THE TEAR

July 5, 2016 | lindamowles

The tear – it can be shed because we are sorrowful, in pain, frightened, or angry. Or, it can be shed because we are joyful, relieved, empathizing, or celebrating. (I will always cry when the Bridal March begins, whether or not the bride has even begun walking the aisle!) Crying is therapeutic – it gets pent up emotions out and relieves tension. You could say that tears are suitable for a host of purposes!

used A Tear — A child’s tear lingers on his cheek, even as a smile crosses his face! For his grandmother, the tear tugs at her heart. For him, the tear will be gone soon, but the grandmother’s heart will take a bit more time to heal!

What tugs at my heartstrings the most, though, is a tear from my grandchildren. Now, I know that children shed tears in the process of growing up, it just happens. I also know tears can be shed when children encounter something that is unfamiliar to them even if there is no discomfort or danger. I know that tears come as a result of, often very well-needed, discipline. And, I know that children are not above shedding some tears in an effort to get what they want, even if it is abject posturing to get something from their Grandparents!

Crying — Sometimes the adult, believing she is giving the child an exciting day, results in frightening the young child so much that tears flow. The adult may explain that there is no danger, but still the tears flow.

As parents, we want our children to be healthy and happy. Who has not looked at their sick child and at least thought, if not said aloud, “I wish it was me instead of my baby!” Sometimes we simply cannot kiss it and make it better, and our tears will flow out of frustration, concern, helplessness ‐‐ love.

Jesus knew our feelings because He experienced them. He wept when his close friend Lazarus died.[John 11:35] He wept when he looked out over the city of Jerusalem [Luke 19:41 ] knowing that, because they had rejected him, tribulation would come and the city would be devastated. Our Savior experienced physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual pain, during his time here with His creation.

And, deep down inside, I believe that His heart hurts when He hears our cry and sees our tears. However, unlike us, He was not “helpless” in the face of sorrow or disappointment. He was, at all time, the God‐man – fully God and fully man. Through His act of obedience to the Father’s plan, He went to the cross so that we would have an escape from the pain inflicted upon us by sin.

Further, because of His triumph over sin and death, He knows that our troubles will last only for a short while, that there is a lesson we need to learn from the events that sparked the tears, and that He is with us through the dark times. We simply need to trust Him and hold His Hand as He sees our path while we cannot.

I have not been immune from those dark times. I have experienced nights on end with tears as my only companion. I worked to keep the family on an even keel when its support suddenly disintegrated before my eyes. There were times that the tears flowed so hard that I could not breathe, and I relied on the Holy Spirit to pray for that which was best because I could not.

I also know that no one can take your tears away; no one stands in your shoes; no one understands the disappointment you have encountered; and no one has endured the dark night that you are in or that you have experienced. It is yours and yours alone. David was well acquainted with the loneliness and pain that difficulties, fearful events, strife, and sin can create. He refers to it as the “valley of the shadow of death.”

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4-6.

But notice the rest of this sentence, even though he was in the valley, he was not bound by fear. David knew that the Lord was with him and was providing comfort to him, even in the darkness of that valley.

I certainly am not David, but I can affirm that I have experienced release from the tears and dark times through the grace of God, the love of His Son Jesus, the solace of the Comforter, and the soothing hands of His Church. Beloved, rest assured that you are not alone as you go through your difficult times.

Picture hanging in our office — Picture depicting Jesus as the Good Shepherd holding His lamb in His nail-pierced hand.

The Good Shepherd has given His life for you and He will guard and protect you as His own. [John 10:11]

Lift up your eyes and look for Jesus and He will give you strength. As incongruous as it sounds, while you are crying tears of grief, sorrow, fear or pain, you can experience peace and even joy because He has you in His arms and there really is nothing to fear. Martin Luther says it well in the Hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”:

The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still, His kingdom is forever.

One day you will be able to look in the rear view mirror of your life and see the valley that you climbed out of, and you will be able to praise His Name as you thank Him for His kindness and grace, even in those dark times.

Joy is possible even as tears linger on your cheek!

Father, I thank You for being with me through your Son, my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ and His Spirit, my Comforter. Thank You for the truth that You are sovereign and that nothing will frustrate your plans for me or for your church. Thank You for bringing me through the valley and for holding me even when my tears flowed. Thank You for your love.

