David’s Car Wreck Yesterday

Many of you who are loyal THE SOURCE users are getting to know our writer and speaker David R. Smith. David develops and manages much of our content you see at THE SOURCE, and most weeks he writes our Youth Culture Window article that appears in the big magnifying glass on our front page.

Yesterday David got into a car accident- he’s fine- the accident wasn’t really that bad. But it was amazing to hear how God revealed Himself through it. Here’s the email he sent out to his friends and prayer supporters yesterday:

I told you I would email you when “big things” happen in the life of the Smith family. I think today qualifies!

It started when Jenn (wife) asked Josiah (2 year old son) and me to go grocery shopping. He likes to help…mainly because he gets a free cookie while Daddy does all the work! But on this day, we never made it to the grocery store.

A woman swerved into our lane and spiked the brakes at an intersection because she missed her turn, and we rammed straight into her. We hit her so hard, my glasses literally flew off of my face and landed in the passenger floorboard. I was wearing my seatbelt and so the only “injury” I sustained was a slightly aching arm. Josiah was in his car seat in the back, but was given a pretty solid snap at impact. He began to cry immediately (from the pain or the shock or both…I don’t know). I popped out of the car, grabbed him and went running to the car stalled ahead of us in the intersection.

Leah and her 7 year old son Nathan were both OK. Now I could further inspect Josiah. No bruises, no cuts. But he did want to lean his head on my shoulder and cry a bit. That was fine with me.

Problem one, safety, taken care of.

But we still have to call the police to file a report. Leah did not have a cell phone, and mine had ran out of battery. So, God sent John to us. He pulled up, rolled down his window, and asked if we needed help. I said, “We sure could use a cell phone.” While the light was red, he jumped out of his truck, ran it over to me, and then scurried back through the lanes of traffic to his truck. He then pulled into the median and let Josiah and Nathan sit in his truck with the AC going. (It had to be 95 degrees today!!) Leah used his cell phone to call her husband, and I used it to call Jenn…and a bodyguard! J After all, it was HER car I wrecked!

John told me that he was en route to lunch with his pastor. Here’s this kid (maybe 22 years old, maybe!) on his way to get help with his needs, when he stopped to meet so many of ours. After the cops showed up, and we moved my car out of the road and into the median, the boys jumped into my car to stay cool, and John left.

Don’t you love it when the church is the church!?!?

Problem two, call for help, taken care of.

So, Jenn gets there and takes Josiah with her. I stay with the car, not knowing who to send it to for repairs…actually, not even knowing if it’s repairable! Gary, the tow truck guy, could see I was a bit shaken, and he assured me he would put me in contact with his boss (a mechanic), and I would be “taken care of.” Well, no offense to any mechanics reading this, but sometimes they have a bit of a reputation….  

So, 2 hours and 1 torrential downpour later, I handed Gary’s boss, Mr. Lee my business card. He said, “Oh you’re a youth pastor?” I answered, “Sort of.” J He then proceeded to tell me that he was the lead deacon at the Korean Presbyterian church in Tampa. This guy owns two collision centers, it’s raining, people are literally waiting in the lobby, and he says to me, “Grab your things; I will give you a ride to your house.” I told him I lived all the way over by the university, to which he answered, “No problem.” The guy WOULD NOT take no for an answer.

So, during our ride, we talked about how he had become a Christian, moved to America, and started his business. He assured me he would take great care of my car…and my finances, too!

Don’t you love it when the church is the church!?!?!

Problem three, money/repairs/car rentals, (mostly) taken care of.

OK, so it’s now 1:00am. The insurance company has been called, and a new car has been rented. I’ve prayed with my family more today than I ever have. (Which totally freaks Jo out…he usually only prays when it’s time to eat. J So every time we go to pray, he’s looking around for food! J) When I wasn’t on the phone with insurance companies, or car rental agencies, I was just thanking God for His abundant love for my family. I’ve now had a few hours to reflect on the day, and I’ve entered this day into the journal that I am keeping for Josiah. In it, I told Josiah that it wasn’t seatbelts or airbags or “crumple design technology” that kept us safe today; it was the mighty and loving hand of God.  

I am sending this to each of you because it’s part of our lives, and you said you wanted to be kept informed. We both know that I cannot thank you enough for your support of our ministry, and your prayers for my family. I am certain an emailed thank you falls short of my appreciation in the Lord for you, but I send it nevertheless. Thank you.

Keep David in prayer. He’s waiting on the insurance to find out if his car is totalled… you know how that goes.