God constantly showers us with His Love. Often this love comes in the form of guidance, which at times can be very subtle. Learning how to trust those seemingly simple or random thoughts and feelings that come from God is key to living an abundant life.

Several inches of heavy, wet snow had fallen and the day shift employees were working in groups shoveling one another out of the parking lot. It was heart warming to look out and see the cooperation between workmates; a demonstration of love in action. After slowly making my way home, I realized that I would need to shovel the driveway off before parking the car. Also, when I glanced at my front porch I saw that the snow had drifted up against the front door three feet high. My work was cut out for me. I decided to park the car across the street, and then dig my way into my house to use the restroom and have a cup of coffee before tackling the snow. Furthermore, once the car was parked, it became apparent that it was stuck in deep slushy snow.

I removed enough snow so that I could get the front door to the house open, went inside, used the restroom, turned up the thermostat on the furnace, made some coffee and enjoyed it nuzzled in my favorite chair. After awaking from a short nap, it was time to get the car unstuck.

As it was, the tools that I had to get my car unstuck were a broom and my hands, since the small shovel which I kept in my auto for situations such as this got broken an hour before when I lent it to a co worker back in the parking lot. Also, the shed where I kept my full sized snow shovel was also barricaded by the drifted snow. In retrospect, it seems quite ironic that I carried that same little shovel in my vehicle every winter and never needed it for digging my car out until after it broke. I am grateful and certain that every detail was in place to teach me some valuable lessons of living.

I rocked the car, dug the tires out, and rocked some more. After surveying the tires, it was apparent that only one tire was keeping me stuck. It was spinning on ice while the other three made contact with the pavement. I had done all that I could. I calmed myself and gave in. Within an instant the Prophet spoke to my heart. “You have a coffee can of sand in your trunk.” The 13.5 oz of play sand had been gifted to me by a man from my work back a few months earlier, after we had a conversation about adding sand to paint to keep painted porch steps from being slippery when wet. In a gesture of kindness he brought me sand. It had turned too cold to paint so I placed it in my trunk. Oh my goodness, the can of sand had been in there since early fall and every time I used my trunk I would see it and get a strong sense to just leave it alone. I gratefully, joyfully, and carefully placed the sand in front and back of the tire. My heart overflowed with hope that the car was no longer stuck. I heard something and I looked toward my snow drifted driveway and there was a neighbor plowing out a space for me to park in. God’s Love worked through another Soul and blessed me by doing the heavy lifting!

One crucial insight that I received from the experience is that the my Divine connection, the Prophet of God, guided me throughout the situation. As I arrived at a place of calm surrender, as Soul I heard the whisper of Divine Love and protection, which led me away from sorrow, toward victory.

By the Grace of God, I am not alone!

Written by Bernadette Spitale