GIANT SEQUOIA TREES ILLUSTRATE PERSEVERANCE.

November 14, 2015 | lindamowles

After going to the Maricopa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, I have a tremendous amount of respect for these gentle giants of the forest. Their size can only be described as gargantuan and their age makes Methuselah sound like a teenager!

But one of the characteristics I note with particular interest is what I would call “perseverance”. Now, I know that the trees have no awareness or sense that they have persevered through difficult times. But, the fact remains, that there is evidence on many of these old creatures of significant trial, especially by fire.

Giant Sequoia fire scar with seedlings nearby.

These are two of the Giant Sequoia Trees which show the fire scars as evidence of the trees’ perseverance through ferocious wildfires through the centuries they have lived.

Fire scar completely through the base of Giant Sequoia Tree

God, in His ultimate wisdom, created these trees knowing that they would be around for a long time and that, in the natural order of things, fire would destroy some of the forest ground cover as is necessary for a healthy forest environment. So, God gave the Giant Sequoias the ability to survive severe fire damage, this being, according to the National Park Service, “a remarkable characteristic of the Sequoia.” I spoke of this characteristic in a prior post, “Difficulties Can Produce Beautiful Fruit” posted August 19, 2015.

The focus here, is not so much the physical fact of their survival, but the concept of perseverance … or, as is applicable to Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, perseverance of the saints.

I realize that the trees can’t just pick up and move when the going gets hot. They are “stuck” there, so to speak. Notwithstanding this truth, consider what is visible from the trees pictured below — above the top of the fire scar there is green growth and abundant branches. The trees are not just alive; they are healthy, surviving and flourishing. They endure the flames and then survive and keep on prospering, right where they are.

Yosemite Sequoia Tree tops showing growth despite the fire scar.

God knows me, too. He knows that trials will come and the heat may be intense. He also knows that I cannot face it alone. In His grace He has not left me alone – He has provided a way for me to survive, not through a layer of cambium but through Jesus Christ as my Savior, the Holy Spirit as my Companion, and the Body of Christ, the Church.

Canterbury Cathedral where there have been worship services for over 1400 years!

Whether grandiose and ancient as seen in the 1,400 year old Canterbury Cathedral, or small and rustic such as the historic Cades Cove Church in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the church building is the meeting place for the Body of Christ.

Church in Cades Cove, Smoky Mountain National Park, Tennessee

Believers, themselves, are the Body of Christ when they work together for the spreading of the Gospel of Christ and in support of each other as the family of Christ and children of the Living God.

When Daniel’s three friends, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar and refused to bow down to him, they told the king that they would only worship their God. In rage, the king threw the three men into the fiery furnace, but when king looked into the furnace, he saw four men in the fire. Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego were retrieved from the furnace and they were not burned or singed and they did not even smell of fire. See Daniel 6:23-27. God walked with them in the fire, and they were unharmed because they persevered in their faith and in reliance upon God.

I have the same God who went into the fire with His children as recounted in Daniel chapter 6. He is the Great Healer, my Companion and my Guide. He has given me His Word (the Holy Bible) and He has ordained that the Body of Christ, the visible church on earth, be available to me as a believer in Christ for support, prayer, strength, encouragement, and help in time of need. This does not mean that struggles will not come, or even that I am guaranteed that the struggle will not be stronger than I am — but it does mean that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate me from the love of God that I have through Christ Jesus. Read Romans 8:35-39.

God's roadmap for our lives, steering us directly to Him -- the Holy Bible. — God’s roadmap for our lives, steering us directly to Him — the Holy Bible.

In short, He has provided the way and the strength to persevere through the trial so that, at the last day, I will be able to stand before Him, clothed in the righteousness of His Son and be accepted by Him as His child. My obligation is to joyfully take advantage of the strength He has provided when difficult times come.

James writes in his letter that we should “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4.

I don’t know about you, but I normally do not consider it “pure joy” when a trial comes my way. No one wants hard times – but hard times do not play favorites. Jesus promised that there would be hard times for the Christian … it is not a matter of IF there is a trial; it is simply a matter of WHEN the trial will arrive. Perseverance in our Christian walk comes as a result of enduring the testing of our faith, and the result of perseverance is maturity in Christ.

