Simple Prayers that Yield Big Results

Something happened last week that I just have to tell you about. It can be easy to wonder…. What is the point of praying about ordinary things? Does God really intervene in our lives when we pray?

The answer is a definite “yes!” He cares about every single detail of our lives and there is no doubt that He answers our prayers.

Since we have been going to Greeley on a weekly basis I started praying a prayer as I started the car in the driveway. Liberty has ridden along almost everytime and she totally gets into it, as does Isaiah. The ride to Greeley is a beautiful ride, but face it, life can change in an instant with car accidents, etc. I start each ride with a simple prayer outloud, “Lord, thank you that we can go to Greeley, thank you for the work you are doing on Isaiah’s legs, thank you that we get to ride through the beautiful state of Colorado. And Lord, please protect us from other cars, trucks, trailers, boats being hauled, anything that could fling off a car or truck. Protect us Lord from hitting any cars or trucks and please Lord keep the animals away from our car. Animals like: (and at this point the kids start to name every animal they can think of and some of us big people riding along throw in a few fun ones also)….including things that would be bizarre to find along the way, but hey, its a fun prayer to pray…so they start naming Giraffes, Elephants, Aardvarks, Armadillos, not forgetting the things we have seen on other trips: Moose, Elk, Bear, Deer, Antelope, Mountain Goats, Snakes, etc.

It could be thought that after doing the trip 8 times or so it has become routine, but really, every trip could have its hazards. So we pray throughout the trip at random times too. Infact last week just before leaving Dw had said, “I feel really uneasy with you going.” He felt something was going to happen. We prayed together asking for protection.
We had a great start to our trip and didn’t even stop for four hours into it. We needed a pit stop and some yummy ice cream for breakfast. =) We got back on the road and eventually got up to where 285 curves and twists through the mountains. It is very mountainy, very windy and very narrow. On one side is a cliff (the side we take heading north).

I am not a speeder – AT ALL. I take my time and am very cautious. It had rained off and on during the trip but nothing too big. I slowed right down when it started. It cleared and we went back to our normal speed. All of a sudden, out of nowhere it started to hail. Hard! The hail balls weren’t huge, maybe the size of a fireball. I slowed immediately. We were on the upper part of 285 and it was winding around the mountains. This happened again. Hail out of nowhere. I slowed and it stopped before long and I took off again.

Then without any warning I came around a large curve and the hail was incredible. It was probably about the size of ping pong balls (if not bigger) and it already had piled up about 4 inches on the highway. There were ruts instantly from the car in front of me and there – right in front of me – was a 4Runner on its side blocking both lanes of traffic. I immediately started to cry out, “Oh Jesus! Stop the car! Jesus! Jesus! Please stop the car!” I had applied my brakes the second we had seen the car on its side but my car could not stay out of the ruts that the 4Runner had made and I found us sliding toward the embankment – which is really more appropriately called a cliff. My brakes did nothing.

I downshifted to 2nd gear to try to slow the momentum of the car because it was picking up speed as we were going down a mountain. Other cars skidded around me. It was psycho. The hail was horrific. The brakes wouldn’t stop. I was pleading outloud with the Lord to stop my car and not allow me to hit the 4Runner.

At this point I want to thank everyone who has ever prayed for our safety as we travel to Greeley. There is no doubt that the power of prayer was the only thing that protected us that day. My prayer partner, Chelsea, said that she and her little guy Josiah had stopped to pray for us multiple times that day. You know, we just never can take a “routine” ride for granted.

One of you might be wondering if I think we were “almost” killed. Well, I firmly believe that when God calls us home, he calls us home. BUT I also believe that prayer averts trouble. It could have been that we would have sustained injuries or hurt someone else. Who knows. I just know that He tells us to pray and ask for whatever we want….He also says, “You have not because you ask not.”

I do not think that if you have had a car accident, etc., that you didn’t pray. I do know though that we have not prayed about every trip or even every short ride. I do know that God’s grace is sufficient.

I do know that last Thursday God received all the glory because we had prayed! We knew he had answered!! We knew he had protected. We knew that He is the one who stopped my car as it was swerving across the lanes, being pulled by ruts that were 4 inches (at least) deep. I stopped just before hitting the 4Runner turned on its side.

Not one other car hit her car. Not one! I parked down the mountain about 300 feet and ran back to help. As I got there 2 men were reaching her at the same time. They looked at me as if to say, “We can’t wait for your muscle to help us!” (LOL) I said, “I am a pastor, is she conscious, I would like to pray with her.” She was conscious and her window was open a tad. I asked her name and she told me. I started to pray for her. Her blood was running out from under the smashed car. It was running down the mountain highway.

It took about 40 minutes to get help. I have to thank the great men of our nation who pulled over to help in anyway they could. I was so proud of them. It continued to hail and hail. A young man who was also trying to help said to me, “Which car is yours?” I told him the green expedition. He said, “I almost hit you.”
I was extremely shaken when it was all said and done. Josh, Emma, Isaiah and I rejoiced at God’s protection and I really believe it was the power of prayer that I didn’t hit her or the guy didn’t hit me, etc. It could have easily turned into a 50 car accident.

