Stuck on the side of the Highway

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"This has never happened to me before. I've never let this happen. This will never happen again." These were the thoughts rolling through my head.  I couldn't believe it, I was stuck on the side of the road.

It had been a great week. Amy and I (Jay), had been preparing to share about the Capernaum ministry with leaders at our area leaders and committee weekend. It's Friday morning so we picked up the rental car, finished last minute packing, double checked that we had everything we needed for the presentation, loaded the car, and were off. It was about a 5 hour and 10 minute drive to the camp where we were meeting.

We've made this trip multiple times over the last couple of years. I can't say I can get to the camp directions free, but I'm getting pretty close. But we know the route. We know the highway exchanges, the towns we drive through, the restaurants we pass, and the gas station/restroom stops. All total, the trip, with stops, is a little over 6 hours. No problem.

​Except this time, we made the first leg of the trip with no stops. That's about 3 hours and a couple minutes. We never stopped. From the moment we left our drive way, we the exception of 2 short stop sign stops, we didn't stop. It was all green lights and highway.

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The first leg of the trip is usually about an hour and twenty minutes, 83.3 miles. This is a restroom stop and a fuel refill if necessary. Oh, and there's a Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World and Chick-fil-A at this exit, so you know, sometimes you just gotta stop. This time, no stop. We were cruising.

The second leg takes us to one of our favorite areas in West Virginia, Nicholas County, home of Summersville Lake, the New River Gorge, and a Sheetz that we always stop at for...gas and restrooms. (And maybe a snack for the ride.) This is another hour and 50 minutes, and another 122 miles. If you're keeping count, that's approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes; 205 miles. (approximate)

Earlier that morning, when we picked up the rental, we were told the vehicle's fuel gauge was reading 5/8 filled. The estimated range was about 220 miles. The plan was to stop at the Sheetz where we would stretch our legs, visit the facilities, and refuel; then back on the road. No worries.

4.4 miles. I'll never forget those numbers. 4.4 miles.

We know this route. And on this route, we exit RT 79 south and pick up RT 19 south. From this point, it's 25.8 minutes to the Sheetz. I checked the estimate fuel range on the dashboard of the rental; 37 miles. Perfect, 12 miles to spare, give or take.

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The drive through this part of West Virginia is beautiful. If you enjoy mountains and valleys and epic landscapes, you'd love this part of the ride. I like this part of the ride. But I forgot, this part of the drive has a slight incline to it. In fact, most of the drive into Summersville is a gentle ride uphill. About 10 miles in, the little red line of the fuel gauge is struggling to stay above the the E.

We were 4.4 miles away from our destination.

I've often wondered, what would happen if you ran out of fuel while driving? On the highway? Now I know. The rental came to a stop at mile marker 48 south. We were so close.

We were quickly left with, what do we do next? This has never happen to me before. Do we flag someone down? Walk to the nearest exit for help? Walk, to the Sheetz? After all, it's only 4.4 miles away. No, we call roadside assistance; because I pay money each month to a service that promises to help me in just such occasions as this.

​So I picked up the phone, opened the app, and requested assistance. Bring Fuel. Message received. Help is on the way. I am so glad that I pay extra each month for a service that helps me in a time of need.

A few minutes after sending my SOS, I get a phone call. It's roadside assistance confirming my request. But the call is spotty. I can barely make out what the guy is saying. The call is dropped. Ugh. So I go back to the app, find a number and call. After a few second of menu and numeric selections on my keypad, there's a voice. Nice.

We again confirm; name, account, vehicle, fuel. Great.

Not great. The car is a rental, not covered under the policy. This is going to be expensive.

At this point we're about 30 minutes into our dilemma. But with payment, help will be on it's way. Fine. We provide the necessary information and the voice on the other end of the phone says we will receive a text message letting us know who will be coming, a phone number of the company coming to help, and estimated arrival time. An hour and 20 minutes later, we were still stuck on the side of the highway, waiting for help.

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We've been together almost 30 years. Married 28 years (in May). We have taken countless trips. Never. Never, have we allowed ourselves to run out of gas while traveling. And don't worry, the spiritual implications of all of this isn't lost on me. This will be an illustration in a future sermons, messages, and blog posts. But as we sat there we talked a little, laughed a little, and dealt with the frustration of the situation. I mean, what else are you to do in a situation like this. We thought we had enough gas to make it. We were wrong. 4.4 miles wrong.

We were approaching the 2 hour mark. No word from roadside assistance. After multiple calls, we learn they were having trouble securing assistance. Wow. Really? Time for a plan.

Fortunately, we were stuck by an exit. There wasn't much around us, but we got out of the vehicle, and looked around we realized that on our side of the highway was a WVDOH lot. At first we thought it was just a utility garage, but a WVDOH, surely we might find some help there.

