God’s Faithfulness on My Road Trip

This isn’t really a devotion that I’m posting today.  Instead it is a testimony of God’s faithfulness as I took a two-week road trip.  I want to give Him praise and share what He has done.  I hope that my story will encourage you to trust that God will take care of you.

God’s Faithfulness to Provide Care of My Husband

Since I am caregiver for my husband who has dementia, traveling has been out of the question.  I was praying about going to my 3-day high school  reunion in Pennsylvania, with great concern of how he would be cared for while I was gone. 

About two months ago, while we were singing praises to the Lord in church, I felt a sense of peace that God would work it out.  Then I heard His still small voice whisper, “And you will also see your brothers.”  That seemed even more impossible.  They live in different parts of Virginia.  Due to one brother’s health situation, he has not been able to travel much.  So I had not been able to see him since 2016.  However, I reached out in faith and thanksgiving, believing that God would make a way for this to happen.

Soon after this, I was advised by another woman who is a caregiver to look into respite care, and others told me it was important for me to take a break. I was able to find a memory care center which offered respite care.  They said the minimum stay was two weeks.  Wow!  I immediately thought of how I could see several other special relatives and friends that I had not seen in years.  By God’s grace, we had enough money saved to pay for respite care, as well as travel expenses.

There were last minute complications concerning getting correct doctor’s orders from two different doctors.  This was finally resolved on the afternoon that I was to take my husband to respite care.  Without the correct medical orders, he could not have been admitted.  My daughters and pastor agreed to visit him regularly, which eased my mind regarding leaving him for two weeks.  The staff at the home were wonderful as well, assuring me that he would be well taken care of.

God’s Faithfulness to Keep Me Safe While Driving

Several people were praying for me, for I was driving four or more hours on five different occasions.   A lot of the driving was on winding roads that went up and down hills and mountains and/or on expressways with 70 mile per hour speed limits and lots of trucks.  And I had to drive around the beltway of Washington DC during rush hour.  (That was not fun!) I had not driven in those conditions for several years.  This involved stepping out of my comfort zone.

I sometimes struggle with sleep issues and was praying that no long drives would happen after a night of having little sleep.  On the nights before my long drives, I slept well!  God kept me safe over the hundreds of miles that I drove.

A Delay That Turned Out to Be God’s Delay

I enjoyed our three days of class reunion events.  Over my years of being on Facebook, I have connected with some classmates that I didn’t know well in high school, as well as a few that I knew in elementary school.  It has been a blessing to find that several have become followers of Jesus over the years.  I feel like they are new old friends.

I stayed with a friend that I have known from church camp, junior high, senior high, and college.  She has not been walking closely with God for many years.  My plan was to leave Sunday morning, but God had a different plan.  On Saturday night my car’s back brakes started grinding.  I knew I couldn’t leave without getting them fixed.  My friend graciously allowed me to stay longer.  That extra time opened the way for us to have deeper conversations about our lives and for me to share ways that I saw God working, even in the midst of having a car problem.  She commented a few times on how calm I was with the delay.  I shared Romans 8:28 with her:  “God works together all things for good for those who love God.”  I told her I was experiencing God’s peace and believing He had a purpose.

That delay also enabled me to visit my nephew and his family at a time when he needed spiritual encouragement.  I was able to share how I saw God working in my own life and to encourage him to move forward in his walk with God.  It was a special, blessed time.

Other Blessings Along the Way

Instead of recounting details of all of the things God did on my road trip, I will just summarize here:

• I was able to answer a young man’s question about prayer and lead him to Christ.  I used to talk to him about Jesus when he was a child.
• I visited my elderly aunt twice, encouraging her to read the Bible and to draw closer to God.  I had not seen her since 2016.  We had a special time together.
• I connected with old friends, including a former prayer partner.  It was so good to pray together again.
• I had lunch with a college friend who is a widow and whose daughter recently passed away.  We encouraged each other.
• A connection was made between one of my brothers and a younger man who is struggling with some issues that my brother had in the past.  I felt blessed to be able to set up communication between the two of them.  I believe that God will set free the one who is has been going through a tough time.
• I was able to visit our son and his fiancee in North Carolina.  Due to his health problems, he has not been able to to travel, so we had not been able to see each other in years.
• When I lost my parking ticket for a parking garage, I went back to a restaurant where we had been. The hostess had found it and saved it.  So I was able to exit the garage, which had no attendants present.  Another instance of God looking out for me!
• A delay due to a cloudburst probably kept me from being at the scene of an accident so serious that traffic was detoured.  At another location, a blast of a car horn kept me from swerving into a car in my blind spot as I entered an exit lane on a packed highway.
• I was able to be with both brothers and their wives separately, and for one day with both at once.  What a blessing!

God’s Faithfulness While I Was Away

My husband adjusted well to the memory care home.  Of course, we were glad to see each other again and to settle back into life at home.  I came home feeling refreshed and under less stress as I jumped back into caregiving.

I thank God for the many reunions I had with special people and for times of relaxation between the long drives.  I saw God’s faithfulness to myself and to others in so many ways!

by Karen S. Roberts

Psalm 105:1-2  Oh, give thanks to the Lord!  Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!   Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!  NKJV