MONUMENTAL MOMENT
When I turned 25, I obtained my license to drive! That was like the BEST DAY EVER!
You might be wondering why I didn't get them earlier. Well, truth is I was afraid. Seriously, extremely afraid to get behind a wheel and drive. I refused to learn to drive because the fear of driving, getting into an accident, not being able to control what other drivers were doing around me, frightened me.
As I got older, I had people drive me to and from work, to the stores, doctor appointments, It's quite difficult to live a life when you are restricted from leaving when you have to. At 25 I was a mother of 3 toddlers, I figure I had to learn to drive, I couldn't just sit home and do nothing all day everyday..I'd go insane.
Fast forward, I am now 32 years old :) and I've been thankful to able to take my children places, drive myself to a movie, get groceries when I want, and enjoy the freedom of taking a nice long drive in the summer.
There was however one more fear that gripped my heart. It's the fear of driving on the Interstate, I can tell you from the day I got my license, I've probably driven on the interstate a total of 15-20 minutes. If I had to travel out of town to work I left early and took the backroads. It became a bit of an annoyance, but what was I going to do?!
These past few weeks at church we've been going through a book called "Crash the Chatter Box" by Steven Furtik. Well, they've talked about how NOT to let fear, discouragement, or insecurity grip your heart! To be reminded that God is in control, we have to learn to shut out all that "chatter" that our thoughts create.
I really really wanted to drive my children to the museum which was in the Milwaukee county, I'm thinking to myself, "okay I've got this, I'll take the side roads there and back.." On the way there I took side roads, but ended up having to get on the Interstate anyhow. I was TOTALLY NERVOUS! REALLY SCARED! I said, "KIDS DON'T TALK TO MOMMA I HAVE TO FOCUS!"
Well we got there safely and I was on the Interstate for probably about 15-20 minutes, not bad, I was all good! After enjoying a lovely time at the museum, I realized the sun would set soon, and I had to drive home...from milwaukee....in the dark.....How would I find the side roads at night?! All of a sudden, fear gripped my heart again, thoughts of all KINDS of scenarios, played in my head, and I just got scared. I thought, "Who did I know in Milwaukee that we could stay the night, should I get a hotel...I was going to have to do this on my own!!"
As I started to leave, I knew I had to get back on the Interstate and get to my exit 15-20 minutes away, that I used to get on the interstate. So I prayed. I asked the Lord to guide us home safely, My heart began to race as I began our journey, but something reminded me of the messages in Church that I had heard. I basically told my "chatter" "thoughts" to back off!! I so much wanted to pull off on the exits that I knew would get me home on the back roads, but each time I thought about it, I felt God pushing me forward, so I continued..finally about and hour later, I reach my exit. I did it...I had driven all the way home on the Interstate, this was a monumental moment for me. I know God had guided me the whole way there and back, I knew all those messages about shutting out the chatter the enemy uses to put fear in our lives, had been for this moment...
God Bless Family
You might be wondering why I didn't get them earlier. Well, truth is I was afraid. Seriously, extremely afraid to get behind a wheel and drive. I refused to learn to drive because the fear of driving, getting into an accident, not being able to control what other drivers were doing around me, frightened me.
As I got older, I had people drive me to and from work, to the stores, doctor appointments, It's quite difficult to live a life when you are restricted from leaving when you have to. At 25 I was a mother of 3 toddlers, I figure I had to learn to drive, I couldn't just sit home and do nothing all day everyday..I'd go insane.
Fast forward, I am now 32 years old :) and I've been thankful to able to take my children places, drive myself to a movie, get groceries when I want, and enjoy the freedom of taking a nice long drive in the summer.
There was however one more fear that gripped my heart. It's the fear of driving on the Interstate, I can tell you from the day I got my license, I've probably driven on the interstate a total of 15-20 minutes. If I had to travel out of town to work I left early and took the backroads. It became a bit of an annoyance, but what was I going to do?!
These past few weeks at church we've been going through a book called "Crash the Chatter Box" by Steven Furtik. Well, they've talked about how NOT to let fear, discouragement, or insecurity grip your heart! To be reminded that God is in control, we have to learn to shut out all that "chatter" that our thoughts create.
I really really wanted to drive my children to the museum which was in the Milwaukee county, I'm thinking to myself, "okay I've got this, I'll take the side roads there and back.." On the way there I took side roads, but ended up having to get on the Interstate anyhow. I was TOTALLY NERVOUS! REALLY SCARED! I said, "KIDS DON'T TALK TO MOMMA I HAVE TO FOCUS!"
Well we got there safely and I was on the Interstate for probably about 15-20 minutes, not bad, I was all good! After enjoying a lovely time at the museum, I realized the sun would set soon, and I had to drive home...from milwaukee....in the dark.....How would I find the side roads at night?! All of a sudden, fear gripped my heart again, thoughts of all KINDS of scenarios, played in my head, and I just got scared. I thought, "Who did I know in Milwaukee that we could stay the night, should I get a hotel...I was going to have to do this on my own!!"
As I started to leave, I knew I had to get back on the Interstate and get to my exit 15-20 minutes away, that I used to get on the interstate. So I prayed. I asked the Lord to guide us home safely, My heart began to race as I began our journey, but something reminded me of the messages in Church that I had heard. I basically told my "chatter" "thoughts" to back off!! I so much wanted to pull off on the exits that I knew would get me home on the back roads, but each time I thought about it, I felt God pushing me forward, so I continued..finally about and hour later, I reach my exit. I did it...I had driven all the way home on the Interstate, this was a monumental moment for me. I know God had guided me the whole way there and back, I knew all those messages about shutting out the chatter the enemy uses to put fear in our lives, had been for this moment...
You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 1 John 4:4The most amazing thing about this whole situation, is that my children got to witness me overcome a fear that has plagued me for so much of my life. I'm not saying I'm going to drive to Illinois (lol)...however I know I can do it now! I am so grateful that God was my rock in this monumental moment, not my husband, not myself, but the Lord.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:14
God Bless Family
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