The Giant Sequoia tree reminds me that perseverance is possible. The Lord has provided these trees with protection and healing after a fire. He has provided me with the Comforter who is with me not only for healing after the fire has passed but the Comforter is with me even during the trial, giving strength, encouragement and, yes, comfort. And He has provided the Body of Christ, the Church, for my support, encouragement and aid.

Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus Christ into this world as the atonement for my sin. Thank you also for providing means of grace so that I can persevere when difficult times assail, thank you for the Holy Spirit present within and the Church present without for strength and encouragement, prayer and praise, help and aid during times of testing. Help me to be of encouragement to your children through your Spirit and the Word. Rather than fighting the test, Father, help me to embrace it and persevere through it so that I will be mature in my faith. Thank you for being with me, even in the furnace of testing. I praise your name and glorify you in all things.

WHO IS HOLDING YOUR HAND?

July 18, 2015July 18, 2015 | lindamowles

There was a song that we sang in my home church when I was a child and the words went something like this:

I don’t know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know Who holds tomorrow
And I know Who holds my hand.

I believe the title of the song is “I know who holds my hand”. I have tried to find out who authored the lyrics to give credit where credit is due and all I have come up with is “unknown” as the author. I don’t remember the words to the rest of the song, but I know that the part I have quoted has been part of my being for many decades and has provided peace and comfort through its text.

So – Who holds my hand? My parents held my hands and took me to church, telling me of God, of Jesus and His love. But, both of them are now gone. Now, my loving husband holds my hand, but he, like I, cannot know what tomorrow may bring.

In our fallen, sin-sick world, there are times when situations come upon you that stun you into complete silence. Circumstances arise that you could not have imagined, and, if you had been told of them before they actually happened, you would have vehemently denied that such an event would even be possible!
But then it happens, and what was formerly unthinkable becomes not only possible but fact, and you are left with shambles in your hands, a hole in your heart, and confusion reigning in your mind.

U.S. Marines at the Barracks, Washington D. C.

One such situation arose in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Thursday, July 16, when a gunman drove to a recruiting office and started shooting through the windows; he then drove to a Marine Reserve Center and started shooting, ruthlessly taking the lives of four members of the United States Marine Corps, one member of the U. S. Navy, and injuring a number of others before he was stopped by the Chattanooga Police. Men who defended our country in war overseas were gunned down in their own country.

U.S. Marine Corps Honor Guard, Washington, D.C.

They didn’t know when they left home for work that morning that it would be their last day on earth. Their families didn’t know that they were about to lose a beloved member of the family. Chattanooga didn’t know that the city would be rocked by the act of a shooter who killed indiscriminately that morning.

As we watched the news about Chattanooga, the similarity to the news from Charleston, South Carolina came to mind as we remembered the carnage at the Mother Emanuel Church just a few weeks ago. Nothing can prepare you for such an event. It was unthinkable until we had to face the fact that it was, indeed, a reality.

Empty platitudes are insufficient to offer a balm or salve for hearts that are ripped open by grief. As we try to recover from the shock and enormity of the carnage, we must remember all the promises that we have in Scripture through the grace and mercy of our God and Father.

Who holds my hand? Who can give solace and peace when things fall apart? Who is Strength, Comfort and Everlasting Love?

It is my God, my Savior and my Comforter.

God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
- Old Testament: God is not limited in time, as are we. Indeed, He is the perpetual I AM. See Exodus 3:13 where God tells Moses that I AM is directing Moses to lead the people out of Egypt.
- New Testament: This thought is reiterated in Hebrews 13:8 where we read: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
God is the lover of my soul.
- Old Testament: Isaiah 38:17 reads: “Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.”
- New Testament: Jesus said: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
God is also my Redeemer and my Savior.
- Old Testament:
  - Job 19:25 says: “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth….”
  - Isaiah 48:17 says: “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.’”
- New Testament:
  - Paul says in Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”
  - John 3:14-16: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
  - John 6:35: “Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.’”

