I would like to take this opportunity to share with you my personal experience with salvation and God's undying love.
In January of 97, John, my husband, and I had a load to be delivered in California. We were also taking my mother back to California where she lives. She had spent the holidays with us in Oklahoma.
The trip had been uneventful until we got to Winslow, AZ. There we had heard the road was closed because of a snow storm in the Flagstaff area. We waited until a report came out saying that the road had just been opened. Of course, we left immediately. It wasn't until it was too late when we realized that the report that we had heard was wrong!
It was the worst snow storm I had ever seen in my life. We ended up being stranded on Interstate 40 at the 189 mile marker. We were there for 25 hours. The only food we had were 2 sandwiches (I had already eaten mine and shared it with our dog). We also had one gallon of water with us. Usually, we had rations that we kept in the truck for emergencies. But we had taken them out during the holidays.
At first it wasn't too bad. Everyone thought of it as an adventure. As the hours passed by, concern was mounting for the families and children in their vehicles. Drivers were asking people to join them in their cabs to help keep them warm. Eventually, Search & Rescue came out on snow mobiles to rescue those who were most at risk. Search & Rescue also passed out food and coffee to a majority of the stranded motorists, but, of course, they ran out before they got to our truck. Soon after that room was made to help make room for the cars to get through. That left mainly big trucks on the interstate.
At the 25th hour word got around that the Interstate had been opened. The Highway Patrol asked that no one get off the Interstate until they get out of the snow. There was no room anywhere for parking. So we all took off, trying to get off the mountain as quickly as we could.
Problem though, they didn't have all of the Interstate plowed yet and it had started to snow again! The snow had to have been at least a foot deep on the interstate. The storm had gotten so bad that we couldn't see the truck in front of us. Not even their tail lights! It was a complete white-out! We couldn't see anything! My husband had his head hanging out the driver's side window and I had mine out the passenger side window just trying to see if we were still on the interstate.
It was at this time that I seriously thought that we were going to die. I have never felt that strongly about anything before in my life. I began praying to God to save us, to guide John in steering our truck safely out of this storm. I didn't ask God to make a deal with me. Even though I honestly believed that I was going to die, I wanted to be honest with Him and myself. I didn't want to be a hypocrite! I've heard too many times about people promising to go to church and to change their ways, then not through with their promise! I know thats wrong.
I wish there was a way I could express how I felt after saying those prayers. I actually felt God's presence right there with us. Despite all the wrecks we saw along the way I knew that our truck wasn't going to be one of them. As soon as we got to dry roads, I thank God over and over for his generosity in keeping us safe. I still thank Him to this day!
It was because He saved our lives that I began to realize that I needed Him in my life. I believe that the Holy Spirit was knocking at my door waiting for me to answer it and accept Him into my life. I opened the door but hadn't invited him in yet.
I was on a trip back from California, listening to tapes my pastor had given us of previous sermons. It was listening to one of those tapes that finally made me realize that I didn't have to be perfect before Christ came into my life. As my Sunday School teacher explained to me once, we're like a candy apple. The inside could be bruised and damaged, but when its coated with the candy, you can't see how damaged the apple was. Thats what God does for us. He takes the bad and makes it good.
I knew what I had to do then. I needed to ask Christ into my life and I needed to do it right then. I started looking for a place to pull over. It didn't take long! The exit I found happened to be exit 112 (I think) in Groom, TX. If you're not familiar with it, there happens to be an extremely large cross at the location. I have no idea how tall it is, but it can be seen for miles. At night, its lit up from two sides. Very impressive! It was placed there to remind the weary traveler that God is with us, watching over us. It was there that I stopped and asked Christ to be my Savior. It was a moment that I will never forget. I was filled with a sense of joy and calmness.
When I went to church the following Sunday I made a profession of faith and asked to be baptized. I was baptized Easter Sunday. What a wonderful day that was, to be baptized on the same day that Our Savior arose from the grave.
If you would like to learn more about our Lord and Savior and what He can do for you, its real easy. Just click on the link below and it can lead you to Jesus. I hope you do. I'd like to see you at the Rapture!
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