God’s gracious hand of protection was so evident…..Thank you Jesus!
Pray continually…….I Thessalonians 5:17
Today Emma, Dw and I have been battling a bug…at both ends…don’t ya’ hate that? =/

29 thoughts on “Simple Prayers that Yield Big Results

  1. Thank you so much for sharing. I think sometimes I forget to pray because it seems so trivial and not important to God. Thank you for reminding me that everything is important to God.

    So grateful you are all safe.

  2. Having traveled 285 and other small roads in this beautiful state, I know what you were facing in this accident and what a miracle was provided by our great God. Since the day we were married, my husband has prayed before every long trip we make in the car. I think around here, even the short trips should be prayed over, especially with CO wildlife and weather involved. We are also rejoicing with you over your son's upcoming wedding. If Sarah is back by Friday, I'll stop by for coffee and welcome her to the wonderful world of being a military wife. There are some great resources for her during deployment from either OCF or CMF, both located in Denver.

    Andrea

  3. Oh my gosh! That just gave me chills- and had me in tears when I pictured you praying with her through the open window. I am so so thankful for God's protection over you guys, and that you were there for her!! Thank you Jesus!

  4. Thank you Jesus for protecting this brave woman and her beautiful children! What a great story of faith and prayer. I am so happy that you are all safe and well. Hope you are all feeling better soon.
    Blessings,
    Amy

  5. Thanks for sharing your story Linn. God truly is amazing! I learned how very real it feels and how very evident God's hand is in our lives on the Uganda trip. It is awesome to feel and know He is there!

    Still praying for you guys! Blessings

    James

  6. Oh Linny…thank you for the reminder that we always need to pray–about everything!! I am so glad you were kept safe–and yes, God gets all the glory!

    So sorry you are sick, though. ugh. Hope it passes soon.

  7. Oh Linny,

    I am so glad you and your sweet ones are ok… What a scary ride, but what a GREAT God!! He is truly a God who cares about every single detail!!

    Do you know if the woman in the car was ok?

    Hugs,
    Sharla

  8. Oh Linny!
    "Thank you Jesus that you protected Linny and her precious family!"
    We are so blessed by your blog, and feel that we know you. We are truly grateful that you were protected and got back home safely.
    We are leaving for a big road trip on Friday, going from San Antonio, TX to Greenville, SC, and to Pensacola, FL.
    Will you keep us in your prayers too?
    I appreciate it!
    We are also 99% sure that we are getting our daughter! We have been pursuing her file for the past year, and God is doing great things to bring her home to us.
    "Yipee Jesus!!"

    Love you!
    Alycia

  9. Oh Linny, Praise the Lord! God is so good and prayer for protection is so necessary.

    I am so thankful you are all okay. I hope that the dear lady in the 4runner is okay, too. God Bless her.

  10. Thanks for sharing, I know the power of prayer but find times recently where I am struggling to utter my prayers for reasons I am still uncertain of but know God will pull me through and I will commune at peace with Him if I keep my eyes on Him.
    I saw the hail on the morning news the day after and my thoughts immediately went to you, God is wonderful, He works in such big ways and in such small ways.
    God Bless

  11. Wow! That sent chills. Thank you for sharing that story and thank you for your witness through this blog.

    Thank you Lord for your protection and favor! We are so blessed!

    Kristi from Texas

  12. Wow! Thank you for sharing your story. It gave my chills and got me all teared up. I always love hearing stories of how God has shown himself so miraculously in people's lives. I know God is ever present and working in our lives in ways that we don't know, but in those moments where it is so obvious that He is doing something huge it is just all the more special. I blogged a while back about a time in my life where God worked a miracle and prevented me from a very serious accident: http://lifelaughsandlove.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/my-own-miracle/.

    ~Amy

  13. So thankful to the LORD for protection for you all!!!

    We have had that same "bug" here at our house with several of us sick…will be praying for that also!

  14. I'm so glad to hear God had his hand of protection on you. I was out of town but heard on the news about the hail storm afterwards and I wondered if you had encountered it but was so glad to see you post the next day so I knew you had made it home safely. Will continue to keep you guys in my prayers with all this driving.

  15. oh my goodness, miss linn! I'm so glad you all are safe. I can think of how that would hurt me to not have you here. God is good.
    I'm still praying for you guys and will certainly continue to do so.

  16. Thank you for sharing that story, WOW! You know,I get those uneasy feelings that DW got before you left and I never ignore them either.Nothing beats the power of prayer, that's for sure.

  17. Amazing. I hope the woman will be okay. I truly believe in angels around the car.

    One night I was driving home alone from the radio station where I worked, and I stopped for a red light. The light turned green so I started to step on the gas. At that moment, I heard an audible voice say, "NO! WAIT!!!" I slammed on my brakes just in time to watch a loaded tractor-trailer run the light right where my car would have been. I never saw it until it came screaming through the light.

  18. I DO hate that you're battling a bug at both ends! But I am SOOO very very thankful that we serve a God who listens and protects! You, my friend, are one amazing witness and I'm blessed to be one thread in your quilt of life!

    PRAISE GOD you are all safe! Now I pray that bug hits the road!!!

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