Praise Reports

Praise report: 3-27-14

A Miracle in the Mundane: Help on the Highway

Scripture:
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them (Psalm 111:2).


Testimony

Today I’m here to share what the Living and True Savior of the World, Jesus Christ, did for me:

Now, it’s not like one of the testimonies you hear when a person has been “dead” for fifteen minutes, and they come back, fully, in their right mind.  It’s not like the testimony of the gentleman at my church—the Times Square Church—who was in the last stages of stage 4 cancer.  He had been told there was nothing more they could do.  He’d already signed out to die at home peacefully; after he managed to finalize funeral plans with his wife, he returned to that hospital for one final scan, only to discover that all of his tumors—that had permeated his entire body—were gone!  

No, this testimony is not like that.

This testimony has to do with a regular, every-day, sort of reminder that God really does take care of us—no matter how huge the problem, or how small; no matter how important or mundane; whether it is a life-altering emergency or a complete and utter nuisance.  God is ready to assist us.  It may not be how we wanted, or asked, or imagined.  However, when you call upon His Name, through the Savior Christ Jesus, He is there.

Period.

And this is to all the atheists, agnostics, and luke-warm Christians who are willing to share their lives--and bodies--with strangers but will not discuss faith because that would be an infringement on their personal space. 

Testimony:
I woke up this morning feeling frustrated.  You see, the day before I’d had one of my “stupid” days.  What I mean is that I didn’t do anything productive with the blessing of time at home I’ve been given to work from home.  All I did was engage in foolish conversations—some were fun, some were hurtful.  I joined some groups on Facebook.  I browsed the Internet.  I played around with clothes from my closet.  I did pray, of course.  But I did not make wise use of my time at all.  

As always idleness is the devil’s playground.  As the day progressed, I found my activities becoming increasingly “stupid” and idle.  As they did, I became increasingly of the flesh.  It’s hard to explain without an additional two pages, so just take my word for it.  By the end of the night, I was thinking things I had no business thinking.  I was speaking things I had no business saying. And I was doing things I shouldn’t, and not doing things that I should.

By this morning, I was toast.

I had to repent and ask that the Lord lead me in better walking and working today.  I headed off to an appointment—still a bit discombobulated from the previous day.  You see, had I had not been having a “stupid day,” I would have prepared myself better for the appointment today, and it would not have led to the issues I had this morning.  I was late for the appointment—which made everyone else late, of course—even though I was the one who had suggested the time.  This threw the entire appointment off a bit.  The Lord was merciful and the presenter was able to finish at a reasonable time, however, the tension in the room—from frustrated participants—took some time to ease.  Thank God, it ended on a better note than it started when I came bustling in there fifteen minutes after I should have already been there.
So because I was late, the meeting ran late this morning, and that meant that I needed to hustle to get on with the remainder of my day.  Mind you, this is all a by-product of yesterday’s “stupid day.”  So I am driving.  And rushing. 

Never mind the grave-sized potholes that are still on the NYC and NY- State highways.  Usually, one would go slow over such holes, to avoid catastrophes. 

Yet, due to the long-reaching effects of having a “stupid day,” I was now rushing to get on with this day.  I drove like a mad woman, only to effectively rip up my tire on one of Westchester County’s (the suburban county thirty minutes north of Manhattan) highways—the Cross County Parkway.  
The Cross County Parkway is a parkway that merges traffic from three major Westchester County Parkways—the Hutchinson River Parkway or “the Hutch;” the Saw Mill Parkway—or the a “Saw Millions” as I call it—due to the amount of insurance claims and lawsuits caused on this trap of death; and of course, the Sprain Brook, which I like to term the “Sprained Back” having had family members nearly expire on this such highway many times.  
When the Cross County begins to merge from the Saw Mill, it splits into two sections—the “local” side where the exits are, and the “express” side where there is nary a shoulder, let alone an exit.

And as you will note from the pictures I post on FB, it was on the busy Cross County Parkway’s “express side” that I ran over a huge crater, only to rip up my front, passenger side tire.

Yes.

And not only did I do that, but I did it near the exit that really isn’t an exit at all.  I did it where the Cross County exit leads to another highway—the “Sprained Back” or rather Sprain Brook.  

No hope of help there.

So I called my momita—my Haitian mother who does what Haitian mothers do best: become hysterical.  As she was screaming about my foolishness and lack of common sense—as though I specifically sought out the crater, to run over, in order to destroy my tire –I began to pray.

I spoke to God about the entire day and how it was going.  I repented again for all of the behaviors that led to such foolishness.  I even said, “God, I deserve whatever locusts come my way ‘cause I am always doing the same stupid stuff—again and again.  I am sorry.  Please help me.”  And I continued to petition for help.

I picked up the phone finally and firmly cut off my mother’s rant with a reminder that I did not intentionally seek to destroy my tire.  Then I asked if she could assist me by contacting our insurance instead of yelling, while I spent time attempting to call someone to help me.  She hung up—on me, mind you—and I began to “think.”

A while later, after a series of frustrating phone calls, I heard from my new insurance company—which I chose to try recently after my previous one did me a little dirty after years of prompt pay.  Lo and behold, it was a wonderful day to discover the “fine print” when it comes to paying for their so-called Road Side Assistance.  We were told they had stellar assistance—full coverage which entitles me to all sorts of help.  When we first signed on, we were told if we get a flat tire, or a dead battery, or even weather-related issues, we would receive prompt service.  We would not have to pay anything up front, and it was completely covered.

