When I was in Kindergarten, I was riding the bus home from school, when something happened; that I won’t soon forget. I had fallen asleep and awoken on that bus, alone. The other kids had all been dropped off at home and I was left on the bus, alone, in a stranger’s driveway. The bus driver had left, as she could not see that I was still on the bus. She did not check all the seats and my feet were too small to show on the floor with the way that I was sleeping and I was too short to see my head over the tall seats. I started crying, but I knew I had to get off that bus for help. I started banging on the windows, yelling for help, but no one heard me. I remembered that my bus driver always pulled a big lever, to open that big door. I started trying to open the door; though, I was very small and my strength was not enough to fully open that heavy door. Though, I knew I had to do something; so, I opened the door just wide enough to squeeze through the door and to go outside. With scrapes on my arms, I ran to a house that was close to the bus and knocked on the door. I was crying and said, that I was lost. I remember the lady asking where I came from and I had told her the bus. She immediately alerted the bus driver, her neighbor. Meanwhile, on the other side of town; my mom was frantic and in tears wondering why I had never gotten off the bus and where I could possibly be. My mom was contacted after some time and I was taken into her loving arms. Though I do not remember the details after the incident, I remember being on that bus, escaping it and finding help. Sometime after that it became mandatory that drivers check all the seats before they finish their shift. Friend, I shared this story for a reason. Sometimes when things are scary or hard, we feel trapped and wonder how we are going to make it out on the other side. We wrestle with the things that are hard and wonder if we have enough strength to be free from all of it. Though we must not give up, God is with us. He is our safety and our strength! He gives us wisdom, guidance and lovingly looks out for us. Looking back, I know that God was with me on that day, whether or not I realized it. There are a lot of bad scenarios that could have happened that day; but God looked out for me, just as He still does.  Friend, God is always looking out for us. He sends His angels to protect us and keep us safe too. We must just trust and have faith that He is there with us always. We must go to Him in our weakness and have Him be our help. Like my mother embraced me in her arms; God embraces us. Like a child feeling safe in their mothers’ arms, may we feel safe in our father’s arms. For as God holds us in His safety; may we find our refuge in His love.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Psalm 46:1 NIV

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Psalm 91:11 NIV

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you, in all your ways,

Philippians 4:7 NIV

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds