Been in an extremely confused state the last few days. Thursday morning, 11/17/11 me and my fiance are heading home from a hunting trip. While driving I notice tracks going off the road. I look up just in time to see a very small section of a tail light in the rear view mirror. I debate over whether to stop or and ultimately decide to turn around. We are in a area of no cell service and warn my fiance that if someone is in the car she needs to drive until she can reach someone. I park the car and run across the road and over to the ditch. Time stood still. I just make it over the ditch to see a small SUV upside down in a steep ditch littered in huge boulders. A mans arms is hanging out. I turn and starting yelling at my fiance to get help. I quickly scaled down the hill and assessed the situation. Both passengers, older husband and wife, are talking and appear to be ok. After much struggling I was able to come in through the back door, cut the seat belt, fold back the seat, and free the gentlemen, Melvin. After making sure nothing serious was wrong with Melvin he asked that I help him out of the vehicle. My adrenaline levels were through the roof and somehow in the midst of everything I was able to lift this 6'2'' 245 pound man out the the car. I am 5'10'' 160 pounds. I quickly got Melvin sat down and wrapped in blankets and coats. By now my fiance is just getting back and has flagged down another car. I decided to leave his wife in the car as it was starting to snow hard. I get her wrapped up and covered about the time the ambulance shows up. I ultimately stayed until medical officials had taken them off. Now to the true meaning behind my thread. Both of the passengers were ok. Melvin required one bandage on his arm. I can't get over the fact that I was somehow able to catch that faint glimpse of the car while driving. The car was hidden is a such a way that I was nearly unable to see car unless I was a full 10 feet on the shoulder side of the white line. It had to be faith I have always, admittedly, proclaimed I did not believe in God. After this, I can profoundly say God did play a hand in the actions. Something was meant for us to come together. These last few days following the accident I have been questioning my belief system and seriously thinking hard on what it all really means. For me, if there ever was an evident sign of superior forces, this is it. I have been doing much reading and research on the topics. Do others find that their religious views and opinions change with everyday occurrences or are they a constant belief system?
What a story! I'm sure it was surreal. Glad you got the experience and everyone turned out ok. Great Job.
It's a constant belief system for me and my I also say kudos... well done. Why I say constant belief system, I am a Christian, in that I believe Jesus Christ is the son of God and that he died on the cross for my (our) sins. In that I have no doubt.. try as I might to live a Christian life and be like Christ, I am a sinner and I'm thankful in the Lord for his forgiveness. I pray daily for my friends, my faith, my family and for those asking for prayer requests. I've seen some tremendous "miracles" in my life and lives of others that find their way to Christ. If you want to take a step further, may I recommend a reading... The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. God doesn't always give us what we want, but he gives us what we need to find him. The rest is up to you. I'd like to suggest a second book and one you might enjoy first, It's called A Table in the Presence. It's written by a Marine battalion Chaplin by the name of Cash.. it's the accounts of the Marines march from Kuwait into Baghdad when we captured the palace. It's an amazing read...I had to stop and put the book down routinely just to dry my eyes and take a breath... I'm honored to have a very good friend, classmate and neighbor that is featured in that book by the name of Luke Converse, now retired Marine and purple heart recipient. He gave me the book... and reminded me my path in Christ... amazing guy, he was a POW in the first Gulf war after being captured when Saddams troops took the embassy where he was stationed.
There is a power greater than ourselfs. I will NEVER understand it. I've seen the worst of worst and the everything in between. I've seen the people in the car dead... watched them die. I've seen miracles... and watched people live. We are really helpless if we put ourselves in the wrong place. Good people, bad people... whatever....Life can bite you in the ass really quick. Enjoy today and plan to have a nice day tomorrow. Marine Chaplain???? Please... he's not in contact with real life in a war zone. I'm sorry... but there is nothing spirtual or life altering in war for most bullet shooters. It only happens in Hollywood.
Good on you for saving them people's lives, and there was definitely a reason you were there and somehow seen that car. Now i do believe there is definitely experiences along the way that god throws at us as learning experiences and guidance. Like davidmil said I've been there with people who have died and been there when they died and seen people live through the most difficult circumstances. However i don't agree with his comment on the whole " there is nothing spiritual or life altering in war for most bullet shooters"-wrong. God and your fellow combatants are the only ones that you can lean on to get through the absolute toughest of conditions, and believe me you that you are aslo praying like hell to get you home safe and to keep your wife and kids safe and healthy, so i believe he is wrong in this. Also war is definitely life altering no doubt about it, there is not a day that goes by that one thing or another doesn't change you in some way or another whether or not you are at war or in everyday life. But that is all just from my past experiences and others may see things differently.
