I raced down I70, late for another doctor’s appointment.
Over mountain passes and three hours along the twisty highway, and I’d arrive at Denver Children’s Hospital.
I despised the long, car trip and the too-busy doctors, and I detested waiting rooms filled with tired, empty-eyed parents.
I followed a slow-moving semi, and tried to pass, but he hugged the centerline. I had trailed the same truck through the entire canyon, and it cost me at least twenty minutes.
Then, I felt words, heavy and demanding.
Slow down. Slow down. Slow down.
Not a chance, the only thing worse then traveling to a doctor’s appointment three hours away was the look from the check-in staff when we showed up late.
Pull over. Get off the road.
Irrational. There wasn’t even a gas station on the next exit, but for some reason, I pulled off.
Stay. Wait.
I sat in my car. How silly. Sitting alone in the middle of nowhere in the middle of winter.
I checked my daughter’s nasal cannula and oxygen. Fine. I got out of the car and checked the tires. Fine. What I needed to check was my head.
Wait.
And so I did. I waited, and watched five slow minutes tick by. Then, I pulled away, and discovered the on ramp closed.
Frustrated, I turned onto a frontage road that ran along the highway. Surely, it would connect me back to I70.
I rounded the corner and the semi, my slow-moving semi, stood engulfed in flames. Cars were tipped and scattered around the bent guardrail.
My just-missed fate, our just-missed fate.
That day I was hauling more than my sweet daughter to her doctor's appointment. I was also carrying three, flamable, E-sized cylindars of oxygen.
And this is the part where I’d like to say that I dropped to my knees in thanks, but really, I dropped to my knees and puked.
Amazing, God's voice and perfect detours.
Question: What about you, friends? Ever experienced anything similar? Ever listened to God’s irrational whispers?
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40 comments:
whoa. I mean, really, whoa.
Girl, you have got the gift of discernment. You heeded wisdom and it saved your life.
And, oh, how glad I am that you listened. what would life be without you? dreary, dismal, empty.
I have definitely had God talk to me while I was driving, but it was a personal revelation about how I lived my life - not a stop so you don't die type of experience. I wasn't appreciative, because it shocked me enough to where I jerked the wheel a little. I told God that He should save His revelations for when I was not operating heavy machinery! So glad you listened, Amy. So very glad. I would not have wanted to miss out on you.
Jen,
I'm usually not one to follow directions so easily...sometimes I'm still surprised I pulled over.
Carolyn,
I'm with you. Big life revelations should be saved for walking!
WOW. Talk about that still small voice. Thank you for sharing your story. It has encouraged me to clean out my ears and be more attentive to what I am hearing. ~Jessica
Oh, how He loves us! I'd have definitely puked too. So thankful for His mercy on your behalf.
How amazing is our God! I don't blame you for puking, I would have too! Wonderful story, thanks for sharing!
reading this story always gives me chills! can i just say how happy and grateful i am that you went against your nature and did as you were told!!! :) i love you! and your sweet girl!
what a big and mysterious and powerful God we serve!
Like Renne, gives me chills. Here's the scary thing -- I'm not sure I would have the discernment to actually listen. I'm so glad you did.
What an incredible testimony to His Faithfulness!!!! I am SO very thankful for His Hand of Protection over you and your precious daughter! What a powerful "Page in Your Heritage of Faith!!" Thank you so much for linking up today! I'm so happy to meet you. :)
Oh, my heart stopped. You must listen carefully to the Spirit speaking. What a faith building story you have to share with your children.
Blessings,
Pamela
Incredible story, Amy! Wow! God is always watching out for us. Are we always listening and responding to His voice?
Yes, I have felt His Voice talk to me. Do I listen? Like you I question then I stay still and wait.
Praising Our Lord for His Love for you and for your willingness to listen.
m.b.
Wow, Amy! Unbelievable, really! I sometimes second guess myself so much in the discerning process that I wonder if I would have heeded the warning. Praise God for your safety and for the safety of your little girl! It is a comforting thought to KNOW He is watching out for you.
Oh wow, what a story. Goosebumps. So glad you listened to that God voice b/c He has big plans for you Mrs. Sullivan! ;)
Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left. Isaiah 30:21
Thank you, Jesus!
and...thank you, Amy for recounting God's faithfulness to lead His children~
oh my gosh, this totally made me cry. i often think of that old amy grant song from the 80's (angels watching over me) and wonder just how many things we're protected and saved from that we aren't even aware of. and then there's things like this... that we're made so excruciatingly aware of and it blows my mind. thank God he speaks. and thank God you listened. the world still needs you and your sweet girl, absolutely and without a doubt.
So thankful that He has left His holy spirit in us to guide us and to speak those words of "STOP", "WAIT", "NOW".
So thankful that you listened.
Amazing how many ways God is in the details.
Bless your sweet heart for listening, Amy. And your lovely words that make me want to listen to the Holy Spirit more often.
What was going on with your daughter? Have you blogged about this before and I have just missed it?
Fondly,
Glenda
it is good that he walks with us, yes? thank you for sharing of His safe-caring.
