The Miracle on Highway 75
We collided at 7:44 a.m. in a crush of steel that should have killed us both.
Two days later, we’re both alive.
Psalm 77:14 says, “You are the God who performs miracles.”
I know. I am one.
***
Jan. 17, 2009 — I awoke to howling wind and white ribbons of snow blowing across corn-stubble fields. I had an all-day planning meeting for a spiritual retreat. The meeting started at 8:15 a.m., and the sun had yet to rise on this new day.
I packed my Bible, my folder and a Diet Coke for the 30-mile trip to a church in a neighboring town.
As I headed down my long rural driveway, I could see that my neighbor and friend, Rob, was just pulling onto the road, one mile ahead of me. Rats. Had we been organized, we could have driven together; we were headed to the same meeting.
This will be OK, I reasoned. Now, I can reflect and pray in the private bubble of my Toyota Sienna van. Just me and God. … I popped in my new Chris Tomlin CD, “Hello Love,” and headed out into the pre-dawn stillness.
***
Track 11 on the CD is called Exalted (Yahweh). It’s a song with a repeated refrain:
Yahweh, Holy is Your name.
Yahweh, Holy is Your name.
As I drove, I thought about the name, Yahweh, YHVH. It is composed of four Hebrew consonants, and is called the tetragrammaton.
Y. H. V. H.
Yodh. Hey. Vaw. Hey.
Believed in Jewish tradition to be too sacred to be uttered aloud, the name is often referred to as the “Ineffable.”
On Saturday morning, I spoke the beautiful and sacred name of God audibly, sang “Yahweh” with Chris Tomlin, and whispered the four consonants as I drove southbound on Highway 75:
Yodh. Hey. Vaw. Hey.
Yodh. Hey. Vaw. Hey.
Thankful, grateful to say His name aloud.
***
The car careened toward me with little warning. A patch of ice must have caught her off guard. She spun.
Thoughts raced, flipbook style.
Four-door car. In my lane. Oh no! YHVH. Swerve. No chance. We’re gonna hit. We’re gonna hit. Can’t stop. Here we go …
Steel on steel. Crumple. Seatbelt snaps. Airbag smacks. Glass shatters. Breathe, Jennifer. YHVH. Eyes open. I win either way. I feel you here, God. YHVH. I feel you here.
Thud. Stop. Ribbons of white blowing in. River of red down my left leg.
Van quiet. No music. Only my voice: “HELP!”
***
Help me God. Help me Jesus. I know you’re here. Help me God. I repeated my cry over and over and over again. That’s when I saw him, walking into the ditch headed my way. An answer to my cry.
My neighbor, Rob.
He had stopped at the gas station and was now behind me, instead of ahead of me.
He didn’t know it was me — not until he saw my face.
He reached in through the broken window, held my hand.
“Just pray with me, Rob.” And he did.
***
Jan. 19, 2009. Two days later — Here I sit on a Monday morning, safe in my home. God spared my life, and the life of the young woman driving the other car. I am stitched, sore, bruised, cut … and alive. I am grateful.
I will have a scar on my left leg. It’s stitched now. My real-life angel, Rob, held my hand in the ER as the doctor put in the stitches, piecing things back together again one stitch at a time.
“Hey, Jennifer,” said Rob, watching the doctor’s needlework while I shut my eyes. “You’re gonna have a Y-shaped scar.”
Y.
Yahweh.
A forever reminder on my left shin of the One who has His hand on me, the One who pieces me together.
Photos by Rob Hage. Final photo was taken shortly after I returned home. Mom and daughter, nestled, grateful. Alive.
Yahweh. ….
31 Comments
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- #TellHisStory: If You’re Feeling a Little Lost and Unseen | Jennifer Dukes Lee - […] was Spirit, and it was Yahweh, and it was surviving what didn’t seem survivable when the steel of my own van came…
Wonderful post. YHVH….
Love Him so…
God Bless!
God is good! i praise Him with you today…
Oh Jennifer as I read this post chills ran down my spine! God’s angels were surrounding you and protecting you my friend. God’s righteous right hand was right there to comfort and keep you. I thank God for you being alive and writing today. All praise to our precious Savior. Your friend Rob started out in front and ended up behind you at the right time. God is truly amazing! Praise the Lord! Wow, I am still shaking and I am so in awe of this amazing miracle. God bless you my friend!
*gasp* Saw this cover story on High Calling. Praise Him!
Praise God! I am so grateful that you are okay, and that He placed a loving angel in your path… well, not just in your path, but before you AND behind you. How he met your needs. Truly miracles…
Your post is beautiful. Oh, how I love His Name, the unspeakable YHVH. The I am.
Praise Him. I am in chills, and in awe over what you have shared.
Darlene
Continued and more fervent prayers for you, Jennifer. Home really is the best place to be, isn’t it?
