We were traveling to Beaumont, Texas, to visit my dad. Our son was all of six weeks old in 1981 and we wanted to show him off to Grandpa! He was already sleeping most of the night and we decided to drive through the evening, to arrive early in the morning. There were three different routes we could take, and we had traveled all of them at various times in the past. We opted for the old highway down through Mississippi to Louisiana, where we would connect to Interstate 10 for the drive into Texas. The trip was uneventful until we ran into severe thunderstorms a few hours later. Blinding rain, relentless lightning, and waterlogged rutted lanes on the road significantly slowed our progress. Tall trees on both sides of the highway swayed alarmingly in the fierce winds. We planned to stop when we reached the next town. I silently prayed and tried not to feed the what-if scenarios invading my thoughts. The treetops were being shaken like a feather duster and limb debris was scattered along the two-lane highway. No other taillights or headlights were visible, and we moved along slowly in the dark night.

Finally, lights dotted across the landscape ahead, indicating we were approaching civilization. I did not see a sign announcing the name of the town, as my eyes were searching for a place to stop. Suddenly I felt hungry. We both noticed the bright lights to the right off the highway. It looked like a café and people were seated inside. The weather calmed down and rain was falling softly as we came to a stop in the parking lot. The lights shining through the windows offered a warm welcome. Tears moistened my eyes as we entered this oasis. We sank into some chairs at a nearby table and let out a deep sigh. We were safe. Our son had slept through the entire storm. There was a gathering of locals across the room. Bits of conversation and occasional laughter drifted over, and I heard something about a tornado that had moved through the area. Heads turned and glanced in our direction when they spoke. I looked at my husband in wonder. Had we just driven through a tornado? Baby Michael was content, unaware of any danger. Deep gratitude for divine protection washed over me as I gazed at his innocent face.

We arrived at Dad’s house several hours later without any further delays. It was wonderful to see him hold his grandson! Dad surprised me when he offered to feed Michael. He settled in his recliner, and I handed him a bottle. My heart surged with love as I snapped some pictures. The long drive and the turbulent weather were worth the effort, just for this moment. I had never seen my father feed an infant. I had no pictures of him feeding my sister or me. There was one old picture where dad was holding my sister as a baby while sitting in a chair outside a motel room. I marveled as I watched dad handle his grandson with love and confidence. He was comfortable holding him and adept with the bottle.

Over the following years, whenever we drove that same route to Southeast Texas, I would try to identify the place we had stopped, but never was able to find the café. I was not sure if we were in Mississippi or had crossed into Louisiana that night. Everything appeared different in the daylight.

God brought this memory to my mind Saturday evening in vivid detail. I relived the moments and the emotional responses through the journey that night, the delight in my dad, and our precious baby boy. I recalled God’s protection of our lives through the storm and the blessings of rest and refreshment later at the cafe. God was faithful, though I did not truly know Him at that time.

In my work, I meet many people. Sometimes clients share their memories during our conversations. They have stories, too, of God’s goodness and faithfulness when He was not first in their lives. Priceless moments of connection. We know God now, but He was present when we did not know Him, when we did not seek Him, when we did not believe His love for us. He knows every detail of our memories including our thoughts and our reactions. He can bring remembrance anytime. For a reminder. For revelation. For motivation. For healing. For His purpose.

In awe, with gratitude.