A Life Story

Roadside Angel

 

 

Somewhere in time, this week, I heard a song about stories.  It told a few stories and said how God is the God of every story.  It made me think, I have quite a few stories but most of them are fiction.  I have a few true ones and this week, I’m telling a story.  This one is from way back, over twenty five years ago, when I was young and single and well, broke. 

Roadside Angel

I was having one of those days.  The kind when nothing seemed to be going right.  I had worked all day and the customers were unusually needy and complaining. I was tired and worn out. I was working hard, but barely making enough money to survive.  After working all day, I would attend college at night. My plan was to become a teacher.  Financially I wouldn’t be much better off, but at least my job would have a purpose.   

The day had been hot and after school I drove home wishing for a bath and a chance to put my feet up.  The obstacle was that my car was sixteen years old and not in the best shape.  I couldn’t afford to replace it and I couldn’t afford to fix it.  I prayed to God it would never break down, but that prayer was answered with a no.   I was driving down the freeway, when I blew a tire.

As I mentioned the day had been abnormally stressful and I already felt I had taken all I could handle when this happened. I pulled the car over, frustration forced tears into my eyes which I stubbornly tried to keep in check.  Why God, I found myself asking.  I got out and accessed the damage. As I got out, the door on the driver’s side broke.  It would no longer shut. I walked to the trunk for tools, any kind of tools and I had nothing.  No tools, no roadside assistance and no cell phone to call family.  I just stood praying for some kind on inspiration on how to fix this situation.

I always believed there was a verse that said God never allowed more than you can handle.  I have never been able to find it, so I’m pretty sure it doesn’t exist.  It does say he will never leave you or forsake you, but this day I felt a little forsaken.  As I assessed the damage, I became more and more discouraged.  Even, if I could change the tire, how could I fix the door?  Even if I fixed the tire, how could I drive down the road holding the heavy car door shut?  I was losing the battle with tears and just about to give in to self-pity.

As the tears ran down my face, my heart cried out in desperation, please God, I can’t take anymore. Just as the prayer escaped my thoughts, a car pulled up ahead of me.  Out of the car exited a man.  I didn’t know what to think.  It was dark and I was a young woman.  I hoped he was there to help and worried he was there to make the situation worse.   

 He never said a word, but he looked at the tire and then at me.  Even in the dark, the open trunk showed the absence of any tools for fixing the situation.  He opened his own trunk and retrieved tools.  He changed my tires and I thanked him.  He smiled and watched me get in my car.  He reached over to shut my door for me and noticed he couldn’t.  I still had the problem of the non-shutting door.  He went back to his car, brought out another tool and fixed the offending door.  I can’t describe the feeling of relief that washed over me and I smiled and tried to thank the Good Samaritan again.  He just smiled, got in his own car and drove away.

Life is hard at times, there is no avoiding that.  But God truly doesn’t leave us or forsake us.

Romans 8:31 “What then shall we say to these things. If God is for us, who can be against us.”

Laura Story: God Of Every Story (Official Live Video) from laura-story on GodTube.