| Spiritual Non-Fiction posted January 24, 2024 |
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I believe God often uses ordinary people to answer prayer.
A Timely Message
by BethShelby
Monday morning, when I went over to my son’s chiropractic clinic for my weekly adjustment, he asked how far along I was on writing the third book of the story of our family. I told him I’d gotten at least a year into our move to Chattanooga.
“Did you write about the time when I saw the angel?"
“You saw an angel? That may have slipped my mind. You’ll have to remind me.”
When he told me the story, I did remember, and it was something that happened, while he was still in our New Orleans house, while we were in the process of moving. I think more than him seeing an angel, he had the miracle of witnessing a prayer being answered while he and his friend were still in the process of praying.
It brought home the fact that all of us likely have little miracles occur for which there is no logical explanation. We are awed by them at the time, but if we don’t record them, they soon slip from our memory. We need to remember these things, because I think it is God’s way of strengthening our faith.
The rest of our family had already found temporary places to stay in Chattanooga so Connie could be here when the school year started. Don was still in New Orleans, looking after our house until the closing and doing some construction work.
Don and a friend, another young man about his age, were discussing things they had always wanted to do. The boys were in excellent physical condition and they were always up for a new challenge or adventure. Don’s friend, Rene, had a girlfriend living in Chattanooga. They discussed the possibility of riding the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi into Tennessee on their bikes. I don’t mean motor bikes. I mean bicycles which require pedaling.
The original Natchez Trace was created and used by Native Americans for centuries, and later, by early European and American explorers, traders, and emigrants in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In order to preserve the original trace, the Natchez Trace Parkway was created in the 1930’s as a CCC project to make work for men coming out of the great depression. The parkway is a two-lane highway extending from Natchez, Mississippi, angling across the state, going through a portion of Alabama and into Tennessee where it ends around Nashville. The 444-mile road takes in many historical sites along the way. It has bike trails and camping spots and not a lot of vehicle traffic.
The boys packed their camping gear and had someone drop them and their bikes off at the beginning of the trail in Natchez. They biked around a hundred miles each day and made camp at night.
It seems there aren’t many people who attempt such a long trip by bicycle, because according to my son, they were treated almost like celebrities as they traveled. People along the way enjoyed chatting with them and giving them food and other things at no cost.
They followed their map carefully, but once in Tennessee, they came to a point where in order to come to Chattanooga it meant leaving the parkway behind because their plan didn’t include going all the way into Nashville. The highway toward Chattanooga was I-24 east. This highway crosses the Cumberland Plateau and runs through the town of Monteagle. The pass is an elevation of nearly 2000 ft. The road down from the mountain is very steep and treacherous.
The plan had been to ride their bikes all the way into Chattanooga, but they began to wonder if this was something they would be able to handle safely. So far, traveling on the two-lane road had seemed safe, but traveling further involved a major highway. Any road crossing the plateau might not be something the boys could handle on bikes. Both boys were Christians and had been taught to pray when in doubt. They stopped at a rest stop, bowed their heads and began praying for some sign as to what they should do about continuing into Chattanooga by bicycle. Before they finished their prayer, a car swung into the area and instead of pulling into one of the other many parking spots, the driver pulled up beside the boys.
A man got out of his car and asked “What do you boys need to know?” They explained their dilemma, and the man said, “No, you are not to think about going across the plateau on bikes.” With that he got back into his car and drove away. It appeared he was on a mission to answer the question they had posed, and that he had no other reason for coming there. They stared at each other in amazement knowing they had been sent the sign they asked for.
They were convinced their question had been answered, and now, they had no choice but to revise their plan. They went to the nearest phone booth and called Rene’s girlfriend, who was willing to come and pick them up and drive them the rest of the way.
Later, after studying the map further, they realized the dangers they would have faced if they had done what they were both inclined to do.
I would love to have heard from that man’s perspective why he felt compelled to go to that location and deliver a message to some boys who were about to make a grave mistake. I don’t believe he was an angel but rather an ordinary man who could be called into service because his spirit was in tune to hearing a message from God. I believe any of us in the right spirit could be used in such a way.
