Divine Intervention
Do you recall times in your life you were 100% certain there had been divine intervention on your behalf? Recently, a story from my childhood serviced again, and reminded me how miraculous life can be. When looking at the definition in a dictionary, it stated, “Divine intervention is a miracle of God that causes something good to happen or stops something bad from happening.” Even though we may not realize, miracles occur around us everyday; from the simple to the unexplainable.
Growing up on a farm gave my brothers, sister and me the opportunity to experience some activities others may not have had the chance. We were exposed to driving farm tractors, garden tractors, go-karts, mini-bikes, motorcycles, and snowmobiles. Many children’s dream of adventure.
When my Dad had purchased the go-kart, I’m certain all four of us kids were beyond excited. I can still vision how it looked and more importantly how it felt driving. It sat low to the ground with simply a seat, big steering wheel, pedals for the gas and brakes, four wheels, and the engine in back.
I remember wanting to be like my older, and much cooler brother, Greg. I wanted to prove to my Dad I was just as capable and as awesome as he was. I had no fear of putting the gas pedal to the floor to show just how amazing I was. Riding the go-kart was exhilarating and fun. My Dad supervised each time we drove to ensure we were safe and wore a helmet.
One day in particular will always be etched in my mind, and without a doubt was a divine intervention on my behalf. It was my turn to drive the go-kart. The farm driveway was very long and shaped like an oblong triangle towards the bottom of the driveway. It connected my great uncle’s house to the farm. The bottom half ultimately turned into a white-graveled, go-kart track. The longest part of the driveway was parallel to the busy street we lived on. During one of the laps, I decided I’d go a bit faster and pushed the gas pedal to the floor. I was flying and felt free, invincible, and totally cool. Well, that is until I saw the 18-wheel semi speeding down the road when I was trying to make a sharp turn. For some reason instead of steering to make a right turn, I made the mistake of turning to the left and was heading straight for the road. I was so stunned I couldn’t think fast enough to put on the brakes or course correct. The next thing that happen couldn’t be explained other than a complete miracle. Somehow, someway, my tire caught on one those mile marker metal stakes, just a few feet from the road. It caught hold, jerked hard, and spun me around in the gravel next to the pavement so I was no longer facing the road at the exact same time the semi barreled past. I was so close to death that I could feel that even at the tender age of 11.
I don’t remember much about what happened next, although I vaguely recall my Dad running towards me. I can’t imagine what he had gone through in those few seconds, but undoubtably understood the miracle that unfolded right before his eyes. I also don’t remember getting yelled at or punished but I’m confident I had a stern talking to once everyone had time to process and breathe.
When thinking about this experience, I am filled with gratitude and awe. That day was my first realization of my own personal miracle, and I was changed forever. Are there divine interventions you’ve witnessed or experienced? I’d love to hear your story. Big and small miracles are around every corner. Be on the lookout for the proof, even if unexplainable.
xoxox…..Sheryl