In 2016, I was in a situation that seemed almost impossible to handle. I was just five weeks out from having a baby and traveling to Omaha, NE to connect with Olympian Josh Davis and help manage our Training Trials Camp. With my newborn and teenage son in tow, we were packed and ready to go. On top of that, I had just dropped off my thirteen-year-old daughter at the airport to fly to Nationals in Indy to compete in her club volleyball tournament. Mind you, this was her first time to fly alone.
But as we were traveling through Kansas, I received a frantic call from my daughter saying that she had lost her wallet and ID on the plane. While trying to deal with this unexpected problem, I pulled the RV over in the middle of the Kansas wilderness. At this point, we were all feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do next. And then, the unthinkable happened. I reached to start the engine and it would not start! Here we were in the middle of nowhere and, for the first time, I had no solutions.
It was in this moment of uncertainty that I said, "Son, the only solution is Jesus." So, I prayed, "God, in your mercy, please show up."
As we were sitting there, unsure of what to do next, I remembered the verse printed on the back of our Swimmers' Chapel t-shirts, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." I reminded my son of this promise and prayed once again, asking Jesus to be with us and guide us.
In less than ten minutes, a pickup truck arrived and asked if we needed help. The kind gentleman offered to remove the battery, retrieve a new one from town, and return to install it in the RV.
Unbelievably, within the hour, the engine started, and relief settled in. I was overwhelmed with gratitude and wanted to give the man and his wife all of my cash. But the couple refused and instead asked for a donation to their foundation in memory of their son, Wade. She said their baby had passed away from SIDS the year before.
However, she noted, we can take comfort in the promise of God in Isaiah 43:2, which says, "When you "WADE" through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." YES, that's right. The same comforting verse.
This experience taught me that no matter what situation we find ourselves in, we can trust that Jesus is with us. As we reflect during this Lenten season, be reminded that God meets us in our wilderness moments. If you find yourself in the wilderness, maybe consider Jesus as a solution.