We left the vehicle, walked down the exit and across the road to the DOH garage. We found an employee and explained our situation. He said some times they have extra gas on site, but not today. I told them about our roadside assistance, or lack of. He said, "Oh, call J & J Body Shop, they can help." I looked them up. 7 miles away. Got a number. Got a person! Got help. (Yes, we realize this could have been our answer all along. Just hang in there. Like I said, the spiritual implications of all this isn't lost.)

We made our way back to the car talking and laughing, and feeling a sense of relief. Help was on the way. I reached out to roadside assistance, again, and canceled our request. The text message I received from them said, "Thank you for letting us know you no longer need service. We are here to support you if you need help in the future." Yeah, I don't think so. I'll be calling to cancel the service when we get home.

Within a few minutes help arrived. ​

First came a sweet old man in a late model pick up, like an old Ford Ranger 2-door with extended cab. He must have been in his 70's, and looked concerned. He yelled to us, "Do you need help?"

​We could barely hear him over the highway noise. I thought, someone actually stopped to see if we were in need. I mean,  he stopped what he was doing, where he was going, and offered assistance. Then I noticed the sticker of a cross behind the tint of his driver-side cab window. I smiled. Okay, God.

As we explained that help was coming, our tow truck pulled up behind the rental. The old man gave me 2 thumbs up and a smile. As I turned towards the tow truck, a third vehicle pulled up. A WV Roadside Courtesy Vehicle. Help had arrived, and in unexpected form.

When I had finally looked at the tow truck, I saw that it was covered in colorful puzzle pieces. I looked at Amy. Amy looked at me. No way.

After a quick exchange with the tow truck driver, he began pouring gas into the rental. Amy talked with the Courtesy Vehicle, thanked him for stopping, and dismissed him.

As we talked with the tow truck driver, we learned that this was their Autism Awareness rig. The owners have a family member with autism. They also have a breast cancer awareness rig. Can you believe it? It was like God was just pouring it on.

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So often in life, we ask the why, or the why now. We look at our circumstances and wonder what's it all about? What's the point? How does it all fit together? We complain or stress or fear that we have done something to alter the story of our lives. Was it a mistake? Did we not hear God rightly? Have we fallen out of his favor or blessing or love or will?

We've talked, a lot lately, about that. For our lives, our family, our ministry. We lost one of our Capernaum students recently. It was unexpected. A few days after her passing, we received a call from the same family; the sister was now on life support with the same issue and it wasn't looking good. And we think, God, really? It's things like this that shake our faith. We have questions, doubts, fear. God, why?

With gas in the car, we signed some paperwork, thanked the driver, and drove 4.4 miles to that Sheetz. We topped off the tank; it's full now. Visited the restrooms and continued on, making a quick stop for dinner in Lewisburg, WV. As we sat at the table, we started talking about all of this; being stuck on the highway, our kids, Capernaum, ministry to students, church, our marriage, and our future ministry opportunities. So much has changed. How does it all fit?

I was reminded of Psalm 139:16, "Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them."

Psalm 139, is this outcry to God, acknowledging God as our incredible, loving creator. We are knit together, formed in the womb, fearfully and wonderfully made. And here in verse 16, the writer gives up this powerful thought, that before I took my first breath, before I was formed in the womb, I was known. And there it was written, every day, ordained by God. Before day one, he knew all my days.

There is nothing that happens in our lives that he doesn't already know. No surprises. No moments of shock. No unexpected steps. Every day, from the first to the last, he knows. He ordained. He wrote them, each one of them. And while there might be the hard times, really challenging times, times when we think we can't go another day, God knows. He always knows.

It's hard to be reminded that God is there, especially when things are hard. Yet, it's easy to yell at God when we think it isn't fair. But our God is a God of love and a God of hope. A God who wants us to lean into him, to trust him, to know that he is there for us.

As I type this up, thinking about the God-sighting moments of our excursion...I can't help but notice,

We were heading to a training weekend with Young Life, to talk about the ministry to students with disabilities. Specifically, how we need to grow an awareness and serve along side these amazingly gifted individuals, a practice that we are still learning. We've worked hard to prepare for this presentation and yet still feel a little inadequate to lead. But here we are, stuck on the side of the highway, as an autism awareness tow truck comes to rescue us. 

And, in a season of life that has brought us our fair share of confusion, question, doubt, anxiety, fear, and wonder, we continue to watch as God patiently directs each next step. He's here. He's providing. Not always in ways where we think we got this, "let me just get my roadside assistance to help us." But in the little things; like a WVDOH employee who knows who to call, an old man in an old truck with a cross sticker in the window, and in a car stuck on the side of a highway.

Everything fits. And everything has it's purpose. Sometimes it helps to get stuck.

Forever in His Grace.

- jay