In my last post, I told you what I remembered about the night three of my friends lost their lives on the way home from preaching Jesus to a group of youth in Bristol, Florida. What I didn't tell you was my dad's side of the story.
You may wonder what my dad has to do with this since he wasn't there, but a few days after the accident occurred, he told me a story that to this day still sends chills down my spine.
Remember that I told you I had the sense of foreboding for days before the accident happened but I thought it had something to do with my mom? Well, my dad had that same feeling too.
That night after David and I left, my dad said that the sense that something bad was going to happen was strong. As he and my brother sat down to eat dinner, my brother was about to say the blessing over the food when my dad told him to pray for me, David, and my mom.
After dinner, Dad decided to take a shower before finishing up his homework. He said that while he was showering he was overcome with a sense of dread and the feeling that if he didn't pray right then someone he loved was going to die. Immediately, he called on God to protect his family. Not knowing which of the three of us it was going to be, he prayed earnestly for our protection. After he prayed, he was filled with peace.
Later after his shower, he was doing his homework when my brother gave him the phone and it was me on the other end telling him that we had been involved in a terrible accident and that while we were fine others in our group had not made it out alive.
I strongly believe that I wouldn't be here right now if my dad hadn't listened to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and prayed that night.
I'm sure that he can explain his side better than me and if you have questions about his story, you should ask him but I cannot remember this day without remembering how he prayed for me, David, and my mom. I also can't thank my cousin David enough for having the presence of mind to tell us to put our seat belt's on. Without getting that seat belt on in time, I'm sure I would be being remembered today as well instead of the one telling the story.
I read these from my phone a few weeks ago. I wanted to just say "wow." I have run by that memorial on campus a thousand times, and for some reason I'm always compelled to reach out and touch it as I go by. I think you and I even ran by it that day we got to run together. I had no idea you were there that night. What a testimony and story of God's grace being lived out by true servants. Thank you for sharing it! You are amazing my friend!
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