My friend Rebecca starts her day by getting a diet soda at her a local 7-11. I tell her it is one addiction that continues to bear incredible fruit!

Here’s what occurred a few months ago:

An interruption of a loud explosion invades the sounds in her mind. She is a spiritually sensitive person and felt the sounds of fear, trauma, and intimidation which came to a hault as she realized “these aren’t my emotions!”

Here’s how she described the experience:

“My eyes cannot believe it. Standing before me is a large crowd of people who have just witnessed only feet away from them a rear-end accident of what looks like a Honda mini van trying to take on a full size Silverado truck!

The newer mini van had poured itself into a very dominating truck that didn’t take on much damage. However, the Honda exploded itself into a desperate mess of uselessness.

The engine was leaking and the steam looked dangerous. If the van could talk, it was certainly throwing a fit! It looked angry!!! 🤔

I’m standing across the parking lot and could barely see through the crowd of men standing around. These were the same people I saw in line at 7-11 that reminded me of The New Kids on the block band! Certainly they would be old enough to help out!

There had to be at least 10 people standing there, yet no one stepped into the scene?

Crazy!

Surely, “someone from the crowd will help,” I thought?

I glanced again and within seconds, the crowd was gone! They’d witnessed this accident and walked away. No one checked if anyone needed help?!?!

I thought “Where did everyone go??”

I walked toward the van. I can see that the airbag had deployed. But where was the driver? Then, I see her, a mom, heading towards the back of the van and I go running towards her.

Her car is smoking and leaking something gross, it doesn’t look safe to me. I’m not a mechanic, but I knew I could pray! How could I turn away? I couldn’t.

I tried to open the passenger door, but it was broken. It was jammed shut. My heart was racing, wondering, would this van explode?

Sure, I was over-thinking in that moment, but there was a huge panic upon touching the car. I was praying to Jesus, “please let her receive me!”

I started thinking what if she freaked out on me and I scared her? I was so thankful Jesus guided me and showed me her emotions.

I tried opening the sliding door, it wouldn’t open, so I gave it a harder shove.

There she was, the mom was inside the van, she looked shaken, disconnected by shock, yet frantically trying to get her kids out.

She had just been hit with the air bag! Can you imagine the trauma you might be feeling as thoughts invade and overwhelm your senses?

I got door open and said, “Hand me your babies. I am here to help.  Let’s get you all out safely.”

She had four kids with her. Those babies were terrified and all trembling with fear. The look on each face was heartbreaking. Snot was dripping by the buckets! They couldn’t stand. The ground was hot and their little bodies were riddled with emotions. The two girls I took from the van, grabbed ahold of me and didn’t let go. They held my hand as I rubbed their little fingers and just spoke peace back into their fragile souls.

I knew Jesus was with me because I felt an abundance of peace. I had enough to give away and always have laughter and comfort for the kids. The mom allowed me to sit in her space of confusion and just trust that I was safe. Truly I saw such beauty!

I really felt a strong presence of God with me to just give them all life and how to really remind them of how blessed they all were to be alive.

I know it’s hard to give glory to God when things go terribly tragic, trust me when I say I KNOW the wilderness well.

But, if you can spin it and view it from a completely different perspective, you’ll find God’s glory! To be a carrier of God’s glory is an honor, a privilege but it’s something earned through the wilderness of suffering.

I am humbled, amazed at the Glory of God and how it radiates over any circumstance of life regardless of the situation.

God is THAT big. We forget, don’t we.

To witness an accident and have the privilege of speaking trauma away was humbling.

I told the officer who sat with me that I wanted to frame him in this moment. He was holding the youngest child probably 18 months and helping her with a slurpee.

I framed him with compassion. I actually took my fingers and drew it in the air. I painted it with a timeless movement.

I couldn’t hold them all and the mom had to tend to towing.

I wondered if maybe the officer needed a reminder? Don’t we all?! Life is so precious.

I greeted the dad who came on the scene later who came with anger (the mom expressed concern) and I told him how blessed he was that his family was all okay and today was a good day!

He said nothing to me. It’s okay, I’m not offended.

I pray Jesus moves in his heart.

I told the little girls I held named Evie and Tabitha to speak peace to their hearts and tell their parents too.

A fireman told the girls the seatbelt marks they had would be hurting in the morning and they would awaken to pain.

They started crying again, saying, “I don’t want that pain!”

I said to them, “Me either, it won’t hurt in the morning, pain go away!”

It amazed me how many statements are spoken over people in an accident. So many “What if’s” that lead to paranoia and agreements with trauma.

You could clearly see trauma trying to take ahold and I wouldn’t let it. Jesus is teaching me how to speak against the spirits of trauma and fear.  It’s so interesting that we say “yes” to such things without knowing it.

I have learned that when Jesus shows up, he speaks life and life abundantly! John 10:10: “The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but I have come to give life and that abundantly.” Where Jesus is, the oppresser is trying to steal.

So be careful how you hear. I spoke away the trauma, because thankfully I had eyes to see and ears to hear the trauma. Thank You Jesus! Your counsel soothes my soul and soothes others through me.

The tow truck man came over and started telling me about his 15-year-old child and their estranged relationship. I told him to apologize for the hurt.

Sounds simple, but true. I had the chance to invest an hour in so many lives. And that all because I opened the door of a car, while many others refused.

Truly, there were many witnesses who saw what happened but I believe Jesus wanted a witness of him who’d sit and speak life to his children, not one who had seen the accident.”

Rebecca concluded:

“I came to speak life and hold babies.”

And what a gift she brought!

Today, take the opportunity to speak life wherever you are.