Joseph Christian Patrick Cruz

A Personal Testimony:  Speeding on Life’s Highways.

January 1, 2015

Hi,

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My name is Joseph Cruz, and I drove past your site just after New Year's Day 2015 one-time on my way to California, and before coming back home to San Antonio, Texas in May of that year.  Before I knew I w as truly saved, I believe I was blessed by God above through Jesus & His Holy Spirit on my trip, on this trip, just after crossing into Texas on the I-40 from OKC.

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I remember me and my crew were anxious to get to California, and we were 'high-tailing' it as a 'smokey' to Cali while this FJ Cruiser was following our lead as a 'bandit' at just over a 100 mph.  Shortly, after we crossed into Texas, I got a gut feeling (later learning my 'Gut Feeling' to be the Holy Spirit) that cops were near, but it was too late.  When I crossed the summit of a small hilly-incline of the highway stretch that we were on, I saw a DPS Texas Highway Patrolman parked on the other side of the highway facing the opposite direction while we travelling at about 105 mph to my recollection.

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I knew we were SINNERS, and I hit the brakes in my newly acquired, golden-colored 2008 C300 Mercedes-Benz loaded with a total of 6 in witness to the event.  But by customs and experience gained through the years of travelling & testing speed limits by the grace of God, I learned that hitting the brakes is foolish, but hitting the brakes and giving yourself up immediate in admission of guilty will get you out of tickets on occasion.

 

Glory be to God ALONE ‼

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This wisdom of the world is not a wisdom from God, and this is not to teach this tactic, but more so, that God be glorified because of the grace He showed me in hindsight; for hindsight can be 20/20 when given the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit of God, as God has graced since the foundation of the world‼☺

And so it was, that upon giving in to the stupidity of my worldly beliefs, I pulled over immediately, and decelerated as quickly as possible to say, "I am sorry for speeding" to the Texas-brave men in blue, the DPS Trooper. I pulled over to the side of the road, and waiting for him to hit his lights as he cross the flat land in between the highway lanes to punish me, and punish me immensely, I imagined. 

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So, he did.  He hit the lights, turned the wheel, crossed the medium, and got in my rear-view mirror while all the heads in my car kept looking back through the black-tinted windows that came with the Benz.  I know most people have their own customs and experiences when it comes to being pulled over, but ALL of US know that we immediately zone in on how to escape or try excuse ourselves why we were speeding, and begin to focus by zoning-out of what is happening around us.  So, I did, like all others did, and zoned out.

“Oh, so little did I know then, but the story continues.”

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As most should know, and ALL MUST know that anything over 25+ mph is considered reckless driving, and the penalties are harsh to severe for reckless driving & endangerment to the point of incarceration.  But, I still drove knowing this anyway, because it was the way I wanted to drive regardless of what the rules of driving are, and I just wanted to do what I wanted to do.  So I did as God allowed me to, foolishly drive, and endanger the lives of other that were with me.

 

“Jesus Loves You … will YOU love HIM back?”

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God is good, God is great, thank You for Your Son, Christ Jesus, for paying my penalty for my sins, for paying for all repented sins & unrepented sins, and buying us with Your life that You laid down for Yourself according to the Father.  Thank You, LORD, for being, and directing the Texas State Trooper DPS Agent to 'passover' me for whatever reason that, that officer's heart & head was thinking in those moments of my self-endangerment & stupidity.

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Thank You, Lord God above, for gracing me as the officer came into my rear view mirror slowly, and then slowly edged to the left of my rear view mirror, and then, and then, left my rear view mirror only to see him pass by us with all the heads in my vehicle being amazed at the miracle that just happened as he continued on with no idea, except by Your grace O'LORD! 

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We were all astonished, stunned, and in awe of what just happened!  We, or I for I can just only speak for myself at this point, "What just happened?!?"  I don't really remember anything past this point except the couple moments later after we continue on to see on our group journey to the golden promise land of California. We re-embarked towards our new lives in Cali, and crossed over the next hill only to see that the DPS had decided to chase our friend with Vermont tags in the vivid royal blue FJ Cruiser to the point of 0 mph along the side of the road in utter amazement, and blessing, and joyous repentance in light of knowing to this day that is it only by the grace of God that we are saved by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, and not by work, so that no man may boast, nor think that he can boast because of the good works that man does for salvation because good works done for salvation is foolishness to God, and good works done out of love, and only out of love, are given by the Father since the foundation of the world for Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-10), "... Amen and Amen!"(Psalm 41, 72, & 89)

 

O so little did I know before, and with this portion of my testimony being closed for now, I remember shortly after, seeing your cross up ahead while up to the atrocities of California (this being a story for another time), and probably thinking to myself how foolish I was, not truly knowing yet that it is He, the LORD God Almighty & His Son the King of kings—Jesus—that runs my life joyously now, and forever more, Amen, Hallelulah (times 4)‼☺