For some reason, today, it was disclosed that the insurance broker’s information to us was “inaccurate.”  We did pay for full coverage, however we are expected to pay up front for all costs of roadside service, or accidental claims, and be reimbursed within 30-60 days.

All I could do was laugh at that point.  

And that is when God showed up.

I began to be led not so much in prayer-petitions for help, but in a desire to praise and worship.  Even in the middle of chaotic phone calls with a hysterical Haitian momita, who worries about her annoying daughter; an indifferent insurance claims specialist; and a defensive insurance broker, the Spirit led me to worship.

Instead of “God, please, I’m stranded.  I don’t have $200 for a tow right now. I can’t get over to the exit, right now.  Please, help me” it was the time to worship.

Now, don’t get me wrong…I did pray the first time.  The thing is, though, that after I made my requests known, I did not do what I normally do in a tense situation—repeat that request over and over in angst until God decides to help.  No, I did pray for help.  But this second time around, I just began to praise and worship—led by the Spirit.  

It was, “God, thank You that it is only a tire and not something worse.  I thank You!  I am going to get to an exit.  I thank You that Your angels are surrounding me right now!  Praise You, God, for hearing me even though I did foolish things yesterday, which led to a series of events today.  Thank You, for keeping me safe.  Instead of a flat, I could be in an accident.  Thank You!”
After a final phone call at 11:45 am, that alerted me that the insurance would not help me until after 5:30 pm with a tow truck, I knew I had no choice but to get my car from the express lane over to the local lane…and drive an additional mile-and-a-half, to the nearest residential exit—rather than an exit leading to another highway.  And I had to get the tire fixed for less than the standard 50 bucks because I just did not have that much on me today.

So I called my mother back and told her that I would try. She knew exactly the section of the highway that I was stranded upon and she did not like that idea at all.  But I said, “Thank You, God that I am going to get over.  Give me wisdom and help me get there.  The tire is shredded, it is making smoke, and it is destroying the hubcap.  But Thank You that You can get me there.  You’re all I have.  Thank You.”

So I began to inch along the highway.  By the grace of God, the Daytona 500-style driving on the express side paused long enough for me to get from the left lane to the right where there is a tiny stretch of shoulder.  One mile up is a partition that would allow me—albeit dangerously—to go from express to local in order to get to Exit 7—the first residential exit where there happens to be a gas and service station, with a tire repair shop.  

Of course, when I got from the express lane to the partition…I noticed the local side was now becoming a problem.  Cars sped by like lightening.  I paused and closed my eyes because I became afraid for a moment.  
This is New York.  Folks will kill you.  No one cares.  

So before I could even think, I just felt in Spirit to do the following:

Just go.

I opened my eyes and looked again and saw like fifteen cars whiz past me.
So I said, “God, You have the power to stop these cars.  To give me time to cross from express to local and to get off at exit 7.  Not only do I have to sneak through this partition, but I have to do it and merge to the right with this tire –which is smoking.  Please.  Pause this entire highway for me.”

I waited.  Frightened.

Then felt it again.

Just go.

This time I looked and the scores of cars that had whizzed by for the last ten minutes stopped.  Taking a breath and thanking God, I slid through the partition, and began to creep along.  Yes, out of nowhere, as I was about to change lanes, a car almost slammed into my behind, but she stopped short and moved to the other lane—which forced her to slow down.  It was as if someone stopped that car—the way it occurred.  And not only did she slow down her own vehicle, but the way she maneuvered to swerve around me caused the other quickly-advancing cars to have to slow down as well.  Once I was in the right position, she did manage to pass me and cut me off to get to the exit first…but what I realized what that the same lady that tried to cut me off had been used to block my car from others that were coming.  It’s hard to explain but I pray you can imagine where I am coming from.

So Exit 7 at last!

I make it to the service station just when the metal bends up completely and nearly pops off the tire.  Just in time.
I ask how much to fix it.  The man tells me between $50-90—just as I expected in Westchester.  In the Bronx or Harlem, in the City, I would go to the small Mom-and-Pop stations and they charge anywhere from $10-20 bucks.  But not the snooty Westchester Suburbs!
Yet, the man fixed my tire—even as I was trying to figure out how to transfer funds or get someone to bring me funds.  You see, working from home, I’ve had to be on a strict budget as I support myself while the Lord leads me to grow the arts ministry.  So I carry funds—like $20 bucks, and try to leave cards home so I do not spend.  That is why I hadn’t any more.  However, I also had a gift card from my brother that I’d received for my recent birthday. 

Not knowing if they would accept the card, I figured I was in trouble.

But when I was about to ask my mother to meet me…the man says, “Fifteen is good.”

Just like that.

So I got my tire fixed…it is a spare that needs replacement within the next couple of weeks. However, not only did the Lord see to it that I was rescued from that highway…he made it so that the cost was only what I had to spend.    
I am telling you, there is a God.  This isn’t for the Christians that already know.  This is for the ones who are mocking this powerful God who can slow down highways and make people charge less than they ever would to assist you.  This is the God who comes to our rescue even when we’ve disappointed Him…and He doesn’t condemn us—like even my own beloved elders may in fear or frustration.  

He did it simply because He loves us, and can answer us, through His Son, Jesus’, sacrifice on the Cross.

And yes, God does judge us.  But He is a God of mercy.  He will hear us when we call.  It may not always happen the way we want, but He is there.  

Praise You, Jesus.  Thank You for helping me today.