The Accident (March, 2000)

October 11, 1987 had been a typical school day. My family and I were about to head home after spending the evening at a fair at my younger siblings’ elementary school. Darkness had already descended on the city of Portland, Oregon as we made our way to the parking lot. My younger brother and I elected to ride with Dad, who had come in his own car. Mom followed in her car, accompanied by my two younger sisters. I was feeling sleepy, so I laid my head against the window to rest during the five-minute drive home.

What happened next seems unreal to this day. We were passing through an intersection, having just made the light. Behind us, Mom had to stop as the light turned red. She had a perfect view of another car speeding into the intersection from the right. She watched, horrified, as it slammed into the car containing her husband, oldest daughter, and only son. The force of the impact squashed our dashboard into the shape of a mountain peak and spun us around twice before we finally came to a stop on the opposite side of the street.

My memory of that night is foggy. It seemed like I was having a terrible, hazy nightmare, struggling to wake up but not being able to. I don’t remember screaming, but my Mom says she could hear me from the other side of the intersection. I do remember the pain and confusion, and how the paramedics had to cut through the car to free my foot. I remember being comforted by a bystander who had seen the accident happen. I remember the ambulance ride, and the bright lights of the emergency room. I was eleven years old, and those are some of the worst memories of my life.

As I reflected on the accident years later, however, God showed Himself to me in new ways. First, He revealed Himself through His protective care. As scary and horrible as it was, the crash could have been much worse. None of us were seriously hurt. If we had been only a few feet farther ahead, though, the other car would have slammed right into the door I was sleeping against. God was truly protecting me.

He also showed me His providence. When I was 18 years old, I received a sum of money from the insurance settlement that enabled me to pay the remaining amount to attend Multnomah Bible College in Portland for a second year. I truly believe that the main reason God allowed the accident to happen was to meet the financial need He knew that I would have seven years later.

God has clearly taught me that He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him” (Romans 8:28). What a loving, wise God we serve! Even if we can’t immediately see the good in a bad situation, we can be sure that He is working His purposes through it.