Monday began as all my days have been beginning over the last five months:  Psalm 5:3 is truly a reality for me and something I would recommend to all of you. After making it into the office and having a productive morning, I had lunch plans with women from my new church community group. A blessing and a divine appointment that I really think the devil wanted to use to upset me when I missed it, but that God used instead, because I invited Him in to do so.

I was provided an opportunity to sit back and witness to strangers what it looks like to experience peace within my chaos. My very personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, was able to shine onto others right in front of my eyes. All I can do still is thank God for so much about what unfolded yesterday. Always teaching when we are willing to learn.

My vehicle stalled on my way to lunch and decided to take a smoke-break of what passerby strangers suggested was the radiator or antifreeze. Twelve years, and I never realized my car was a smoker (bah-dah-dum). Anyway, I was exiting the Interstate within a mile of where I was to have lunch. Suddenly, right there on the exit ramp about half way back from the red light turning green – I pressed the gas peddle and my vehicle didn’t go. My first thought was “Oh, no…did you seriously run out of gas, Loni?! That light is on for a reason you know…how embarrassing!?” Yet, what I quickly discovered was that ALL of my warning lights were on! I had not run out of gas. Then, I noticed the white smoke that began to swiftly emerge from the underneath of my car, from the hood, and in through the vents of my car as I looked on wide-eyed through my windshield in disbelief of the reality in front of me. I was actually going to have to exit my car. Ironic.

Now, in this matter of moments, I immediately pushed my emergency flashers on and attempted to turn the now very stiff wheel of my car toward the left side of the ramp in an effort to safely get out of the way. I simultaneously began thinking of solutions: who to call, next steps; all within those split seconds. Thank you to my parents and drivers education two decades ago; I payed attention to your teachings and you prepared me for this day. Much like I am learning how God prepares us for a day that will come upon each one of us at a time unknown, by the teaching of His Word.

I was not going to be making the community lunch date. They offered to come get me, but I knew I couldn’t abandon my car (I don’t even think that’s legal). After all, my blue Hyundai and I have been through 241,000 miles together, not withstanding the 107 mile birth to drive to me that one fine day in 2006 when I purchased it. I owed it to the car to stand by it through its breakdown…Heaven knows how much solace has been provided for me in that car among my personal breakdowns.

But here is the beauty of the next few moments and the rest of my day that became entirely dependent upon all the fruits of the Spirit of the Lord. (Yes, I became THAT woman taking pictures of everything, because frankly, the beauty of my surroundings was worth thanking my God for yesterday).

Names at the Intersection of My Story

1.) The Red Sox Fan in a pickup truck. (go Sox on that World Series win – he was likely in good spirits). He stopped first, concerned, and offered me a bottle of water to which I graciously accepted. I believe God knew that the “thirty minute” arrival of AAA would end up being tripled… The provision of hydration was a major blessing in the wait that followed. I wasn’t entirely “with it” yet to get his name, but I reminded myself to be sure to get the next.

2.) Cathy, the next. A woman who had just come from having her own vehicle worked on, who called the police while I was calling the AAA tow. She took the time to stand with me until the State Police could arrive & provided a physical presence of comfort.

3.) Edgar, the State Trooper who provided security of the scene, protection, and good conversation, while he diligently stayed tuned into his scanner for anything he might need to rush off to attend to. I discovered he had completed an iron-man triathlon (so much for that cops & donuts stereotype). He was really proud of his son or brother who competed in triathlons all the time, so it inspired him to do one. He placed a dispatch call for tow in order to speed the process up once mine got pushed back again, and he put three flares out before he left.  I have always wanted to see how a real flare works!

4.) Mike, the tow driver that Edgar dispatched for, who arrived five minutes before the second tow driver.  I suddenly had an abundance of tows! We had a good conversation as he drove me to the nearest Hyundai dealer that was only a street over from where I was supposed to be having lunch (now almost two hours past). He seemed relieved with the peace I had as he shared a story that had earlier in his week been troubling.

