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Miracles can show up in unexpected times and places. Mr. Fix-It and I were recently Christmas shopping and discussing the very road we were driving on and the events from me being saved from a tragic accident 4 years ago.
4 years ago, December 2011, I was preparing for many things; Christmas, my third treatment for Hepatitis C was to begin shortly after the new year, and working on the final preparations for this website to go live in 2012.
 
It was night, and drizzling rain. I was in my truck driving north, coming home from Christmas shopping. The traffic was heavy but I kept a car length distance from the vehicle in front of me. I was in the far right hand lane when suddenly the car in front of me slammed on their brakes.  I reacted and slammed on my brakes, which in normal dry conditions I would have been able to stop, but in drizzling rain, my truck slid into the next lane and began to spin.
 
I lost total control of the truck, I took my foot off the brake and tried to correct steering, but to no avail, I had absolutely no control and kept swerving. In a flash I saw I was heading into the path of south bound oncoming traffic, I knew a very bad impact was seconds away.
My reaction, fear. My action, I cried out, “Lord Jesus save me.” It all happened so fast.
 
I witnessed a miracle. From heading into oncoming traffic with no control of the truck, my truck suddenly took a side turn, crossed over north bound traffic and headed toward a field, all of the sudden my truck was shoved sideways and I came to a complete stop after hitting a tree broadside on the driver side.
 
I sat there for a moment stunned. I looked down to see scattered glass in my lap, but I was not even cut. I tried to open the door but couldn’t due to being wedged up against a tree. Out of the dark, I heard a man’s voice cry out to me, “Are you alright?” He came up to the drivers side window, I told him I was not hurt and managed to shake off the scattered glass and crawl out of the passenger door.
 
He ran over to me and said, “Lady, you must have guardian angels watching over you. I was right behind you and saw the whole thing. You were heading into oncoming traffic and I knew this was going to be bad accident. I couldn’t believe my eyes, your truck suddenly turned and landed in this field.”
 
I told him I had no control of the truck, “I cried out to Jesus to save me and Wow, did he ever!” He told me he was an off duty police officer on his way home and he was a believer himself.
 
He asked me if I were sure I wasn’t hurt. Another miracle, I only received a tiny nick from some glass as I crawled out of the truck. I looked at the trail and ruts my truck left in the muddy field. I couldn’t believe it, the hand of God had protected me from hitting oncoming traffic, jumped a curb, avoided hitting a telephone pole, a billboard sign, and not hitting the tree in a front impact. The ruts clearly showed I was on a direct path to hitting the tree from the front, but the truck moved just enough right before I got to the tree and was literally shoved sideways into the tree in order to stop the truck.
 
Was it a miracle? The hand of God? Yes! By all means Yes! I know from the depths of my soul, it was the miracle of God’s hand when I cried out to Jesus to save me.
 
We are never the same after miracles happen.  The impact from them are engraved on our lives forever as living testimonies. I don’t believe in coincidences, or luck. But I do believe God uses everything that comes into our lives for a reason. We may not always understand it but that’s where we have to put our hand of trust in His. He’s there through the unfair, the unjust, the good, bad and ugly times, no matter what.
 
God’s Word clearly does not promise we will not go through tough situations but He does promise to be there through it all. The difference in the outcome could be a “cry out to Jesus” miracle that sets you in another direction.
 
In the Bible, Psalm 107:1-32 repeatedly talks about people in different distressing situations with one common denominator, this is key to change, “then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”
 
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Acts 2:21
 
We are not programmed robots or put here on this earth for no reason. Throughout the ages of time, God has chosen to have a relationship with us because he loves us. But relationships are two sided. Both parties have to desire to partake in the relationship.  Do you desire to have a deep and rich relationship with Jesus?  The step begins with calling out to Him. It leads to a personal and loving relationship that can literally change your life inside and out if you follow Him.  What direction are you going? Are you moving closer or further away from Christ?
 
No matter if you feel far away and drifted from Him or if you’ve never known him, the change in direction can come with these powerful heartfelt words, “Lord Jesus, save me.” A miracle can be only a breath away.
 
If you’d like to find out more about drawing closer to God and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I encourage you to read from one of these resources and prayerfully seek Him. How to have a relationship with Christ (info on Life Beyond Hep C), Knowing God.net (managed by God Rev Ministries) and Peace with God.net (a Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website).
 
I pray you will draw close to God and seek Him. Your step of faith will change your life in ways you cannot imagine. Miracles happen every day in unexpected places!
This entry was originally published on Life Beyond Hepatitis C, December 21, 2015. It is reprinted with permission.