"Olivia Was Hit By A Car!"
 

God's Saving Grace saves not just spiritual lives but he saves our physical lives.  I never quite understood that and I sort of believed in miracles, but it was with a bit of skepticism.  I would hear stories of how God had saved people's lives but never experienced it personally.  Not that God had not provided many miracles for me and my family but they were usually financial or somebody said exactly what I needed to hear at exactly the right moment.  In my finite mental capacity though I had limited what my God could or would do for me and my family.  I believed God's word whole-heatedly, I tried to the best of my ability to walk with God and serve him as best as I could in this world.  I was, and am, raising my family to know that God protects us always.  In April though my heart would drop as I heard the scariest words I've ever heard in my life.
 

I was in church when I got the news, sitting in a class that was being taught.  The pastor received a phone call. and very nonchalantly said "Michelle, you need to call Andy" (My husband).  Now the first thing I thought of was oh, how embarrassing.  He probably needs me to pick up toilet paper or something.  I was so wrong.  I called him to hear him say "Olivia was hit by a car",  my nine year old daughter.  I don't even know what I said after that or what he said on the phone.  One of the sisters in our church met me in the hallway to tell me our pastor had told the ones in our class what had happened and they started praying instantly.  She drove me to my apartment and my daughter was sitting on the ground crying.  the lady driving the car was there, crying also, but It's only the Grace of God that I stayed calm.  On the outside Olivia had appeared to have no serious injuries.  She had been hit on her side by the bumper of the car.  The lady said she tried to stop but it happened so fast.  She thought she had run over her because she felt a bump but, right after the car stopped Olivia popped up crying and scared.  I was worried about the lady too because I was afraid she would go into shock, it's traumatic for all those involved.  We decided to take Olivia to the hospital to make sure nothing was broken or anything like that.  While we were there they did an x-rays and a urine sample everything came back clean.  she had a knot on her shin about the size of a small egg, and a bruise on her side when we left the hospital.  Now mind you her shirt and culottes Were black where she hit the pavement.  That right there was a surprise.  Olivia says, "Mama God had his angels protect me".   And she is so right.  I know that it could have been a lot worse.  I pray for my children every day that he puts a hedge of angels around them to protect them and guard them against any evil.  I am nobody but a faithful follower of Christ and for that and that alone God found fit to save Olivia's life that day.  I don't know what I would have done had it not been for the grace of God.  The awesome thing is that that is not the end of the miracle.
 

Normally if you're in an accident even if you are not sore right away after you have slept you usually wake up sore.  Not this time!  Olivia woke up the next morning saying she was fine, she didn't walk with a limp, and the bruise that was on her side the night before was only a handful of pin size red dots and even they were gone by the end of the day.  By the end of the week she didn't even have a bump on her leg and the bruise was just about gone.
 

Don't ever think that the sacrifices you make to live a life pleasing to God do not matter, they do.  All he asks is that you read the guide and follow it. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it.  I have Olivia today because it's worth it.