God's Hand of Protection

God is good.  Last night we left a supporting church that we were visiting in Virginia.  From out of nowhere a car slammed into the back of us.  I'm going to be very detailed (nothing gruesome...we're all ok), but if I need to come back for insurance reasons I'll have it here in writing.

We were passing an on-ramp on interstate 81 north.  I heard my husband gasp and I looked in my side mirror and saw lights.  The impact took us from the right lane of the highway onto the passing lane, into the medium, and onto the southbound side.  We landed sideways, and my husband was able to get the car onto the side of the road. 

I remember hitting the medium (which was all grass, thank God, because just a little ways down the medium was a ditch), and realizing we were headed onto the southbound side.  I saw there were no cars coming so that was relief. 

My husband's driving skills are incredible.  I know God had His hand of protection on us, but if it wasn't for Him guiding Patrick we could have been killed.  I know I couldn't have controlled the car like he did.

Once the car stopped, I tried to get out of the car, but my door wouldn't open.  Cody was behind me on the passenger side and Autumn was behind the driver's side.  The back of our seats broke and fell onto the kids.  Autumn was screaming.  Cody had been sleeping and with the impact he woke up.  He was screaming as well.  Because we couldn't get any doors open besides the driver's side, my husband somehow pulled the kids out of the back window which shattered in the crash. 

As Patrick was getting the kids out, a very kind man stopped by, then about a minute later a police officer drove by.  He said he saw lights going the wrong way and thought we were drunk driving. 

The man who hit us was drunk and going about 90mph (can't remember if my husband told me that or the cops).  He must have pulled over for a second and then took off.  The cops said they found him a few miles down the road and he was arrested.  As most often times, the drunk driver was unharmed.

Thank God that except for some sore muscles, we are all fine.  I couldn't believe it.  My husband is a little more sore than I am.  He knew we were going to get hit and tensed up.  I didn't realize it until we were hit.  I think from the impact and then me trying to sit up even though my seat broke, the seatbelt hurt my neck and shoulder...but I can handle that...losing my kids, that's another story.

We had just gotten a late supper at McDonalds.  I was opening up a sweet and sour packet for our nuggets.  So I had sauce all over my arm and in my hair.  Autumn was upset that she lost her burger and drink. 

Our display is broken, but other items in the trunk we're completely unharmed, like my ipad, our table display items, and a bag full of goodies from a mission's closet.  God took care of even the little things.

I gave a tract to the first cop that stopped to help us, and we wrote a letter to the man who stopped to help us.  He let us use his cell phone, offered his house for us to spend the night (although a friend came and picked us up and took us home), and he let us park our car at his house until my husband could pick it up today. 

We don't know why God allowed this to happen, but in the 1,001 ways it could have happened, the one way the kept  us alive and safe was the way God allowed it to happen.  The state police that came to the scene said the previous week a family of 4 was hit by a drunk driver and they all died.  God spare us, and protected us from harm, and we were able to share that with the police.

The ambulance and a fire truck did come to the scene, but I felt we were all ok so none of us went to the hospital.

I'm trying to use this as an opportunity to teach my kids that sometimes God allows these things to happen, we don't always know the reason, but as Joseph we continue to serve God and wait on Him.  God is good...all the time.

By the way, we've also been praying for the man that hit us, Larry.  Please pray for his salvation.