by Micah Keim

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

One of the most terrifying times in my life was an accident that happened to my dad. He and I had been out all afternoon clearing brush from around our electric fences. We had just about reached the end of the trail, and I was using our brush cutter to cut down the few remaining branches. Dad was behind me, pushing the cut branches aside.

I turned back to ask Dad a question but did not see him. Then I felt the cutter’s blade hit something. Whipping my head back around, I saw my dad stagger back with his arm pressed against his forehead. He stumbled to the fence and crossed over it. I shut off the cutter and rushed over to him. Blood was seeping down from where he pressed his flannel shirt against his head.

We made our way back to the house, and I rushed in to grab an ice pack and a set of keys. I raced back out and, after locking the door, slipped into the driver’s seat of my dad’s car. At the time, I had only my permit for a little more than two weeks and had very little experience driving on a paved road.

We had driven about ten miles when I glanced over at my dad and caught sight of how pale his face was under the ice pack. I started to break down, thinking that he might die right there in the vehicle. Dad turned slightly and started to talk to me. I am still not quite sure what he said, but whatever it was, it made me settle down.

As I was trying to calm down, I started to pray and slowly began to feel more peaceful. For the remainder of the drive, I was mostly quiet. We met my mom and she drove us the rest of the way to the emergency room. When it was all said and done, my dad was patched up with twenty-six stitches. To this day, he bears a scar over his left eye — a reminder of how God watched over and cared for us.

Have you ever been in a frightening situation like the one I was in? We all have at one time or another. Maybe a family member is sick, or perhaps you or a loved one is in danger. What is the first thing you do? Some of you may have done what I did, breaking down and crying. Others may kick into overdrive or start to panic.

What are we supposed to do? Acknowledge that God has the situation under control and pray for His help and guidance. The younger generation of today sometimes forgets that we have a powerful tool to use in communicating with God. We tend to think that we have everything under control. Then we get in over our heads. God lets us experience these circumstances to remind us that He is in control and that He will take care of us if we ask Him.

Prayer is one of the few ways that we can communicate with God, and He with us. Parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, encourage your young family members to have a close relationship with God and to pray to Him regularly. Be an example for them and help them. Spend time with them in prayer or have a dedicated family prayer time at some point during the day. This can help them remember to pray rather than panic.

Micah Keim is a senior in high school. During his spare time, he enjoys playing piano, raising beef cattle, and reading.