When I was in college I used to work at the KFC in Malvern. I went to school at UALR which was an hour away during the day and then worked nights in Malvern. I was never very good at keeping gas in my car. I'm still not very good at that but thankfully God never stops taking care of me.I remember one particular afternoon after classes I was running late. So I jumped into my car and drove as fast as I could down I-30 trying to get to Malvern as fast as possible without getting a speeding ticket. There is a stretch of highway in between Malvern and Benton where there is just nothing...no gas stations, no houses to run to...just nothing. I was at that stretch of highway when I realized my gas tank was dangerously low and at that stretch of highway when my car died. So I pulled off to the side of the road and got out of my car. I was trying not to panic. I was wearing my favorite blue jean mini-skirt with red sweater and red flats. I was on a major highway with only semi trucks zooming by me. I didn't have a gas can. So even if I got to a gas station how would I get gas?
I decided to cross over into the median and walk back to Benton. I was a LONG way to Benton but I just didn't have a choice. So I got to the grassy median when I started praying "God, I don't have a gas can. I really need a gas can." It was right after I worded this prayer that I walked into a red plastic gas can. I was a little stunned at how quickly my prayer was answered but extremely thankful. I crossed over the other side of the highway and started walking towards Benton with my red plastic gas can. It was then that I saw an old beat up truck coming down the interstate and fear filled my soul as I noticed that it was slowing down as it saw me. So I prayed, "God, I'm out here on a major interstate in a mini-skirt all alone. I need help and I need help now or I'm going to get killed out here." At that moment the old beat up truck pulled over and a middle aged man and woman got out of the truck. The man said to me, "You run out of gas?" I said, "Yes sir," to which he quickly replied that they would take me into Benton to get gas. So I got into their truck and again started praying, "God I don't know these people. What if they kidnap me and sell me or something? Help me!" It was at this moment that the man started talking. "We're from Malvern. I saw you walking in the median and I told the wife she's a keeper! We better stop and get her before someone snatches her up!" I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say or think. He went onto say that his son was about my age and when he said his son's name I realized that I knew this family! His son was a year behind me in school. This was a good family...not a family that would kidnap me and hurt me. So I started thanking God and this couple who stopped and made sure that no one hurt me that day.
I wish ALL of my prayers were answered as fast as they were that day. I've been praying for healing since I first got sick 13 months ago. I've seen more doctors than I care to talk about....I now drive to Jackson, Mississippi to see a specialist for this illness. He is a great doctor but even he has said that this illness is very difficult to treat and that I will have to be patient and not give up. That last part is difficult when you don't see a light at the end of the tunnel. So I wait and I pray and I try new medications that the specialist prescribes. One day I'm going to write in my blog how I'm in complete remission...how the pain has stopped...how God finally said "you have a job to do...now go do it." Until that day I will focus on all the prayers that have been answered during this last 13 months and I'm thankful. I know that God is always right on time. That HE uses everything to reveal HIS purpose in our lives to us. So I might not see the red gas can yet or the old beat up truck coming to pick me up yet but I know that somewhere down the road God will send both to rescue me.
