On the side of the highway in Somewhere, Tennessee, next to my dented car and still a little bit shaken, I felt a still small nudge in my heart to look up.
Psalm 147: 4 - He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.
It had been a while since I had been in a spot where other light sources were insignificant enough to allow me to see so many stars in the sky. But at this moment, I saw them in abundance. I saw so many so clearly. And God knows exactly how many there are and knows them all by name. Incredible.
For the hours I was driving before this semi-truck had pushed me off the road, my eyes had been focused on the road in front of me.
For the past several months, my mind and heart have been so focused on what was in front of me, always looking ahead. Looking ahead with anxiety of completing a number of tasks, but also looking ahead with excitement and joy of what is to come.
In this moment, I was reminded to set my eyes more on God above, the one who already knows the future and has what is ahead in His hands. The one who knows each of those stars in the sky. The one who sees and knows me by name.
I also need to thank the Lord for His protection through this experience. I was driving back to Alabama after my two week training with my sending organization, where I had driven 4 other trainees every day in my car. On my way out of town from the training, I dropped a couple of them off at the airport. After almost completing my drive at an hour away from home, a semi-truck hit the rear driver side of my car. Thankfully, no one was hurt. Thankfully, the friends that had been riding in my car every day the past couple of weeks were not sitting back there anymore. Thankfully, it happened right by a mile marker sign so I could tell people where I was. Thankfully, the people that I interacted with that night were patient and kind. Thankfully, I was still able to drive my car home after that. Thankfully, the Lord sees and knows me in every situation.