If we have a deep impression to do something, we should never ignore it. I believe this is one of the many ways God uses to answer prayers.
Monday morning, when I went over to my son’s chiropractic clinic for my weekly adjustment, he asked how far along I was on writing the third book of the story of our family. I told him I’d gotten at least a year into our move to Chattanooga.
“Did you write about the time when I saw the angel?"
“You saw an angel? That may have slipped my mind. You’ll have to remind me.”
When he told me the story, I did remember, and it was something that happened, while he was still in our New Orleans house, while we were in the process of moving. I think more than him seeing an angel, he had the miracle of witnessing a prayer being answered while he and his friend were still in the process of praying.
It brought home the fact that all of us likely have little miracles occur for which there is no logical explanation. We are awed by them at the time, but if we don’t record them, they soon slip from our memory. We need to remember these things, because I think it is God’s way of strengthening our faith.
The rest of our family had already found temporary places to stay in Chattanooga so Connie could be here when the school year started. Don was still in New Orleans, looking after our house until the closing and doing some construction work.
Don and a friend, another young man about his age, were discussing things they had always wanted to do. The boys were in excellent physical condition and they were always up for a new challenge or adventure. Don’s friend, Rene, had a girlfriend living in Chattanooga. They discussed the possibility of riding the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi into Tennessee on their bikes. I don’t mean motor bikes. I mean bicycles which require pedaling.
The original Natchez Trace was created and used by Native Americans for centuries, and later, by early European and American explorers, traders, and emigrants in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. In order to preserve the original trace, the Natchez Trace Parkway was created in the 1930’s as a CCC project to make work for men coming out of the great depression. The parkway is a two-lane highway extending from Natchez, Mississippi, angling across the state, going through a portion of Alabama and into Tennessee where it ends around Nashville. The 444-mile road takes in many historical sites along the way. It has bike trails and camping spots and not a lot of vehicle traffic.
The boys packed their camping gear and had someone drop them and their bikes off at the beginning of the trail in Natchez. They biked around a hundred miles each day and made camp at night.
It seems there aren’t many people who attempt such a long trip by bicycle, because according to my son, they were treated almost like celebrities as they traveled. People along the way enjoyed chatting with them and giving them food and other things at no cost.
They followed their map carefully, but once in Tennessee, they came to a point where in order to come to Chattanooga it meant leaving the parkway behind because their plan didn’t include going all the way into Nashville. The highway toward Chattanooga was I-24 east. This highway crosses the Cumberland Plateau and runs through the town of Monteagle. The pass is an elevation of nearly 2000 ft. The road down from the mountain is very steep and treacherous.
The plan had been to ride their bikes all the way into Chattanooga, but they began to wonder if this was something they would be able to handle safely. So far, traveling on the two-lane road had seemed safe, but traveling further involved a major highway. Any road crossing the plateau might not be something the boys could handle on bikes. Both boys were Christians and had been taught to pray when in doubt. They stopped at a rest stop, bowed their heads and began praying for some sign as to what they should do about continuing into Chattanooga by bicycle. Before they finished their prayer, a car swung into the area and instead of pulling into one of the other many parking spots, the driver pulled up beside the boys.
A man got out of his car and asked “What do you boys need to know?” They explained their dilemma, and the man said, “No, you are not to think about going across the plateau on bikes.” With that he got back into his car and drove away. It appeared he was on a mission to answer the question they had posed, and that he had no other reason for coming there. They stared at each other in amazement knowing they had been sent the sign they asked for.
They were convinced their question had been answered, and now, they had no choice but to revise their plan. They went to the nearest phone booth and called Rene’s girlfriend, who was willing to come and pick them up and drive them the rest of the way.
Later, after studying the map further, they realized the dangers they would have faced if they had done what they were both inclined to do.
I would love to have heard from that man’s perspective why he felt compelled to go to that location and deliver a message to some boys who were about to make a grave mistake. I don’t believe he was an angel but rather an ordinary man who could be called into service because his spirit was in tune to hearing a message from God. I believe any of us in the right spirit could be used in such a way.
If we have a deep impression to do something, we should never ignore it. I believe this is one of the many ways God uses to answer prayers.
 Recognized |
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