He Cares

"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you" 1 Peter 5:7

As we visit today, I am praying that you would have some quiet moments visualizing yourself at the feet of Jesus, allowing Him to encourage and press into your heart---He cares for you.

"...he careth for you..." This wonderful, profound yet simple truth was etched into my heart on December 24, 2009. My Christmas Eve adventure was both a little stressful and little humorous. It involved me, the Lord, and yes, snow. My adventure is best shared moment-to-moment.

Timeline: 12/24/09

11:00 am...Left my parents home in Sherman, Tx. traveling by car to Amarillo in what is normally an 6-hour drive. Threw in my car last minute...2 water bottles, chopped pecans, a hand towel, a solo cup, and package of dog food(no, not for me, for my dog, Huntie). It was a crazy array of items but would become my survival tools for later events.

1:00 pm... Snow falling hard, but roads are drivable at a much slower speed. No problem, snow predicts to be more north than the way I am headed. Keeping in touch with family so they know what is going on. Stop several times to clear off windshield from snow and ice. Hand towel coming in handy. All is good.

2:00... Decide to stop and fill up with gas outside of Wichita Falls to be on the safe side. Notice several cars are stuck in the snow and ice. "Lord, just get me to Amarillo for Christmas Eve. Even if it is midnight, want to be there with them." Slowly merge back on the highway.

2:30... Come to complete stop as cars are in one lane due to build up of snow and ice. No moving whatsoever. "Come on. Let's go." Stopped dead still, no chance of going anywhere. Cars trying to turn around and finding themselves stuck in the snow and not able to go forward or backward.

4:00... Tears shed as I realize I won't be arriving in Amarillo and trying to reassure my daughters I am safe and will be okay. As I click "End" on my cell phone, crying out to the Lord to take care of me and comfort me as I realize that I am stranded on the highway in the middle of a winter snowstorm. I get out of the car to scrape off the ice and snow and the only tool I have is my Chick-fil-a gift card. Oh, me. I have to laugh! This is crazy. I walk to the car in front of me and ask if they have an ice scraper I can borrow...I will return it. They do.

5:00... Feed Huntie in the car. The close quarters with dog food is a little too strong. Storm passes over. Watch the sun come out. Move 10 feet. Watch the sun go down.

7:00... Watch the moon appear. Realize I won't be making Amarillo by morning.

8:00... Christmas Eve supper---chopped pecans and water. Are you kidding? Many conversations with my daughters. They hate that I am having that for supper. I am thankful for my supper. Asking the Lord to help me be brave and endure.

10:00... Things to be thankful for: food and water, yogurt gummy bears, dog food, great CD about the Lord being my Shepherd. Heater, full tank of gas, my heavy coat, and the solo cup for my personal pit stop. Got to keep a sense of humor. Realizing the sweet presence of the Lord.

12:00 am... Still not moving... will be sleeping in the car. Sleep comes in 10 minute intervals because I keep waking to see if we are moving, silly thought.

3:00... We are able to begin to move slowly down the snow lined highway. Call a dear friend of Amy's, who has kept in touch with me throughout the ordeal, who is in Wichita Falls for Christmas. The husband finds me and I follow him to their home to find hugs, tears, thankfulness, and a warm bed.

Christmas Day finds me with a family I know, but not all the relatives, yet they welcomed me and expressed how they had prayed for me. Enjoyed a Christmas brunch with them then got in my car to try to make it to Amarillo. "Operation - Rescue Beege" is the theme Amy and her family adopt to meet me half-way between Wichita Falls and Amarillo. Thankfully, Operation-Rescue Beege is a success! Wanting to take some stress off me, Matt drives my car the rest of the way to Amarillo and I relax in their car with Amy and the children. Yes! What a relief!

Through my being stranded on the highway for 12 hours, I experienced God's providential care for me! The last items I threw in the car. My filling up with gas before being stranded. Knowing different people praying for my safety. The awareness of God's sweet, sweet peace and enveloping me in His presence. Thanking Him for the situation and finding the humor in snow that He used once again to develop an even deeper trust in Him and His plans for me.

What is it that you might be walking through right now? Stop and realize...He cares for you. You...He cares for you, down to the last little detail. A simply, yet so powerful truth. Take the time to allow God to teach you through the circumstance, provide what you need, and trust Him the more.

What a loving Father we have. Let Him give to you His peace and an awareness of His presence.