Last week I was driving down the highway on my way to a meeting about bringing Nick Vujicic to our county (Nick’s story is unbelievable, check him out at Life Without Limbs). As I was driving down the road my tire blew! This was the first time anything like that had ever happened to me while driving, so I thought my engine blew up. I pulled over on the side of the road near roadside assistance and inspected the car to find my front right passenger tire was shot. I checked my trunk for a spare tire, but only found old wrappers and trash in place of it (probably time to deep clean my car and check out car bibles). Thankfully I had my phone and looked up a towing service and called them in to take my car back to our house to get it fixed.

God throws us many lessons throughout our day if we only will listen and be mindful of them. My blown tire was no exception. I learned some valuable lessons through this experience, let me share a few…

1. Things Blow Up

Stuff happens in life wether we want it to or not. We can’t choose what happens to us, but we can choose how we go through it. I could have gotten mad about the tire and my missed meeting, after all it was pretty important, but I chose to make the best of the situation and learn something from it. I kept my cool and just did what I needed to do. Life will throw us some explosions at times, but we must keep the right attitude through it all.

2. Make Sure You Are Prepared

For some reason I didn’t put a spare tire in my car the last time I used it (or whatever happened to it). I wasn’t prepared for the blow out, this was a mistake. Be sure to have a spare, any tire brands will do, it’s just a temporary fix. If I would have had a spare I wouldn’t have had to wait on a tow and pay for it as well. Being prepared helps you get through blow ups in life. The more prepared we are spiritually, emotionally, and physically the better we can get through life.

3. Develop Great Friendships

As I waited for the tow truck along the highway I literally had 3 different people pull over and offer me help. All of the people that pulled over went to our church and we knew each other. They saw me on the side of the road and pulled over to see if I needed a ride. If I wouldn’t have had my phone, they would have been life savers for me. The lesson here is to make sure you are developing friends that you can help and that can help you whenever you may need each other.

4. Look At Your Options

When I called tow trucking companies near me I was ready to go with the first quote, but I thought I would look around just in case. Because I explored the options, I found a company that got there faster than the other one and charged me 30% less. If I would have just went with the first person I would have waited longer and been out more money. Always explore the options around you and make sure you are not to quick to go with the first open door that comes along.

5. Bless Others

After the man loaded my truck we drove back to my house together and had a great conversation. I learned about his history and business and was able to encourage him and show my appreciation for what he does. I learned some cool facts about the towing industry and was able to connect with the man as a result. This opened the door for me to invite him to church and be an encouragement to him on a very busy day. Always take an opportunity to connect with others.