When Jesus Took the Wheel by Mary Folkerts

There are moments in life that solidify in our minds like concrete, becoming a kind of guidepost in the sand, marking the before and after. One such marker came upon me quite suddenly on a long, lonely winter road, thirty-two years ago. It happened between Christmas and New Year's, that liminal space where you can’t quite remember what day it is.

That same liminal space represented my state of mind, spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I was young and in flux, drifting along without aim or purpose. I was in a relationship that was going nowhere, and in my heart, I knew it needed to end. I was working a job that barely paid the bills. I was just getting by physically and spiritually, but I was not thriving. I knew that ultimately I wanted to live my life for God, but it felt like I had been in the Almighty’s waiting room long enough, and I began finding my own ways to happiness. I was not ready to let Jesus take the wheel of my life. I liked being in control, even if I didn’t know where I was headed.

I liked being in control, even if I didn’t know where I was headed.

I had spent a lovely Christmas with family in the far north and was driving back home. It was a long winter road, snow piled high on either side of the highway. I was driving alone on this 650-mile journey without a cell phone. (I don’t know if cell phones were even invented back then!)

I had been driving all day, and darkness had fallen. Many sets of headlights had come my way, passing on to their destination. Suddenly, I was roused out of my reverie, focusing on the new lights ahead. As they drew near, I realized that they were coming straight toward me, in my lane! Without thought, I turned the steering wheel into the other lane, and the wayward car passed by in my lane. I returned to the correct side of the road and kept driving, my body weak with what had just occurred! I looked in my rearview mirror to see what appeared to be the other car landing in the ditch. I didn’t stop but kept right on going.

You know that moment when you feel like Jesus literally took the wheel? You have to admit that you did not escape harm without the presence of a higher power. It’s in those times that one looks to either God or their lucky stars in gratitude.

When I arrived at my destination that night, I called my parents to tell them what had happened. I know that they always prayed for us kids, especially when we were travelling, and God undeniably answered their prayer! Their relief over how I was protected was palpable.

I look back now, thirty-two years later, and am still in awe of how God’s hand of protection was on me. I don’t believe in lucky stars, coincidence, fate, or karma, but I do believe in the power of God and His ministering spirits. I like to think that if I had been able to physically see into the spiritual dimension that night, I would have seen an angel in the car, taking over the steering wheel for me, turning the car in the right direction to save my life.

Maybe God wanted to get my attention, and He certainly had it now! He obviously had more life for me to live, and His plans for my future were only just beginning. I now think of this event as the start of the rest of my life.

As the end of the year draws near, we tend to reflect on the past. We think about the good and the difficult things we have been through, and often we gain insight in remembering. We can see things more clearly with hindsight; we see where we misstepped, but we also see the progress we’ve made.

In our reflection, let us also remember the ways God has led, guided, and protected, sometimes with a shielding hand, sometimes with unanswered prayer, and sometimes by taking the wheel.

God uses all things for His glory, to refine us and make us more like Him. Nothing is wasted in His Kingdom.

A simple and meaningful way to reflect on God’s goodness to us in 2025 is to open your phone's photo gallery. If you are like me, the Photos app documents the year perfectly, and I stand amazed at how good God has been. The beauty He creates for me to enjoy, the relationships, and moments of rest. Even when I’ve documented the difficult things, I see how He has held me through it all.

The Ancient of Days still holds us — (Immanuel, God with us).
He is still as relevant in 2026 as in days of old.

Is God trying to get your attention?
Perhaps that sunset was for you?
Perhaps that kindness was His
gentle whisper?
We must make space to look

and listen for Him,
as He doesn’t always come
in dramatic fashion.
May we be attentive to His

still, small voice in
2026.

Mary Folkerts is mom to four kids and wife to a farmer, living on the southern prairies of Alberta, where the skies are large and the sunsets stunning. She is a member of Proverbs 31 Ministries' COMPEL Writers Training, involved in church ministries and music. Mary’s blog aims to encourage and inspire women and advocate for those with Down Syndrome, as their youngest child introduced them to this extraordinary new world. For more inspiration, check out Joy in the Small Things https://maryfolkerts.com/ or connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maryfolkerts/