Best Date Ever by Guest Author Sheila Preston Fitzgerald

Hello Friends,

This month is a filled with joys and a big challenge. The joys are I will be visiting with family the first week with two lively grandchildren and my niece, celebrating my 27^th wedding anniversary, and the last week of July attending the International Network of Biblical Storytelling Conference as president.

Now for the challenge, my brother Cliff will have open-heart surgery on July 12^th. I will be with him to help with recuperation. I sincerely ask your prayers for his procedure.

With all of this going on I’ve asked a new friend Sheila if she would be a guest blog. I met Sheila at the Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference. I didn’t know until she stood up that she had a prosthetic leg. Sheila is a true light in this world. She is an amazing person, author, and speaker. Her book One Foot in Heaven -Finding Hope in the Hopeless will captivate you with her faith, courage, and determination.  We both attended the Storytelling Café, where we had five minutes to share a story. Hers is one I will never forget. She recounts it here.

Please welcome Sheila Preston Fitzgerald.

BEST DATE EVER

As I drove home, winding through the beautiful back roads of rural Tennessee, I began to cry.  For me, when that happens, it usually means God wants my attention and I’d best listen.   The non-audible conversation went much like this:

God: What day is it?

Me: Aaaa…Wednesday.

God: What time is it?

Me: (looking at the clock on the car) Aaaa… 8:30 p.m.

God: Does any of that mean anything to you?

Me: Ummm…no, not really.

God: What’s todays date?

Me: September 28th.

God: Is it coming together for you?

Me: Oh, my gosh! YES!

Tears ran down my face as I realized that the next day would mark eleven years since the accident that forever changed my life. The last thing He spoke to my heart was, “I’ve got something special for you tomorrow.”

I awoke the next morning earlier than normal as I had an extremely long workday ahead of me.  I arrived with a few minutes to spare, and as I often do, I prayed. My heart flip-flopped when another non-audible conversation transpired.

Jesus: I would like to have a date with you.

Me: Really?

Jesus: Yes. Meet me tonight, 8:30 at the scene.

Me: Knowing exactly what He meant by “the scene” replied, okay!

I drove up to the “T” intersection at exactly 8:30 p.m. Again, I felt the non-audible voice speak to my heart: “I want you to see what happened the night of the accident through MY eyes.”   

Step by step, Jesus slowly took me through the events of what happened the night of the accident. I watched as my body was crushed and thrown into the air like a rag doll, and then came crashing down onto the pavement. Jesus allowed me to see the intersection full of cars and people, first responders, and emergency vehicles. It was like a real-life movie unfolding right before me. Then I saw it. The Trinity. They were there. God gently cradled me in His lap, Jesus knelt beside me, and Holy Spirit was all around me. The next thing Jesus showed me was an aerial view of the pool of blood on the pavement; my body lying in that pool of blood – my blood.

  “Why? Why did I have to see that?” “Because it was then that you fully surrendered your life to ME. Not until you were empty, could I fill you with MY life-saving, life-cleansing blood.” For the first time in my life, I finally understood the power of Jesus’ blood.

Again, I heard Jesus speak to my heart:

Jesus: Let’s celebrate! Let’s mark this moment with communion.

Me: I don’t have any elements for communion. All I have is a bottle of water. Jesus: You do remember my first public miracle, yes?

Me: Oh, yeah! Water to wine. But I don’t have any bread.

Jesus: Yes, you do.

Me: Ummm….no, I don’t.

Jesus: Look in the side of your tote bag.

I dug into the side pocket and pulled out a paper towel. It contained a small chunk of baguette bread. It had been such a crazy day that someone brought me a cup of soup for lunch. I had no idea they put the chunk of bread in my bag!

Did my water turn into wine? No. The elements are simply symbols that represent Jesus’ body that was broken and blood that was poured out for our sins on the cross.

I knew I would never partake of communion the same way again. As I wiped my tears and collected the pile of used tissues, I heard it.

I looked out the front windshield of my car, and up in the night sky was a Life Flight helicopter. As it passed over, Jesus spoke to my heart, “Give me your heart, and I’ll give you life.”

I surrendered once again as Jesus repeated the words He told me eleven years prior. “Don’t be afraid. We’ve got you. You’re gonna be okay.”

You don’t have to experience a life-altering or tragic event to hear what Jesus has to say to you.  You need only to have a willing heart.

Are you willing?

Sheila Preston Fitzgerald is alive today only by the Grace of God. A near-death motorcycle accident that should have taken her life, instead, filled this Godly woman with a passion larger than life itself. Sheila’s love of people, love of life, and, most importantly

her love for Jesus radiates in all she does.

Sheila is the author of One Foot in Heaven – the miraculous true story of finding hope in the hopeless. She’s appeared on numerous TV, video, and podcast shows shinning the light of Jesus to the world. With more than a decade of recovery from horrific trauma that affected every aspect of her life, Sheila uses her vast personal experience to gracefully coach others through trauma and adversity. You truly can live a life filled with hope and joy.