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Roadside assistance with God
It was a rainy, muddy day on the Dempster Highway, the little traveled dirt road from Dawson City to Inuvik, the northernmost city in Canada accessible by road. My husband, Kurt, and I were about 60 miles south of the Arctic Circle, 50 miles from the nearest tow truck in Eagle Plains, 200 miles from the nearest city, and out of cellphone range.
Our car was on its roof in a ditch, as I had lost control of it on the slippery highway, and we were inside hanging from our seat belts. After taking a moment to get our bearings, we released the belts, crawled across the ceiling, and got out of the car. We were very grateful to feel God’s protecting care, as we were both unhurt. However, it appeared unlikely we would get out of this without significant expense, time lost, disrupted schedules, and mechanical problems. Yet, the thought that we could not be beyond God’s love was very comforting. We both saw this as an opportunity to demonstrate what the Bible says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). We didn’t know how the day would unfold, but we were confident God would guide us, if we listened.
Our confidence was based on other experiences we have had, where problems were solved through prayer. For example, in 2004, in a remote canyon on Lake Powell in Utah, we had taken a rented powerboat into Smith Fork, where we planned to hike in the slot canyon. We found, however, that we needed to climb an eight-foot sandstone wall to access the canyon. As Kurt started to climb, the red sandstone ledge he was using for a handhold broke when he put his weight on it. He fell backward into the boat, hitting his shoulder on the top of the window frame, and again on the bottom of the boat. He yelled out in pain. I could see his shoulder was misshapen.
Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.
July 25, 2011 &
August 1, 2011
double issue
View Issue
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Letters
Cindy Roemer, Laurel Marquart, Brian Zavitz, Charles Palenz
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Singing in perfect harmony
Maike Byrd, Staff Editor
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‘. . . So I can read the holy book myself’
Fredrick Nzwili
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Building on the bedrock of spirituality
Patti Waterson
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Prayer about unemployment: from millions, to one
Margaret Campbell
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God is Love
By Christa Kreutz
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How do we get to know God better?
By Brian Hall
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Lights leading to the practice
David Horn
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Your questions about church
Giulia Nesi, Scott Putnam
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Healing and church
Glory Holzworth, Adrienne Jones
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A career of healing in the theatre arts
By Kim Shippey
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Excerpts from Theatre: Its Healing Role in Education
Richard Morse
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Hang up on ‘Uncle George’
By Bob Cochran
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Seasons of good
Christie Hanzlik
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Why worship together?
Lois Carlson
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His
Wil Meacham
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Prosperous living
Sue Spotts
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A to-do list?
Kay Weed
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For the preservation of the world’s animals
By Colleen Douglass
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Healing stories from South Africa
Senelisiwe Nkomo, Gemma Ritchie, Moleboheng Beauty Masehlelo, Nikki Papadopoulos, Maia James
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Let's pray
Travis, Lou, Monique, Davin
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Striking the right notes in families
By Ginny Luedeman
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Getting along with my father-in-law
Name withheld
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Healing steps to reconciliation
By Jean Paul Nlend Nkott
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Relationships renewed by Love
Name withheld
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My marriage was saved
By Chris Harvey
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If ‘thy brother hath aught against thee . . .’
Mary Ann Cahill
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Family harmony—it’s possible!
John Minard, Valerie Minard
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Roadside assistance with God
An experience of Bev and Kurt Smith
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Singing and soaring beyond the Requiem
By Elaine Lang
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Spiritual safety
James Masson Coleman
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Montana dusk
Maike Byrd
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Vision restored
Don Alusic
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Constant protection as a stuntman
Loren Janes
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Depression overcome
Peter Tyner
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Hockey healings
Anne Cooling , Evan Cooling
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From extremes to a world in balance
The Editors