A Day That Forever Changed Us

July 30, 2012. About 1:15. Tremont, IL

I'm obviously writing this after the fact, but I can't believe how much one single incident can change our family...for the rest of our lives.

I work for the University of Illinois Medical Center Reference Laboratory in Chicago. I sell lab testing to hospitals and clinics. I've been in the laboratory field for the past 11 years. I've been with UIC for the past 6.
I was over near Peoria, IL today on a business trip. It was a pretty typical day. I made several stops at clinics and hospitals in the morning and then stopped at a Hardee's for lunch. As I was walking out of the restaurant, I saw what appeared to be a homeless gal (probably 20 years old) sitting in a parking spot with all of her belongs in suitcases. She asked several people if she could have a ride to the court house. She looked up at me and asked the same question. I knew that I had passed the court house in Pekin earlier, so it was only about 2 miles, but a long walk for someone with 3 or 4 suitcases. The Spirit within me told me to give her a ride. I never (ever) give rides to females, but I regularly help those in need (someone whose car has broken down on the side of the interstate, or if someone asks for money. I've had many opportunities to help people in the last 6 year, but I've never given a female a ride in my car). For whatever reason, I knew that God had spoken, so I offered to give her a ride. She was very, very thankful.

I had her put ALL of her belongings in the trunk. If she had a knife or a gun in her purse, I wanted it in the trunk, not in the passenger seat.

I can't remember her name, but she was very nice and quite pretty. She also flirted with me, which although some guys would've taken an advantage of, I let her know that I was a minister and that put an end to that. She made a few phone calls to find out where her friend was at who was waiting for her near the court house and I dropped her off. We got all of the things out of my trunk and I handed her a tract (I pass out tracts whenever I help someone. I figure if I show love or help first, it will open up the pathway for the gospel). She put it in her purse and they drove off. I pray for her salvation.

As I was leaving Pekin, IL, I saw a sign for Tremont about 20 miles down the road on Route 9. This brought up many emotions as my close co-worker Gerry, who had a heart-attack and passed away back in June, was from Tremont. I thought it might be nice to stop in and see his wife and wish her my condolences. I hadn't had a chance to talk with her at the funeral. I missed my turn in Tremont and I realized I was heading out of town, so I stopped at the edge of town to turn around. I had my left turn signal on and was waiting for on-coming traffic to pass so that I could turn into the parking lot of a business and then go back into town. And then it happened.

I remember seeing a car way back there when I glanced in the rear-view mirror before turning. Apparently, when I slowed down and was stopped waiting to turn, he didn't see me. He was going 50 mph and never touched the brakes. Both cars were severely damaged and his was totaled. Jacob apologized profusely and I told him that everything would be fine.

Hannah rubbing my head in the ER

I remember right when he hit me, I screamed as my body slammed backwards into my seat and all of  my spare change in the change dish in my car flew all over the place. I skidded across on-coming traffic and finally stopped on the shoulder across the road. I never technically blacked out, but I knew that I was in shock. But that wasn't the most impressionable part of the accident. The most impressionable part was that God spoke to me. As clear as I've ever heard God speak to me before, He spoke again,

"Mark, you need to slow down."

Ironically enough, I was the one that was stopped, and "life" hit me full speed. But this wasn't what He meant.

God spoke to me, and we believe that he was trying to get our attention. I had worked 80 hours the week before, and I wasn't out of touch with God, but I was in the worry, hurry and busy-ness of life. He was getting my attention. And boy did he ever.

I was taken by ambulance with a c-spine on a gurney to OSF in Peoria. They did several X-rays and other than being really banged up, the only notable thing on the X-rays was a slip between the C2-C3 in my neck from the whiplash. I told them my shoulder really hurt and they told me to follow up with my primary care physician in the morning. Jenn and the kids came and picked me up. They were very scared, but relieved when they saw me. And that was the start of a very long, arduous trip back to full recovery. Little did I know that God was getting our attention...in a huge way.