Originally posted on jennifersanabria.com on April 19, 2009

On July 31, 2008, I was involved in a hit and run accident. Someone ran a red light and hit my car. Jake and I were both in the car at the time. We suffered neck and back injuries that will affect us forever, but overall we are great!!

Because of this accident, I knew I would get some money, so I was making plans for it. Those who know me best KNOW I was gonna get a boob job, pay off my car, pay off my student loans. I had plans…God had other plans!!

He waited until the perfect time when my heart was out of the selfish state and started working on it. Once I realized the settlement wouldn’t be that much, I started making plans to go back to school in the summer. The amount of the settlement would be just enough to pay for the degree in nursing I’ve always wanted…God had other plans!!

He started speaking to me and placing the desire in my heart to go to Puerto Rico and see my abuela!! I hadn’t been in 17 years since my mom passed…it was time!!

The same day I got the call telling me I could pick up my check for the settlement, was the same day I was told I needed to take a furlough week from work. I was of course upset, but calm because I knew I would have the money to cover that week. EVEN BETTER…I bought tickets to go to Puerto Rico for Jake’s spring break. 3/27-4/5. Once again, God had other plans!!!

On March 9, I found out my abuela had a stroke. Everything in my being told me to change my tickets and get there NOW. We left on March 12.

I spent 10 days with family I hadn’t seen in nearly 2 decades and MOST importantly I spent quality time with my abuela. She knew what day I was coming and was asking for me that whole day. She recognized me when she saw me. Abuela was paralyzed on her left side, but her brain was fully functional. She joked with us, threw stress balls at people…even pinging them on the forehead. She was doing great!! We even discovered where Jake got his beautiful eyes!

On Friday, March 26, Jake and I said our good byes to abuela because we had to be at the airport at 6 the next morning. She gave us a kiss, told us she loved us and thank you for caring for her while we were there. That was the last time I would see my beautiful abuela!!

She suffered another stroke that night and never recovered. She passed away on April 8 at 10:15pm.

The wonderful news? She accepted the Lord while she was in the hospital!! What a wonderful gift to know when I get to Heaven I will see my mami and my abuela!!

See, that accident back in July….the horrible day that satan tried to shake me was part of God’s plan to bring me to my abuela one last time! He planned it perfectly and beautifully! Satan tried to taint it and it was not a smooth ride, but HE LOST!!!! HE LOST!!!

See, Easter isn’t only about eggs and bunnies! It is about God sending Jesus HIS ONLY SON to come to this earth and die for our sins! THAT ACT gives us the opportunity to share a relationship with Jesus that allows us to understand and SEE the wonderful plans He has for us. Satan HATES it and tries to throw us off course with car accidents and death, but Jesus uses that for HIS glory!!

Do you see how WONDERFUL HE IS? The pain of the accident or losing my abuela isn’t less because I am Christian. And the comfort of knowing I will see abuela in Heaven sometimes isn’t enough, but what IS ENOUGH is that God used satan’s plan to kill me, to see my abuela before she died. Now, tell me that BIG God doesn’t care for me AS AN INDIVIDUAL? It’s not coincidence…it’s LOVE!!!

This was not meant for anything else except to share the joy I have in spite of the PAIN I am feeling right now!!