During quarantine Jason and I had to get creative on our dates. We were all living and working in the home, so to have time alone where we could talk and decompress, we initiated car dates. Just the two of us would jump in the car and just drive. We loved this time, we would talk about our jobs, the people we worked with, what was good, struggles we were having, and we also took this time to make grocery lists. More than anything we loved our time in the car, on a trip, or just spending time together because we could dream, we could cast vision, and we could just be ourselves…the real us and the part of us that we each knew best.

While Jason was in ICU, drives along our car date route were a regular thing. They were therapeutic. It was a space where I could process, I could talk with God, ask Him the hard questions, sit in the quiet of the car, listen to podcasts, and my driving playlists. The best part about this habit, it is genetic. Abby has always loved a good drive for the same reasons as well.

A good playlist could be worship music, hymns, hype, dance, sing along, or the mix tape playlist. I have all of these as well as music to mow the lawn to, music to go to sleep to, and individual artist playlists all labeled and ready to go! Jason and I shared an account and therefore we each had our own music likes, dislikes, and playlists. He loved heavy metal and I love country music.

I miss my love every day, but I miss him most in those “go for a drive” moments. Those drives when I have something to talk about and want nothing more than to hear his wisdom and encouragement. I also miss those drives to and from places. Even the short drives to and from Church, School, Football games and small groups we would have the best conversations. They were deep and we often challenged each other to grow in our spiritual life, our personal life, and our professional life.

I still go for the drives, often our normal date drive path that we took together. I miss him on those days. I also still miss him when I take the short drives, the daily ones that we took for granted. I still talk with God, ask the hard questions, sit in the quiet of the car, listen to podcasts, drive playlists, and talk with Jason as well.

If you find yourself needing some space or time to process, try going for a drive, but have a playlist ready or be ready to sit in the silence and solitude.

More than the drive, the grocery lists, conversations with your person or the best playlist ever created; the drive was and has been time with my Heavenly Father. He longs for a relationship with us. He longs for us to not only talk with Him, but also create space to listen.

So, as you take the drive and have the conversations, take time to listen, to be quiet. He always has something to say, we often fill the quiet spaces with so much it is difficult to hear the still, small voice.