5.) Sue, the service desk attendant at Hyundai that I had called two hours ago to say I would be arriving in thirty minutes, and the service-man who laughed at my jokes & appreciated my humor in a situation that was honestly, quite fun at this point.

6.) Oleg, my courtesy driver, who provided great conversation and who in turn, has both the Q 99.7 and K-Love 106.9 tuned into the vehicle.  He expressed how I might be only the second person he has discovered in recent weeks that listens to the same Christian radio stations he listens to! I asked him about life and where he attends church, and we had a great discussion about our Lord. He thanked me…yet, he was the one that drove me. I knew God was still working for us both.

8.) And finally, Mario, my 4.9 star rated Uber driver, who picked me up to take me home after my coworker drove us to a going away dinner for one of our now former coworkers. We arrived around 6:30pm, and by 8pm, following a delicious Chicken Quesadilla, I simply wanted to get home to rest. Mario was delighted to hear my car story, and I let him speak the rest of the drive, because I loved listening to his broken English. He comforted me with how much he knew about cars, and I could sense that he had such pride in providing excellent service by keeping his car well maintained. He said I was “his V.I.P.” and it is his responsibility to do his job well, and I could tell he treated everyone with recognition of individual integrity. I of course said that is exactly what God wants him to do and I appreciated his willingness to talk (as I was reminded of the Word in Colossians 3:23 as he spoke). He thanked me and shook my hand at the end of our ride as he took me home. Mario is a 5 for me, Uber.

Intentional Living over Unintended Consequences

Why would I list all of these people?  I don’t list them to showcase a belief in Humanism, which I assure you, I do not have. I know people are not inherently good. Look at the world around us? Honestly, look at those claiming God all around us and committing all kinds of evils? The Humanism philosophy is bankrupt. I know my story could have gone a number of different directions; however, I know my God more intimately and I choose to let him know me and use me.  I list these people to remind myself and remind you, that every person that you encounter is not perfect; not “good” or “bad.” They may be people who “do good” or “do bad,” but it isn’t who they are. Who we are as people is much more connected.

I know that I am loved, and because I know my identity in Christ, I know they are loved by my God, whether they choose to accept him or pin him to the cross again and again. God wants my intention to be looking over and looking up in all circumstances, relying on Him rather than looking in and leaning into the always changing physiological feelings that I encounter each day under a variety of circumstances that just “are.” I will often fail and stumble and cause others to stumble, though as I grow with connection to God, I have hope that it becomes less and less. I am comforted by abundant grace.

I share this story to show how God wants us to live intentionally and truly count others as better than ourselves in order to connect with everyone; yes, even our enemies. To recognize that we are connected to God and to each other. We usually respond to personal inconvenience dramatically and with nothing but judgement that we unwittingly place all over each other daily. I responded the way I did yesterday, because I have peace that transcends understanding (even my own). Each person mentioned my response was different and appreciated; each person seemed please and stunned at the same time, which made me hurt for all the times they’ve probably been hurt.

Our very perceived “rights” to behave or speak a certain way have very unintended and real consequences on more than just ourselves and those in closest proximity to us. God doesn’t want us out there exercising our “rights” every second of every day – He wants us laying our rights down for one another just as Jesus did for you and I. He wants us to intimately connect with him and with others in order to live with intention and knowledge of who we all are in His eyes.

God is not absent in our lives just because you don’t feel Him or believe he abandoned you on the side of the road. The skies testify to the mysteries of who He is and where He went. He is like the sun on a cloudy day. The sun isn’t gone, it is only hidden behind cloud cover, yet still providing warmth. We cannot always see it. We get angry that it’s not there. We get irritable when it grows cold outside. We get hostile because it interferes with our plans.  But be still and listen.  It is us who stray. We get lost trying to find ourselves, because we were not just put here for ourselves. Without intimacy with Him, we will wander aimlessly surrounded by unintended consequences.

We have a name and a story together.