Reliance On God

By Joe Sullivan, MJ • Phoenix, AZ

Arriving back in Phoenix after spending a month in India, and another month in Italy, I was welcomed with record-breaking 110-degree weather. I immediately jumped into my normal daily activity of providing transport service for people with low or no income for their non-emergency medical needs. This work provides an opportunity for people to talk without inhibitions, and they tend to open-up. 

I found out that it is very true people like to talk to their driver or their bartender. My brother is a bartender, and he tells me this is true. A lot of complaining, venting, haranguing, and confessing. I admire the ones who are in drug or alcohol rehab programs. Many of them are from out-of-state and are determined to get clean. A young man told me he has been clean for 19 days and counting. I said, “Praise God!” He responded, “Yes! Exactly! Praise God!” Many have discovered Jesus on their journey and have found consolation and power in giving Him their weakness. They are a great inspiration to me because sometimes I tend to rely on my own strength. They teach me the power of failure and reliance on God. 

Recently, a man got in for a ride and almost immediately started insulting me and chided me for not knowing where I was going and wasting his time. Although I think I knew exactly where I was going, I remained silent and listened. After a while, we were both joking about how hot Phoenix is this summer. Hotter than a jalapeno’s armpit! This was probably an occasion when I received the most spiritual profit in a long time. Praise God!