Under Pressure

So my husband and I purchased a stick shift… that I did not know how to drive.

Some people thought I was crazy when they found out I had a car in my drive way but was too afraid to get behind the wheel. There happened to be three peddles instead of two – and that equaled one big issue. But I was determined!

I had been blessed with a new job and my husband and I were searching online for a used vehicle for me to commute with, we quickly zeroed in on two, and they both were manual transmissions. Too funny!

I remember looking at my husband with confusion as to why we were actually thinking about purchasing a car I did not know how to drive.

Me: “Babe, I don’t even know how to drive stick, do you plan to teach me?”

Hubby: “Of course, it’ll be so easy!”

Side note, is it just me or does it seem like the person that knows how to do something always thinks it will be easy to teach someone else?
Needless to say, my nervous excitement kicked in.

Anyhow, we decided to go with a cute, white, compact car.
Winter was upon us so I knew I had to put the pedal to the metal sooner or later, literally.

A couple days after just looking at the car in the driveway and seeing my husband drive it around, I was ready to take it on! We switched seats, and my very first lesson commenced – on a popular back road near our home. Bad idea.

The craziest thing was I decided to go up a hill, and it was a pretty steep hill. For a moment there were no cars in sight but that didn’t last very long. Before I knew it, behind us was a big grey van that was ready to keep it moving. However…I was stuck at the stop sign at the top of the incline, desperately trying to control my clutch so I wouldn’t roll backwards and cause a fender-bender.

So what did I do?

I cried.
I actually sobbed.
My husband was so patient with me- thank you babe!
Luckily, the gentleman kindly rolled his window down, gave me a thumbs up and said “you’re doing great!”

After that day, I stuck to driving in the parking lot across from my house until I got the guts to try in public again. I only had about one week before I would start my new job. No pressure.

We’ve all experienced moments of pressure, whether it’s moving to a new city, writing an exam, training for that big game, or learning to drive a manual car.
Moses even experienced pressure in Exodus 3:11 when he said,

“…Who am I that I should go to pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”-NKJV

He was wrestling with the idea of God appointing him to such a great task.
In the next chapter he gives his reason…

“O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”- Exodus 4:11 NKJV

For Moses, the task before him was bigger than the confidence he had to complete it. But Moses wasn’t alone.

I had my husband beside me helping me to conquer the clutch. Moses had the God who created his tongue helping him to speak.

So, let me encourage you with the words of Paul, that you can do all things through Christ who strength gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).

Because I know you can!

Love & Blessings,
Tanika