So, where do you draw your strength and comfort in difficult times? We who are Christians are called to be strength and comfort to those who are grieving, hurt and distressed. We are to be the hands and feet of Christ as we live out our faith to others, especially during difficult times like these. We can pray for them, comfort them, and provide assistance because even the routine things will be difficult for the families who have had their lives disrupted in such a brutal way. This is not to minimize the tragedy at all, but ultimately, the best thing we can do is to point them to Jesus Christ who is the Source of real comfort and peace here and forever more..

So, Who is holding your hand?

THE HORRIBLE/WONDERFUL CAMPING TRIP!

July 9, 2015July 9, 2015 | lindamowles

We are getting ready to go on a short camping trip and in considering the things to take, I remembered a camping experience in March 2014 where I thought I had covered all the bases, but, the Horrible/Wonderful Camping Trip was the result!

One month earlier we had adopted Cuddles, the first of our two miniature pinchers.

Cuddles is showing her “I’m so small, but so cute” expression!

She was just getting used to us at home when we took her on a camping trip with our then 7-year old grandson who wanted to go camping for “Spring Break” which happened to be toward the end of a very cold winter.

While our grandson had been in the RV before, Cuddles had not. (Picture of us on the way to the RV … excitement and anticipation oozing out of every pore!)

The response of our canine daughter was much less than enthusiastic when the sounds of travel in the RV began, and when she was harnessed into a seat which she did not particularly appreciate.

When we arrived at the huge campground we found only one other RV and it was being stored, not used. (This shows a big campground that is not filled with campers … picture this with rain and mud, then you get the idea!)

Another clue that this was going to be a memorable (?) trip was the weather – not only was it cold, we drove through heavy rain all the way to the campground. But Grammy and Papa persevered because they had promised a camping trip and, by golly, we were going to produce on our promise!

Cuddles, on the other hand, was not as excited since she was a bit more realistic … going to the bathroom in freezing cold rain, on wind-swept frozen grass is just not her cup of tea. (Here she is shown shortly before this trip in our backyard with her coat on, standing at the window while looking at the snow … “do I really have to get in that? I am, after all, a member of the family!”)

And the 7-year-old grandson anticipated, correctly, that it was likely going to be his job to walk Cuddles at the campground, with his jacket on and hood up, until she went to the bathroom since Grammy and Papa were old, or rather “seniors”!

We, however, dismissed the bad weather outside because we were ready for inside recreation. We came armed with games, DVDs and video games to play since the rain would prevent us from doing much outside – but within minutes the [new] DVD player developed a thumping sound that permeated the heart and mind of all of us. It was a pitiful sight to see us viewing Wallace and Grommit when we missed every 4^th word or more because of the persistent pounding.

When the movie failed, we decided to run some water in the sink for hot chocolate — and the frozen hose burst. Same held true with the shower hose, so our entertainment became a trip to a delightful RV supply store with Papa and the grandson installing replacement hoses and faucets.

Thinking, perhaps, that a rest might have helped the DVD, we tried the movie again but Wallace and Grommit still thumped their way through missing words.

We noticed a “dog park” when we pulled into the campground, so we promptly took off for that once the rain had ended. When we got there, we saw all the elements of a doggy playground … teeter/totter, tunnel, low fence to jump, ramp up to a trestle and a ramp down on the other side, with a lot of room to run and all of it was fenced so no leash was needed. Just what the doctor ordered after confinement in the RV. But, it was MUDDY after all the rain … no grass, just mud. When our grandson started to run to entice Cuddles to run, both the dog and the boy rained mud and neither of them liked it!

We marched back to the RV with one very dejected young man. But then he cheered up when he remembered that we always had a campfire to make s’mores. (Note, this is the campfire our grandson was dreaming of!)

But, Papa correctly said no campfire that night because the wind was blowing far too hard: a campfire would not burn as it was too windy and too wet, not to mention cold! Dejection reigned supreme!

But Dejection had met its match when it encountered Grammy!

I had seen a “portable s’more maker” advertised in a catalog. It looked interesting so I purchased it. When it came, I described it to a coworker and she said: “A portable s’more maker? That’s a pile of wood and a match!”

Well, no one really took me seriously, but my time to shine had come … I looked at my grandson and said “We don’t need a campfire because we can make s’mores inside where it’s warm with Grammy’s portable s’more maker!”

