I had driven to St. Ann on many occasions, on all those occasions, I had my human GPS in the form of friends or family members, this time was a tad bit different. This time I was armed with my mummy, who was not very good at the whole GPS bit and 3 kids under the age of 12, who were just happy to be going to the country to see their auntie.
Let me confess right up front, since it's good for the soul, I didn't have a clue how to get to Brown's Town, but I was confident that like memory foam, my mind would sink into the impressions made by my previous travels to Ochio Rios.
This brings me to my prayer- ' Lord, I pray for journeying mercies and whatever happens, please don't let me end up on the North-South leg of Highway 2000.' The Linstead to Moneague leg of this Highway was recently opened (August 6, 2014) and had been reportedly causing cars to stall and fail because of its steepness, especially in older model cars; oh, incidentally, I was driving one. The journey was uneventful, that is until I got to a sign that was indicating where to turn for the highway and where to go where my memory foam impression was to take me; but directionally challenged me made a new impression in the foam catalyzed by an impatient torn hooting motorist and a familiar friend- FEAR!
I was headed on yes, the North South Highway!
Mummy wanted to know if there was any way we could turn back...Nope, no way back after you hit that highway- apparently, Only God allows U-Turns!
The highway was relatively empty, I looked around, only the newest cars and vans dared to tackle this gradient, I felt out of my league, the car was silent, the kids had long fallen asleep, now only the adults could see the steep.
The highway is steep, I felt the car slow, I felt my feet vibrate, my mind paralyzed with fear as I looked towards the rising road ahead, and then it hit me, I was focusing on my fear and not on my favour.
Yes...the car was old, yes, the highway was steep, yes, I was moving in slow motion and all the other vehicles had long passed me by, but I would make it because I had His favour and His favour ain't fair but I'll take it; and like the little engine that could- did- and we made it!
After a huge sigh of relief, I slowly approached a roundabout with flag men in toe and with my new found confidence in God's favour, I boldly asked for directions that would get me to Brown's Town, we ended up going the wrong way- Go Figure. In life- Be careful who you ask for directions. We got lost twice, blissfully passing the turn-off at Brown's Town Community College and ended up in Runaway Bay, only to have to come full circle back to Brown's Town. It was exhausting, frustrating and a waste of resources to be driving around in circles, reminiscent of how many of us live our real lives- in a perpetual state of frustration but on the other side of frustration, exhaustion, confusion and fear is pure, loyal love.
This brings me to my second answered prayer - 'Lord, I do not want to go on the highway and I most definitely do not want to have to drive in the rain...amen.'
So while I bent under my sister's Candlenut Tree (Kukui Nut) with my mummy, picking up nuts, I felt rain drops, I smirked and by the time we had picked up enough nuts, it was pouring! Great, I thought but maybe this rain was like those passing showers we get in Kingston or maybe by the time we got down to the square I would see sunshine and marvel at how it can be raining heavily in one spot and not the other- no such luck! As the wiper blades swished the water from side to side and I looked through rain soaked eyes, I thought about how God had answered my prayers, He didn't give me what I wanted, He gave me what I needed- a new impression in the memory foam!
There are times when we try to avoid difficult experiences as to avoid the fear of it all but sometimes, at some point we need to go through our fears, and not over or around them but through. I drove through my fear to Kingston, taking my own sweet time to read all the signs and learned a tad bit better how to use roundabouts- and why are there so many round-abouts on the country roads anyways? But I digress.
Mummy asked, would you do this again? I smiled.
God's favour is sufficient to get you through any test, for he tests to bring out the best.
What would you do, where would you go if you trusted completely in God's favour?
Related Bible texts : Mathew 17:20, Proverbs 8:35, 2 Corinthians 4:18
