{Ashley as a 3-year-old}
I don’t believe it was just by chance my windows were rolled down. I mean I rarely, if ever have them down. As I was driving down the street when I heard a little girl screaming “mommy”. She was running as fast as she could. I saw the fear in her eyes as she started to run faster and faster. It was as if I had a prompting without even recognizing that was the case at that moment. I saw this black car and in my heart, I just knew I needed to catch up to. It was pressed upon my heart to ask them if they had forgotten their daughter. There is no word for me to even begin to describe how I knew what had just happened. I certainly didn’t see it happen.
I can’t begin to explain how I knew which car was the one I needed to speak with. It was as if the spirit had subconsciously led me to do what needed to be done. I didn’t have time to think, only to act. I was able to get who I believed to be her mother’s attention. She rolled down her window and I asked her if she had by chance forgotten a daughter. Immediately, this lady yelled out “Sophia”. I can’t imagine the fear that struck that little girls heart. I can’t comprehend what must have been going through her 5-year-old mind.
It was the strongest awakening to me that Heavenly Father really is in every detail of our lives. We just can’t afford to forget that. There is no other possible way to describe what I felt. Or even the perfect timing of being where I was. And even the way I was able to react how I did at that moment.
We can’t afford to forget how much He cares and loves us. Our weaknesses can be our greatest blessings. They can be as an awakening that we can’t do this without Him. If we allow them to be.
Some days when I feel I have more strength and things are going so well, it can take a lot more effort on my part to remind myself of the dependency I have on the atonement. It takes so much humility for me to be able to say, “Life is going great, but still I need you”. When all is well, isn’t it just so easy to get caught up in the “all is well” moment?
We are nothing without Christ. He is the only way to eternal life and yet it can be so heart aching to be reminded of that constantly due to the gaps and weaknesses. Yet, on the other hand, it can be very scary when we don’t have that reminder. Either way, it’s going to be painful. So if I had to choose, I would choose the very painful life recognizing that Christ is walking by my side, rather than feeling content and not even recognizing He is there until I break and every piece of my life falls apart. With Christ, no matter what we go through it is always held together.
I want to trust deeper in Heavenly Father’s plan. My heart longs to trust more that He knows me, that He loves me, and He is in the details of my life. Oh, how I will take upon pain to know Him a little more and to trust Him a little bit more courageously.
So, let’s get back to the girl. This innocent little girl recognized so full heartedly and in complete meekness that she was dependent upon her parents. She knew she wouldn’t make it without them. She knew her love for them and she knew how fearful her life looked without them. I want to be like this girl… Running as fast as I can if I ever recognize that Heavenly Father as Jesus Christ