I misquoted, he was/is a Naval Chaplin along for the ride... David, all I ask is that you read the book before making that assumption. He interviewed the Marines once they over threw Saddam's palace. Luke was among them. Each gave accord of the hand of God intervening in the March toward the palace not to mention Atheists converting... I wasn't there... I read the book... if you get a chance, read the book.. you'll enjoy it.
BC .... listen to Rob ..... don't listen to David ... and most importantly listen to the still small voice of God and He is calling you to know Him in a way you have never before. ...you are right ... it's not just coincidental .. it is the.Creator of Heaven and earth reaching down and touching your eyes to see Him ...PM me if you would like to know more, Bro ... my son-in-law is an ex athiest that God has shown Himself to .... and now he has a real relationship with Jesus Christ and his entire life has changed ...
Instead of faith it could have been the hunter's eye for detail and the out-of-place element. Those people were put in the ditch, suffering all of the trauma associated with that, just to convert you? Interesting way of looking at it, no doubt.
Jesus suffered to save those that despised Him .... God will use suffering for our good as he is the opposite of all of it ... He is quite the contrast to bad things
Thanks for the kind words Everybody. Rob, thanks for the suggestions. I will look into them. Bruce, I don't not believe they were meant to suffer as a means of "converting" me. They fact that they were alive is a miracle in itself, not to mention that the only injury received was a scratch on Melvin's arm. Their vehicle slid across the road down a slight embankment where it slammed into a large rock causing the car to become airborne and roll. The car fell and estimated 20 vertical feet from that point. When the vehicle landed a very large, very hard rock came through the windshield. Luckily they were both strapped in, the boulder came to rest between their heads. The fact that injury was not sustained is absolutely astounding.
What miracle caused the accident to begin with? No injuries is a real testament to seat belts and air bags. Just like those "My harness saved my life" threads. Is it a miracle if you take advantage of safety devices ie, tree harness, and then they actually work?
I am a once atheist turned christian. All i can say is that things happened in my life to make me re-examine my beliefs. I have seen much that people could explain away, but i know it was by the hand of God. There will always be hardhearted naysayers. Don't let them dissuade you from what you know in your heart and enjoy the ride! Mine has been anything but boring. Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk
You can try to rationalize anything... to the point where it may even sound plausible, but like mentioned before... Listen to your heart... "something" was trying to get your attention... Please don't ignore it.
I've got to go with Bruce on this one. Things happen... bad and good. If we give God credit for the good... who do we give credit to for the bad ?? I doubt very much that God puts us in harms way so we can praise him when things turn out good or blame him for the bad. Or in harms way to help us find faith in him. And yes I have thanked God for the good out of the bad. I've never blamed him for the bad. Keeping in mind... I've almost lost a son. Had a cousin shot in the face with a .22 when she was 5. She lost an eye and part of her face is paralyzed. Another cousin was in a car/train accident when he was 10. He had many surgeries to correct the damage to his legs as he grew. His two year old son was kicked in the face by a horse and they are still doctering with that. The boy is 6 or 7 now. I've watched the boss almost kill himself twice. He was very lucky to walk away from the first. God must inspired us to build a roll cage on that old dozer. Had nothing to do with us knowing how reckless the boss can get. The second time it cost him 6 weeks in the hospital and he lost his spleen. wife's sister has fought and beat cancer twice. Before her first battle with cancer... the doctors told her she would never have a kid. They tried everything. After her battle she got pregnant much to the surprise of many including the doctors. My wife's dad fought and beat cancer. My dad has beat cancer. Brother-in-law has beat cancer. His sister wasn't so lucky and fought it for almost 1/3 of her life before dieing to it. Through all of this... my faith in God has never changed. Thank him for the good. Deal with the bad and hope for the best. I will admit... Barb's sister getting pregnant after her first fight with cancer... had me wondering a bit. Course before the radiation she could never wear gold rings or necklaces. She broke out from them and was alergic to gold. After radiation she could. Weird !!!!!! Tim
Awesome story. You will never be forgotten by that couple, that's for sure. As with others, I just can't bring myself to solidify my faith based on miracles alone. There's just too many bad things that happen to good people, that cause horrific suffering, while many of the evil people that roam this earth are allowed to live life uninterrupted. Until someone can provide me with a plausible explanation as to why the innocent suffer, I'll also be on the fence with this one.
