I travel a lot for work, but yesterday’s early morning drive out of Houston was a wild ride! I woke up at, like, 3 a.m. and checked the weather for the greater Houston area. A massive downpour was expected to hit right when I originally planned to leave and last most of the day. After some heartfelt prayers, I decided to head out early to beat the Houston storm. I’m not sure that was the brightest idea, since I didn’t wait for the rain to pass. I tossed my stuff in the car in the pitch-black dark, with a light drizzle tickling down, thinking, “I got this!” With just a quarter tank of gas, I figured I’d make it past Beaumont on I-10. At first, the interstate was super quiet, and I was like, “Sweet, I’m safe!”
But, oh man, things got nuts fast! The rain cranked up, and the lines on I-10 were way too dim to see with my wipers going full blast. Eighteen-wheelers roared past, their spray clouding my windshield. Some cars slammed their brakes so hard they spun 180 degrees, facing the wrong way on the interstate! I was totally freaking out, gripping the steering wheel so tight I thought they’d need a crowbar to get my hands off. I stuck close to the cars ahead, hoping they could see the lines better, even though the trucks’ backsplash was slamming their windshields too. What the heck?! I was like, “Me too, why am I out here?!”
Just as I escaped Houston, my fuel light popped on—yep, perfect timing! I veered off at the next exit and found a convenience store with gas. I filled up, heart still racing, and popped inside. The attendant was a lifesaver, telling me I could take Highway 90 to Beaumont instead of I-10. I was like, “Fewer cars? Sign me up!” So, I hit the surface streets, and the rain eased up—pure heaven compared to the interstate chaos. I could finally breathe!
I decided I wasn’t about to mess with Beaumont’s road construction nightmare. I’ve seen folks struggle through it, and with this rain? No way! So, I started brainstorming small towns past the Louisiana state line. I take Highway 190, which stretches from Florida to California, for its lighter traffic and cute little towns. I figured it’d take a smidge longer, but that wasn’t true. The rain stayed light, the roads were calm, and I was like, “Yes, this is the way to go!”
You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this crazy experience. It’s because of the spiritual lessons from travel it sparked. As I drove, I got to thinking about life—not the end, but how it’s always flipping upside down, like this storm. Sometimes, evil spiritual forces hit like waves of rain, and the devil waits for a calm moment to strike again, as Ephesians 6:12 and 1 Peter 5:8 warn: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities… Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” We think we’re ready to dive in, but those hidden snags trip us up.
When the storms hit hard, like on I-10 when I couldn’t see a thing, it feels like we’re lost. But God’s got the map, as Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” We just gotta trust Him. But here’s the good news: our guardian angel and the Blessed Trinity are right there—just call out, as Matthew 7:7 promises, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find.”
No matter how crazy life gets, keep your eyes on heaven. Colossians 3:2 urges, “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Don’t sweat the bad or get too comfy in the good—thank God through it all, like 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This drive was a wake-up call to stay focused, trust God, and keep pushing toward Him, no matter how wild the storm!
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