relationship with Christ, but it was quite another to be a witness for Him. She knew the Lord called her to spread the good news, but she felt weak and unwilling.
The situation she had experienced produced a story that was
perfect for sharing with others in order to share her faith. It was relatable and powerful. Maybe by sharing, she could help someone else
call on God in their time of need. It
was a responsibility, but it felt like a burden. For several days, she pondered what her
co-workers would say if she shared with them.
Would they laugh?
Sympathize? Understand? She mustered up the courage. Today would be the day. Her whole headspace had become so exaggerated. The what-ifs were a pile of doubt standing in
her way, but she brushed it all aside.
During her lunchbreak she sat down as always across from the people who
were her co-workers. She thought it
amazing how she could work with people every day and really not know anything
about them and their spirituality. She poured her heart out to them, sharing
the story of the night that was so overcome with fear, then joy. Her emphasis was on the fact that the Holy
Spirit had led her out of the darkness and into the light. The response was enormously positive. They weren’t skeptical of her. She didn’t think they thought she was a
lunatic. Some pondered the story, and
others soaked it up like a sponge. One
lady with tears in her eyes said she knew the power of the Holy Spirit. It was refreshing to find a fellow believer. For others, she knew she had planted a
seed. Someone else might have to come
along to water it and help it grow, but she felt she had fulfilled her calling.
Sharing the gospel is hard for most, but it is made easier
through personal experiences we all go through.
These real-life situations are happening all around us. If God performs a miracle for you, be sure to
share it with others. It is a gift he is
giving you to give to others. Look for
God working in your life every day. He
is there. You are not alone!
Tammy Harvey
2/28/2022
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