Traveling with Reba Hoffman Across America

Me: You are doing WHAT?

Reba: I’m riding my bicycle across America.

Me: Are you crazy?

Okay, I didn’t exactly say those last words out loud. I did ask why, and here is Reba's answer in her own words:

There are untold numbers of women—victims of violent assault—who live in a prison. They lock themselves up in their homes in fear. Life has all but stopped for these women. They breathe, sometimes eat and rarely sleep. They suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

I’m riding for them. I want them to see there is life beyond the fear and there is hope for them. I know all too well about PTSD. I survived a violent assault myself. The broken bones healed well enough but the fear paralyzed me.

I still didn't quite understand, but I prayed for her as I followed her blog about her travels. If you haven’t been keeping up, here’s the link to the first one.  I kept reminding her where I live—Corinth, Mississippi. But she wasn’t coming this way…or so she thought.

After a series of events (that I prefer to think was God's way of bringing her to my house and you can read about them on her blogs), I received a text from Reba. 

Is there an alternate route to Corinth?

She was almost to the Mississippi State Line. At this point she'd traveled 528 miles and had run out of shoulder on the road. She recognized it was too dangerous to ride on the highway itself.

From where Reba started to Corinth, MS

I told her to stay put and I’d be there in 30 minutes to pick her up. And that began the Mississippi adventures that you can read about on her blog. 

What has touched me so deeply are not only the stories of women she’s met but the goodness of the people. And I began to understand...

You see, I had become quite cynical, but because of Reba stories of kindness from total strangers, I have started seeing the 99% of people who are good. 

And it’s not just one story, but many, like the Korean Vet who had nothing to offer; he didn’t have electricity or running water or money, yet he gave her the one thing she needed that night—a safe place to pitch her tent.  

Each Sunday, my teacher asks if we’ve seen God at work this week. Sunday, I can say yes. I’ve seen Him in Reba and in her faith that He is leading her way.

One last thing I’ve learned this week: when you are in the center of God’s will, you are in the safest place on earth.

Have you seen God at work this week? Leave a comment and tell us how you've seen Him.

Pat Trainum writing as Patricia Bradley
www.patriciabradleyauthor.com
http://mbtponderers.blogspot.com/
@PTBradley1
Shadows of the Past from Revell February 2014
I asked God to teach me patience and He gave me a book to write