235 – Spinning on an Icy Road

November 21, 1986

I was home with the boys hosting a potluck for our weekly Bible study group that Dan taught. The house was full of good friends and neighbors. Even now I thank the Lord for the support we had that night.

Dan and two fellow Elim students worked part-time at a construction job while taking classes at the school. That night was stormy and on the way home from work, Dan lost control of his vehicle on a slick country road and collided with a Hostess Cupcake truck. The woman driver was taken to the hospital by ambulance and one of Dan’s passengers also was injured. Our Suburban was totaled.

When Dan finally arrived at home with the distressing story of the accident and our car being towed away, we were all dumbfounded. Someone gathered us to pray.

Dan was stunned and feeling horrible about his helplessness to avoid the collision and being the cause of two people’s serious injuries.

Our downstairs neighbor and friend, Josie, who was a fellow student, drove him to the site of the crash the next day. They searched everywhere but his glasses had disappeared. Josie didn’t hesitate, but took Dan to an optometrist and bought him new eyeglasses! We received offers of loaned cars by seven different couples and two single ladies. Over the next couple of weeks we borrowed several of the loaners for a few days at a time and eventually purchased a huge green van from the Trezises.

We received sympathy and encouraging words from fellow-students, and also from neighbors and even strangers in our very small town. There were prayers at chapel by the entire student body, money gifts, meals, and humbling support.

A sorrowful thing happened. The injured passenger in Dan’s car sued us for one million dollars. A sheriff came to the house and handed me the legal document. After I closed the door, I went immediately into shock, BUT the Lord met me IMMEDIATELY! He spoke a word to me that gave me a deep peace. Later, the friend and his wife came to the house to say that they did not blame Dan and had no hard feelings against him. They said they were suing our insurance company because they saw it as a way to buy a farm and have a business. We were able to be polite, by God’s grace.

And after many months of prayers by people at the school and friends and family back in Reno, the suit went away. All praise to God.

And grateful tears are falling from my eyes as I write about it 31 years later.