No More Flat Tires

I have to confess that I have recently developed a paranoia about getting flat tires. It might have something to do with the fact that within a two week period I had several flat tires. Therefore as we headed out to the village last week I was praying specifically for God to protect the tires. My colleague was driving his land cruiser and we did have have a spare tire along of course but it can be difficult to find a good place to change a tire sometimes. As well if we got more than one flat we would be in trouble.

The trip had gone well with no flats and I was feeling good about the situation. Then on the last evening we went out to an area outside of town to pick up some corn for one of the translators. There was no real road to the place we were going so we bounced along trails and walking paths until we reached a small field completely full of thorn bushes. Basically we would be driving over lots of 2-3 inch thorns. Having personal experience with what those thorns can do to a tire I knew the danger. I didn't see how we could drive over all those thorns and not get a flat.

So I sat in the back seat and prayed for the tires the entire time we drove over the thorns. Maybe it seems trivial to pray for tires but it was getting late and a flat might have meant driving back in the dark. We made it safely to the house where the corn was being kept and loaded up almost 200kg of dried corn. Needless to say the land cruiser was weighed down, putting a lot more stress on the tires. So once again as we drove back over the thorns I was praying constantly. I wasn't the only one praying either. Another colleague who was in the back seat with me said she was praying the whole time as well.

God answered our prayers in an amazing way! We didn't get one flat tire the entire trip! It was definitely a miracle because there just isn't any other explanation for how we could drive over so many large thorns and not get at least one puncture.

I know God would have been with us even if we had gotten a flat tire and yet it was so encouraging to see the way He protected us. Maybe because I've been frustrated with my car getting so many flats I just needed the reminder that God is in control and He does care about things like flat tires.