Be well.
glad you are okay; alive to give the testimony of the Lord’s protection.
monica
Jennifer, such a story. (Read of this first at HCB as well.) I spend my days as a claim adjuster listening to accident stories. I’ve heard some amazing tales of near misses and close calls, and on occasion I’ve even heard told how God intervened on the driver’s behalf (though sadly, that awareness seems to be the exception). I’ve yet to hear any attach such significance to the shape of the scar that is to come.
Grateful to hear of your safety, and in awe at the way God spoke through the devastating sound of crunching metal. I know from reading here in the past that heavy loads are nothing new in your household. I’m praying He continues to sustain.
(And of course, if you hit any snags in the process of dealing with the evil insurance empire, please feel free to give a yell. I’d be glad to help navigate a process that sometimes rivals the crash itself in its brutality.)
God bless.
Praise God for your life and for His hand on you during this time of storm. I am grateful you made it though with bumps and bruises and an eternal “Y”….love you, Carol
For great is the Lord, let all the nations say, exalted, He is exalted!
Blessing and honor, glory and power unto the Lord be praise!
As I read the story and hear you proclaim his Name, exalting His name, I can’t help but sing to myself:
“Yahweh, Holy is your name” – over and over again!
Rest, recuperate best you can in these days – these tough days – truly resting in His holy name!
For great is the Lord, let all the nations say, exalted, He is exalted!
Blessing and honor, glory and power unto the Lord be praise!
As I read the story and hear you proclaim his Name, exalting His name, I can’t help but sing to myself:
“Yahweh, Holy is your name” – over and over again!
Rest, recuperate best you can in these days – these tough days – truly resting in His holy name!
Wow, I am speechless.
Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou Abba. Wow. He is incredible!
What a witness you have been through this. We prayed for you at the meeting, and you have been in my prayers since then, and will remain in my prayers! Know that God has a purpose for you!
So glad YHVH protected you. So glad you are okay. His mark within and now without. In Jesus!
I hope you don’t mind I asked Higher Calling to pray for your and then Marcus Goodyear who added you, as well as I added you to my prayer box on my site. When you emailed me two days ago, I just had to get a prayer chain going so Marcus Goodyear (senior editor of High Calling blogs) also added it to his. God is good and I am so glad you are still with us.
So glad you’re okay, and what an amazing testimony that you kept in connection with YHVH all the way through.
Praising him for sparing you so you can tell the story.
As I read this, and tears came to my eyes, I noticed for all the “Y”s…that is the one thing you did not ask…Why?
You are truly a blessing and I am glad you share your amazing gifts with all of us!
Oh Jennifer, my heart ached when I heard you were in an accident. I see the repercussions of them at work almost every day. I prayerd so hard that you were okay. It wasn’t until just now when I read your post that I knew the details. Today my dad had surgery in AZ for a colon tumor/they feel they got it all- our son comes home tomorrow! – and you are safe in the arms of your family! GOD IS GOOD!
I read this with tears in my eyes. I’m so happy you’re okay! God bless your recovery.
I thank the Lord our God that He kept you and the other driver safe and alive. I was on 75 last night in Luverne, and then on 90 (visit to Joy’s Dad’s house), and the combination of wind, blowing snow, icy patches all kept reminding me of this story as I drove home.
Beautiful post! Brings tears, but I’m so glad God brought you through. Thanks for sharing your miracle.
Jenn @callwhenyougetthere.com
silenced.
grace.
gratitude.
My prayer is that the traumas we all must face will create Y shaped scars over our broken hearts, to always remind us of our loving Creator. You’re still here because you invited the Lord to ride with you. How awesome He is.
Thanks for sharing that story and because of you testimony if Rob has not yet placed faith in Christ yet I feel confident he is much closer, because of your suffering like our savior without complaint.
You have graced many with your gripping report!!! Thanks for finding words to share the story of your day which has brought glory and honor to Yahweh. Grateful for your miracle,
Linda
Jennifer – I love how you continually point back to Jesus, never making even a traumatic story like that about yourself. Glad you’re okay and hope you are recovering well.
WOW!!!! I’ve had a similar accident like this….nothing scarier! So glad you are ok and who could ask for a better scar than one given to you by God Himself. Hope you are recovering well. GOD BLESS.
Beautifully written. All glory to Yahweh. His sovereignty shines. His purposes always prevail – no matter what the outcome…
That is a great post. God’s hand is the only thing that gets me through so many things.
Jennifer, after talking with you on the phone today I was so compelled to find your story. I also blog. 🙂 I read your story and tears began to fall. God is amazing and you are truly a testament to that. Blessings on you, the other person involved in the accident, Rob, and your family.
Jill from Group
I just read this. wow. I love the ‘y’ shape scar. A nice touch. 🙂
Serena