A few years ago I was going through a series of family crisis. Just when I thought I might make it through a nightmare I would be bombarded with something new to deal with as well. To make matters worse, Wendy, my dearest friend and confidant, now lived in another state. No longer could I just pick up the phone and talk to her anytime I wished. Wendy and I had to make do with corresponding by U.S. Mail. I remember feeling at the lowest point of my life as I wrote to her of my hopelessness and despair. I just didn’t know how I would find the strength to go on. I told her I had turned it over to God and asked her to pray for me. God must have heard her prayers. He gave her just the right words to give me the strength I needed, while renewing my spirit as well. One of the many things Wendy and I have in common is that we were both in our late twenties when we learned to drive and neither of us are crazy about driving. She wrote to me about a trip into work on a foggy day. It went something like this:

Dear Chris, When I left the house this morning the sun was peering through the tall redwood trees surrounding my home. As I drove along the windy, mountain highway I was humming a song. All was well with my world. Suddenly, before I knew it, I had entered a patch of fog. I immediately slowed down and became alert to danger. Luckily, it was just a small patch of fog and as quickly as it came, it was gone. Whew! I sure wasn’t expecting that, but it wasn’t so bad, I decided. I drove a few more miles on half alert status watching for more fog. Sure enough before I knew it I was in another small patch of fog. I was able to handle this one as the one before it.

Again, the sun was shining and I began to relax and to hum. The next time I hit the fog it was more than a small patch. Without warning I was surrounded by dark, thick fog. I could not see anything in front, back or around me. My first instinct was to panic and throw on brakes…but my better instincts told me that would be unwise. So, I slowed down to a crawl and considered my options. I could stop in my tracts and maybe be rear-ended, thus causing a major pile up. I could try to pull over, but on these windy, mountain highways there was often little or no shoulder. I could try to turn around and go back the way that I had come but that would be suicide. All I could do was to just keep going blindly, trusting that I was going slow enough to prevent a head on collision if I, or the car coming toward me wasn’t on the right side of the road. As I crept along, I prayed as never before for God’s helping hand. I saw a patch of light up ahead and breathed a sigh of relief, believing my ordeal was almost over. But when I reached the light there was more thick fog ahead. I drove, and drove, and drove. My eyes were glued to the road, and my hands glued to the steering wheel. Then way ahead of me I saw a bright light. I was afraid to believe that it was the end of the fog, yet it game me hope. I knew I had to make it to that light. And so I drove, and I prayed, and when I did reach the light I saw that there was no more fog. I broke into tears of relief. I had made it!

I knew that there could possibly be more fog further ahead. But for now I had made it through this one and with God’s help I knew I could make it through the next as well. When I returned home from work your letter was in my mailbox, Chris. It was then that I knew why God had given me this challenge. You have hit… not just one patch of fog, but many. You feel like you are all alone and having to face monumental decisions by yourself. Just when you get through one patch you’re faced with another. You can’t see the light at the end of the fog just yet, dear friend, but I promise you it is there. So, you can stop in your tracks and give up, pull over and try to wait it out, turn around and try to go back the way you came…put life in reverse and back up, or you can keep on going. Trust your instincts, Chris. Do not despair! You’ve turned it over to God and if you’ll trust him to see you through you will soon see the light at the end of the fog. You are not alone. Deep down in your heart I know that you knew this. God is with you always. And, my dear sweet friend, so am I. My continual thoughts and prayers are with you. Friends forever, Wendy It has been years since I got this letter, but the wisdom shared in it has never left me. God does give us angels to help us in our needs, and mine is named Wendy.

It has been years since I got this letter, but the wisdom shared in it has never left me. God does give us angels to help us in our needs, and mine is named Wendy.

Christine M. Smith iluvmyfamilyxxx000@yahoo.com