On August 21, my life changed in a matter of seconds.

I was driving in Virginia during extremely heavy rain when my car hydroplaned. I suddenly lost control, left the roadway and went into the median. The car rolled multiple times with me inside before finally coming to rest upside down on the other side of the highway.

By the grace of God, no other vehicles were struck.

When everything finally stopped, I was still inside the overturned car. Someone came to my aid and helped open the door so that I could get out. I was able to walk away, although not easily, and was taken to the emergency room, where I spent much of the day undergoing scans and being evaluated.

When I look at the photographs of what remains of my car, I cannot reflect upon what happened without acknowledging the hand of God.

I truly believe that God's grace was present in that car with me and that His angels were watching over and protecting me through every terrifying moment of that accident. A vehicle can be replaced. A life cannot.

I am extraordinarily grateful to still be here.

Thankfully, the extensive scans performed at the hospital found no major injuries. I was, however, diagnosed with a lung contusion — bruising of my right lung — as a result of the trauma from the accident. I am also experiencing increasing soreness and stiffness throughout my body, which the doctors warned would likely become more noticeable in the hours following the crash.

Physically, I am moving slowly and beginning the process of recovering. Emotionally, I am still trying to process what happened. At times, the accident plays over again in my mind, and I find myself thinking about all the ways it could have ended differently.

But each time I do, I come back to the same thing:

God was merciful to me.

My car did not survive the accident and has officially been declared a total loss. Unfortunately, that has created an immediate practical crisis.

I recently relocated to Virginia for work and am currently in temporary housing while waiting for my new place to become available. The sudden loss of my vehicle has made an already transitional period considerably more difficult.

Without a vehicle, getting to work, attending appointments and simply taking care of everyday necessities becomes considerably more difficult and expensive. I am now facing unexpected transportation and temporary housing expenses while also trying to find a way to secure reliable replacement transportation.

Asking other people for financial help is extraordinarily difficult for me.

Throughout my life, when circumstances have become difficult, I have generally found some way to manage, make things work and keep moving forward. I am accustomed to figuring things out for myself. Creating a fundraiser and publicly saying that I need help is not something I ever imagined myself doing.

But perhaps there is humility in recognizing that God sometimes answers our prayers through other people.

So I am allowing myself to ask.

If you feel led and are able to help, contributions will go toward the immediate transportation and temporary housing expenses created by the sudden loss of my car and toward helping me secure reliable replacement transportation so that I can continue working and regain some stability.

No contribution is too small. And if you aren't in a position to give, I would be equally grateful for your prayers and for sharing this fundraiser with others.

I don't yet know exactly how all of this will work out. There are still many practical and financial uncertainties ahead of me. But despite the fear, soreness and uncertainty, gratitude outweighs everything else.

I am alive.

I believe there were angels with me on that highway. I believe God's grace carried me through something that could very easily have ended differently. And I trust that the same God who brought me safely through that accident will help me find my way through what comes next.

Thank you for your prayers, kindness, generosity and support.

Deo gratias — thanks be to God.