While he was a bit of a doubter at first, when I brought out the box, the potential promise of s’mores was too strong — he was willing to open it, just in case I was right. The ceramic pot with sterno fuel provides the heat to cook, or burn, the marshmallow, as your discriminating taste may prefer. He loved it and we had fun making s’mores that evening, even if it was blustery outside in the frozen, virtually empty campground. Papa even joined in the fun although it was a bit crowded around the small “campfire” in the RV.

We left the campground early the next day and returned to the warmth of the fireplace at home and talked about our camping trip … laughing about the broken hoses, the dog park mud, the empty campground, and the inside s’mores.

I had planned for a camping trip because it was something that our grandson said he wanted – what he really wanted was time with us and memories that were unique to our experience. Those he got in abundance.

How like our relationship with God. In Deuteronomy 11:13 we are commanded

“to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul”.

This commandment did not end when Jesus arrived because He reiterates this as the greatest commandment for us in Matthew 22:37.

In fact, Jesus promised that His Spirit would be with us, enabling us to do that which He commanded. See John 14:16-17:

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

How do we show our love? Think about your first love, your spouse, children, or parents. The ways love can be expressed are as many and myriad as there are people.

Papa and grandson playing hotwheels — Papa and grandson playing with Hotwheels

Multigenerational family playing football

But one of the prime characteristics of love in action is that you spend time with the object of your affection. This love does not ignore the many obligations that we have on a day-to-day basis; nor does this mean that all the time together must be at play. But spending time with the one you love is paramount, just as is your desire to do so.

Grandfather and grandson working together to fix yard equipment

So, we say we love the Lord. Do we desire to be with Him? How do we show our love for God?

Psalm 106:1 says:

“Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!”

In Psalm 77:12, David says:

“I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds.”

So:

Do you meditate on Jesus?
Do you contemplate His worthiness for praise and glory?
Do you read His Word and feed upon it?
Do you worship Him privately as well as in corporate worship with other believers?
Do you praise Him for all His marvelous works?
Do you joy in your relationship with Him?

The camping trip certainly could have been better from a camping perspective … but the time we spent with our grandson was wonderful as well as memorable.

Now, remember that the Lover of your soul, the omnipotent, creator God, the One who has loved you since the foundation of the world.. it is this God Who desires to spend time with you!

Make yourself available and see what He will do!

WHAT SIZE WAS THAT !?!?

June 23, 2015June 23, 2015 | lindamowles

Spring has given way to Summer, and the flowers are blooming, grass is growing, pollen is aggravating everyone with allergies, and the winter clothes in the closet must be switched to lighter‐weight summer duds. I dread moving the warm clothes to the guest room bedroom closet and moving the cooler clothes into the bedroom closet for use!

Please don’t misunderstand ‐‐ I like the clothes I have. I don’t dread the clothes per se. I dread looking at last season’s clothing and wondering if there is any possibility that I will be able to get into them this summer!

But the sad truth is that the older I have gotten, the wider I have become. (Wish that word could be “wiser” instead of “wider”!) In short, many of the clothes from earlier years just do not fit.

When sorting through the closet, some of the clothes are put in the pile to take to the rescue shelter. Others are about the right size so I expect that I can wear them this year. But then there is the third pile — the “keep” pile even though I recognize that they no longer fit (and likely will never fit again). Why are they “keepers”? Because if I am going through a difficult time, they are my “comfort” clothes whether or not they look good on me at the time.

While gaining weight is not a good thing for me physically, the task of switching the clothes in my closet made me wonder about my “fit” spiritually?

Am I still the same spiritual size I was last year?
Am I still struggling with the same issues, the same sins, the same negative attitudes that I had last year or have I grown?
Is the work of the Holy Spirit evident?
Am I using the gifts that He has provided more fully today than last year?
Am I walking closer to Him, depending and trusting in His providence rather than my own planning?
Am I studying His Word and learning of His wisdom and guidance for me in my life?
Can others tell that my faith is deeper and my love for the Lord is stronger?
Have I grown more into the likeness of my Savior this past year?

Just as we grow in our physical bodies, growing is mandatory in the spiritual realm. In 2 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul states:

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

So, what size was that? As I focus on decreasing my physical size, my prayer is that I will be able to concentrate on increasing my spiritual size! Scripture promises that I have a Helper in this effort – the Holy Spirit is on hand to guide, prompt and enable me to grow spiritually.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 1 Chronicles 16:34.

