My mom and sister went to the scene of the accident. I was freaking out still lying in my bed. I began to cry and pray but I had peace that he would be ok. Just knowing he had called moma was a good sign!
The accident happened around 2:00 am Saturday morning. My brother was heading towards Easley (where we live) and was near the Central Walmart exit on 123. The speed limit is 65. I usually go around 75 when I am in this area. So when there are car wrecks they are always bad! I know many people who have died on that road. Josh was driving his 2004 Mazda RX8 (i called his car "drake the RX8" lol) and his friend was following him. On the other side of the road cars were flashing their lights so he thought there was a cop ahead. Next thing he knew he saw one dim head light coming right at him. He swerved thinking it was a moped. He was hit almost head on. The guy who hit him was so drunk he had no clue what he was doing. My brother's car spun around and he thought he was going to flip. Thankfully he did not flip!
My mom and sister went to the scene and they said they both began to cry because of how bad it looked! Pieces of the cars were at least 1/4th mile scattered down the road. We all knew God had intervened in this situation!! Josh was ok like he said but his chest was hurting so they took him in the ambulance to Greenville Hospital. My mom came and picked me up so I could go be with them.
A little while later they let us go back 2 at a time and see him. I'd never been in the trauma area at the hospital so it was all new to me. They had him laid out on a stretcher with just blankets on. He had IVs in his arms and looked pale. I couldn't help but smile seeing him alive and okay! Less than an hour later he was discharged. The lady who took his X-rays said this was a rare case. She said most people are taken up to ICU but not Josh. He didn't even have a scratch!! You can not tell me there isn't a God watching out for us!
Later Saturday night me, my mom and Josh went to clean out his car. All the air bags were deployed, the front left tire had came completely off. Again I was amazed at God's protection! The owner said Josh's car was the worst looking car on the lot. #butGod
A few weeks ago at church my pastor preached on being thankful in all things. I believe the Bible and I try my best to live by and follow it but somethings are just hard to do! He told about brother Andy Wells and his family went on vacation a few years ago and someone broke in their hotel room and stole all the money they had saved up for the trip. They were all upset. I know I would be too in a similar situation. God told him he was to be thankful in all things. Even though it was hard to do he began to pray "God i thank you for robbers and theives..." God turned it all out for good and they were blessed a few days later with the amount of money that had been stolen. they were able to give the money to someone who really needed it. I have been thinking about that story since I heard it. I prayed God would help me to be able to thank him for every thing. It's so easy to thank him when things go good. The hard part is thanking him for the bad, the hurt, and the hard things- those things we don't understand.
In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. -1 Thessalonians 5:18
This is hard to write because I know my brother could have and probably should have died. But I am thankful for drunk drivers. Yes I said that correctly. The Lord taught me and reminded me of a few things this weekend. Life doesn't make sense and the truth is it's not supposed to. Life isn't fair and it's not always easy. One of my friends sent me a text saying there was another wreck the same night and this person died. I am so amazed and thankful my brother got to live. I'm also thankful the guy who hit him got to live as well. When we heard it was a drunk driver that hit him we were mad! We were even madder when we found out he didn't have insurance. Now my brother has no car and a hospital bill all because this guy didn't have enough decency to call and get a ride. Or better yet he didn't have enough decency to not get drunk. Alcohol is never the answer. He chose to get behind the wheel completely drunk and drive...down the wrong side of the road. He endangered many people and could have killed my brother! Through this I realized how precious life is and how undeserving we are of the God who created all things to even care enough to protect my brother! I can't get over it. Every time I think about what God did that night I can't help but cry and say "thank you Lord". I don't understand why this had to happen but I know God knows best. Maybe just maybe, through this the guy who hit Josh might get saved and get his life cleaned up. I pray he does! Through this God showed me once again how real and caring he is! "His eye is on the sparrow so I know he watches over me." I was also reminded of how many people care about me and my family. Many, many texts, calls, comments on Facebook and private messages letting us know they were praying meant so much.
It is always difficult to forgive but when you know the person and love them it is easier. What's hard is when it's someone you've never met and they've hurt you or someone you love. That's when it's hard to forgive. But when we thank God it helps us be able to forgive and love. I'm reminded that God loves me even though I am the reason his Son came to die.
Life is short. Eternity is too soon and it is forever. Make sure you know Jesus and have repented of your sin so you don't have to face eternity separated from the God who loves you more than words can describe. No one knows how much time God will give us. Don't take the ones you love for granted. Forgive, forbear, love, live and let go and let God get you through whatever you might be facing. Get to where you can say thank you Lord. This is a way of saying, here Lord I give this hardship to you. We can lean on him and believe he will work it for our good. Just like he did for Joseph {but as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.-Genesis 50:20} because he had the faith to forgive his brothers he was given the opportunity (because of what they did to him) to save their families from the famine. God can turn your burden into a blessing for someone else if you allow him to.
So God, I thank you for drunk drivers...I thank you for your unseen hand. I thank you for being first on the scene. I thank you for those "But God" moments in my life! I thank you for the faith and courage to forgive. I thank you for another day with my family. I want to give you thanks in every thing because it is your will for my life!
This was our Easter family picture from yesterday. Josh is wearing the pink bow tie. Isn't God good!?
I am very close to my family. I love them more than anything else on this earth. Just the fact that we could been planning his funeral but we're not makes me so thankful! I seen a video on Facebook a few weeks ago about "the Unseen Hand". I was so amazed. You could see that God had intervened and protected these people. I was just talking about it the other day before the wreck. I am glad God did a miracle for my brother and for our family! God is good ALL the time and his plan is beautiful...we must believe that ❤
Love, Megan