"irrational whispers" I love this term because yes, I've experienced them before. They make me frustrated and I fight against them at first, being the stubborn girl I am, and then I give in- wishing I had just listened well the first time. My favorite irrational whisper from God is way too long to share. It involved sharing an extremely personal letter that our son's birthmother had written to us explaining her would-be appt. for an abortion until her mother convinced her to have an ultrasound. Birthmother penned all this and gave to us....a treasure of God's intervention and protection. Fast forward five years later. I was visiting a woman in a homeless shelter who was pregnant, had a nine year old already and had major back pain. The combined inconveniences were driving her to an abortion. She just lacked the money but was almost at the amount she needed. God said into my heart, "read her the letter". I was like "you gotta be kidding. nobody knows about that letter but me and Randy and our parents" but He wasn't kidding. I shared the letter as hard as it was to read such a personal and emotionally charged letter TO.A.STRANGER but God used it. Long comment short: She made an adoption plan, had her baby boy and he is placed in a loving home. And yeah, I think He used that irrational whisper to aid in the saving of a life. Praising Him for your own irrational whisper and your listening ears on that day you'll never forget. I'd be puking too. Had to laugh at that comment.
Wow...just wow...
I think us moms have an irrational fear of something crazy happening to our kids and losing them before our time is done on earth. But this story is proof-positive that God is in control!! No matter what we do or don't do, ultimately, the decision is His and we are just waiting our time out here. But this story gives me hope - especially with my irrational fear that my 3 year old will stop breathing in the middle of the night...(true story...I shouldn't admit to it I suppose!!! :)
(((Amy))) So proud of you in the listening (and telling of God's faithfulness, and linking). The personal stories are best, I think, because they're the ones the children will want to read, later, and pass on to their children. The baby who was on oxygen? She'll want to tell HER daughter: "Let me tell you how much God loves my mother, and me, and how very much He wanted YOU here." xoxoxoxo
That is certainly an example of "trust and obey" Amy.
I can't think of a time where I had that kind of brush with death, but I have stopped and waited for no apparent reason--unknown what would have happened.
Wow - what a story. I'm going to listen and obey the next time I hear one of those "irrational whispers," that is for sure. Thank you, Amy.
Jen, took my exact word. Whoa. Glory to God for sure!
This post reminds me of how Sovereign He truly is. He gives and takes away. To know the God of the universe pulled you and Amelia off the road that day humbles me, as I am sure it does you (hence the puking). Thanks for sharing a powerful story.
I am so glad you listened. Those gut feelings. So often you hear stories where people do not listen and in hindsight they said they had that gut feeling. God feeling.
xo
So happy that you obeyed that still small voice. I have heard of others who were told to NOT board that airplane and obeyed and escaped a crash. Others who did not heed the voice and ended up in the hospital. Later they said, I should have listened. I am so glad you did listen! Thank you for visiting my blog also!!
So grateful you listened...I recently felt like I should start a ladies' Bible Study...I was sure it was another one of my hairbrained, failure ideas. But to my surprise, I've added a newbie each week that we've met! One of the girls has even started coming to my church.
Wow. Praising Him for His warning and for your hearing Him. What an awesome testimony Amy!
This is such an amazing story! God has great plans for you and I've just begun to read your stories! Keep them coming! =)
Amazing story; how much He cares! Thankful for His guiding hand on your and your child's life that day.
Love your blog, Amy. I've spent some time here this morning and I'll be back. Thanks for taking the time to comment at aplaceforthoughts.com last week.
Wow. Thank God for His speaking to your heart, and your listening. That's simply amazing. Prayers for those who may have been affected by the wreck. Wow.
Absolutely Incredible!! So thankful you listened to the God Voice in you....and headed His warning! Praise God! What a powerful testimony to His love and goodness! ~ jen
Powerful.
Once, while driving a narrow, winding, mountain road, I heard God call my name. I didn't exactly hear an audible voice, but it felt audible because it was that intense and distinct. I was tired, driving home. I knew who it was instantly. There was no need for introductions. The voice in my head startled me. It could have been a burning bush, so affected I was by it. I suddenly knew there was danger and I must be on the alert. I began slowing down, braking hard. I can't explain why, but I knew I had to.
Immediately, a sports car came down the center of the very narrow road (with steep rock on either side of it) RIGHT AT ME. I pulled over as fast as I could, as far as I could, and JUST MISSED impact. It all happened very fast. There was really no warning and no way I could have anticipated it.
Wow. This is powerful stuff. Amazing.
I'm glad you listened. After experiencing something like that, how could anyone not believe?
Wow, that is crazy. It reminds me of something on a smaller scale. My 5 year old recently feel about 8 feet from the top of a playground. He was completely unharmed, despite the close proximity of the metal posts used to support the playground. All I could think is my father-in-law (who passed suddenly 3 years ago) was protecting him from Heaven. I'm your newest follower from http://www.mama-press.com (a little overdue too...sorry!).
So happy that you are all right! What an amazing God moment!
Amy, I am loving your blog. Great writing and great perspective!
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