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; Lamentations 3:22

Praise the Lord oh my soul!

THE ELONGATED TRIP

May 23, 2015May 23, 2015 | lindamowles

It is no secret that I have a bad sense of direction. When I got lost in Lowe’s after asking directions to the restroom, I was reminded of a trip I took over 30 years ago when I [again] went in the wrong direction.

At the time, I was a single parent of two early elementary school children. I had graduated from law school in May and had taken the two-day bar examination the day before this trip. In fact, the purpose of this trip was to let me unwind before rejoining the children who had stayed out-of-state while I prepared for and took the test. The problem was that after the test, I felt as though I had experienced a “mental enema”. And, I was sure that I had failed.

I left the rental house in Knoxville to visit friends in Bristol, Tennessee about 120 miles away. I was supposed to arrive in time for lunch, so I left about 9:00 in the morning for an arrival time well ahead of the lunch hour.

The directions said to travel on I75/I40 to I81. My friend’s directions were accurate and I would have been there well before noon if I had followed them – but I didn’t pay attention and found myself at the Tennessee/Kentucky state line. ? ! ?

The kind lady at the welcome center said that to get to Bristol, I should “go to Knoxville and then take I81.” I was embarrassed to say that I lived in Knoxville, so I said I had just come from there. Her response was that I could take I75 to Corbin and then take Route 25 and 23 over to Gate City, which runs into Bristol. She said it with the implicit inference that either way would be fine. No real difference between them – you pick!

Not wanting to backtrack, I began the trek to Corbin, after using a pay phone (no cell phones back then) to call my friends to say that I was in Kentucky and would be a little late for lunch. It was at that time about 12:30 p.m.

As I drove, it became apparent that this was no Interstate – it was a highway through the mountains, with steep drop offs on the side and, more importantly, no civilization in sight. Just road and mountains.

With all the tension and emotion that I had experienced in the prior 48 hours, I broke down, crying and talking to the Lord as I drove. It went something like this:

“Lord, I tried my hardest but I failed You because now I flunked the bar exam. I’m overqualified for jobs I held before law school but I can’t be a lawyer with the law firm because I won’t have a law license but the firm’s law clerk pay is not sufficient.. I have the two children to feed and take care of … I don’t know what to do next.”

At this point, I looked at my gas gauge and at the temperature dial and was horrified to see that I had no gas and the temperature needle was completely in the red zone. Then I saw something coming out from under the hood. I had no idea where I was, other than in the middle of nowhere! Pulling to the side of the road, I sobbed into the steering wheel for what seemed like hours.

In John 14:16, Jesus promised to send a Comforter — and the Comforter was with me even on a remote road in the mountains. The Comforter spoke through the Word and told me to look out the window. The vista was beautiful. As if the Lord was present in the car, I heard in my heart and soul:

“I made the mountains and hold them in my hand. [Psalm 95:4] I made you – and you are in my hand. [Psalm 139] I will take care of you. I will not answer your questions now …you just have to trust me.” [Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 26:4]

I looked at the dashboard – still no gas but the temperature was normal and nothing was spewing from under the hood. I timidly turned the ignition switch, the car came to life, and the trip continued. The Lord even provided sufficient gas to reach Gate City and a service station several hours later.

After driving a total of 240 miles through the mountains, I got my friend’s house at 7:30 p.m., not only after lunch, but also after dinner! (The 120 mile direct route is obvious; the green line is the 240 mile route I took instead.)

The terrified feelings that had earlier dominated my spirit were gone. I was calm; I was in Jesus’ hands and He was in control. God put me in a position where I could hear Him and take comfort in His presence. Jeremiah 29:16 says: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

I remember the incident like it occurred yesterday. But sometimes I forget that He is and has been with me throughout all my life: when that happens, I need to quiet my heart to hear His loving Spirit speak to me.

Beloved, He knows where you are, and where you are going, even when you don’t. Trust Him through the faith we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.

You are in secure hands.

[By the way, I did pass the bar examination and I continued working at the law firm for 30 years until retirement. God is gracious even when we doubt!]