Several years ago, Chad and
I went to visit my sister in law (Melinda) and brother in law (Dave) while in
California. At the close of our
visit, Melinda’s father (a good man that both Chad and I have grown to respect
a great deal) came to the driver’s side door of our car as we prepared to leave
and said, “I just want you two to know that everything in life happens for a
reason. There are just too many
good things that have happened in my life to be mere coincidences. Have a safe trip home.” And then he left.
Chad and I looked at each
other, thought the message to be somewhat strange, and began traveling back to
my parent’s home in Portola Hills (some 40 minutes away). As we began our journey home, Chad
mentioned a favorite donut shop he used to visit as a kid and so we decided
to take a slight detour and pick up donuts for our four cute kiddos playing at
grandma and grandpa’s house.
We were only off the freeway
for about 5 minutes, but when we returned, there was a major pileup in the
carpool lane we had been traveling in.
The accident was new because the police had yet to arrive on the
scene. Chad and I eyed each other
and began to feel rather thankful that we had stopped for donuts.
Continuing down the freeway,
the rain that had begun falling shortly after we had left the Markham’s home was
now beginning to pour; reducing visibility and causing Chad to feel impressed
to get out of the fast lane and into a slower lane of traffic. Seconds after he had made the change, a
car that had been driving in front of us hydroplaned and spun around 180 degrees. For one brief moment we found ourselves
looking eye to eye with the terrified driver as he continued to accelerate in a
backwards momentum down the highway.
Chad’s instinct allowed us to move over one more lane and give the
driver the space needed to spin his car back around. We drove away from what
could have been a deadly situation unharmed. It was at that moment that both Chad and I felt the
message Brother Markham had left us with sink in. We got off the freeway and took side streets home, thanking
the Lord for answering our earlier family prayers to watch over and protect
us.
There have been countless
experiences in my life that have continued to solidify my testimony that our
Heavenly Father loves us. He
watches over us, blesses us, and even in what feels like seemingly dark
moments, he walks with us. Nephi
said, “the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen,
because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of
deliverance.” (1 Nephi 1:20) I believe this to be
true.
