"What are you doing?" I think out loud as I see a pickup truck trying to pass me on the right shoulder of the road.  We were coming off what had been a two-lane road. We were heading down a hill, into one lane that merged with a main street full of traffic! There was no place to go because there was an embankment on one side and a drop off on the other!   The first time I heard his engine rev was when he was a couple of car lengths behind me and he gunned it to start passing me. Seeing the danger of what he was going to do, I beeped my horn and moved over blocking him totally from passing, where there was not a lane. This did not make "Bubba" happy!  So, he decided to pass me on the left where there was also not another lane and would have pushed me off into the embankment while side-swiping my car!   His truck probably would not have minded the damage, but my vehicle certainly would have!  (If there had been time and space for us both, I would have let him have the road since he was in such a hurry.)  But there wasn't room for me to move over and we were merging into traffic.  So again, I blocked him.  He really became furious at this point!  As soon as there was room when we merged, he passed me on the right side going into the far-right lane.  I merged into the left lane behind the traffic.  I noticed "Bubba" that had been in such a hurry had now slowed down and was waiting for me. He made a space between the cars in his lane so that I would come up alongside him.  Thankfully, I needed to turn left and moved into the far lane allowing cars to go between us.  I do not know what "Bubba" had in mind, but I did not feel it was good.  His window was down and he was angry.  I wanted to yell out to him, "Honey, I was saving your life.  You should be thankful!" (But I didn't).

 

This took place on a Wednesday after we had just finished the "Empower Hour" radio program. On the show an amazing couple shared their work with those dealing with Dementia and Alzheimer's as well as cancer and loss.  Pastor Baxter talked about "going where they have gone" in cases of losing short time memory. Instead of trying to make them remember or do things they used to be able to do, embrace where they are and love them where they are.  It was so good!  (To hear the podcast, go to our website.  You can also watch the first segment on my Facebook page under CarolMarie Smith, founder of Annas Gate) I was struggling to keep my joy over what God had done in lives through the program when now "Bubba" is practicing his race car driving.  I did not need to let him steal my joy or my peace.  Obviously, he had a problem and I should have prayed for him.  I was especially thankful the Lord protected my life and worked out even the detail of traffic flow to separate us!

 

The day before this incident, at Anna's Gate, I taught on the Blessing of Jabez and "how to take territory"!  (I think "Bubba" was trying to take the wrong territory!  He should listen to my teaching...sigh) But my "territory" included the blessing I live in!  If I would have picked up anger or offense because of him, it would have been a fight between "flesh and blood" (people) and I would have closed the door for God to work!  Jabez's name meant sorrow and was named after the god or idol named "Sorrow and Pain".  His mother must have been involved with that idol and was not happy she had so much pain in carrying him!  In fact, his name implied that he would cause pain to others.  He was living under a curse and wrong expectations.  It reminds me of the widows of India that are blamed for the death of their husbands no matter how they died! The saying is "if you look at a widow at the beginning of the day, your whole day will be bad".  What a terrible stigma with which to live.  (I am so glad that Anna's Gate is helping change that by teaching leaders and empowering the widows in India with truth.  We are also training widows as tailors and giving them a trade so they can care for themselves and their children.  When they are certified as tailors, it helps lift off the shame and cancels the lie!  Read about it on our website, under India). The devil knows there is great blessing when you help a widow. "All the works of your hands will be blessed!" (Deut 14:29) He also knows the power of the widow's prayer and I believe he is afraid of it!  "God certainly hears her cry" and "He will establish her territory!" (Ex 22:23 and Pro 15:25) That's powerful stuff!

 

Jebez did not settle for the wrong attitude towards him, but went after the blessing of God instead! 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 KJV "And Jabez was more honorable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with *sorrow." (*עֹצֶב ʻôtseb, o'-tseb; an idol (as fashioned); also pain (bodily or mental):-idol, sorrow, ×         wicked....root word includes: hurt, offense) "And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested."  (A closer translation ends his request with "so that I will not cause pain".)  And God granted his request!  (Hear the whole teaching also on my Facebook page.  To become my friend, mention the "Cup of Empowerment", but the video is open to the public.)

 

I challenge you to pray this prayer and expect your situation to change!  Then choose to stay in the blessing even if a "Bubba" tries to run you off the road!