By: Denny

My first experience of truck driving to California was in 1973. My dad and I were a two-man team. I was twenty years old and already had a few years’ experience driving locally in Iowa and Minnesota. I started out picking up bulk milk from farms with a straight truck then later graduated to driving the semi tanker to Anderson Erickson Dairy in Des Moines. Those were some educational and often rough times, especially in winters having to basically plow my own path on gravel roads in a snowstorm to get to a remote farm. That was like boot camp for what was to come later. At first my dad and I stayed in the central states. Neither of us had ever been to California so when we were offered a load, we jumped at the opportunity to go. It was a load of applesauce from Kansas City, Mo. to Santa Clara, Ca. After loading, we headed west on I-70 to Denver then north on I-25 into Wyoming where we picked up I-80 all the way to California. We worked for Bray Lines based in Cushing, Ok and were driving a 1968 cab-over Freightliner. It had a 270 Cummins motor (no jake brake), 10 speed transmission, and pulled a 40 ft. reefer trailer. It was not the biggest engine back then, but it was fairly common. Looking back now after 50 years of driving and having driven new trucks with powerful motors and jake brakes, I would laugh if anyone asked me to drive a truck with a 270 Cummins over the Rocky Mountains. However, we were up for the adventure. There were a few mountains such as Sherman and Three Sisters in Wyoming plus Summit pass in Utah. These were a walk in the park compared to Donner Pass west of Reno, Nv. I’ve driven over a lot of mountains in my career, but Donner is one killer that I’ve gained respect for. It’s about 30 miles uphill from Reno to the summit and then over 50 miles downhill to Sacramento. It’s like going down stair steps by comparison. There are many 5-7% grades then it levels out for several miles where you can coast before slowing down for the next grade. It was my turn to drive and unfortunately it was Memorial weekend and there was a lot of slow traffic. I had to get on my brakes more than usual. We were only halfway down when my trailer brakes started smoking and began to fade. That’s a feeling you never forget. The next runaway truck ramp was a few miles ahead, but I knew we wouldn’t make it before running into someone going slower. I was able to slow down and pull off on the shoulder and stop just as two tires blew out and both them and the brakes caught fire due to the intense high heat. Fortunately, there was a small stream that flowed into the sandy ditch. We had a bucket and were able to put the fires out and cooled everything down with wet sand. Two hours later we limped the ½ mile to the next exit where there was a tire shop that got everything repaired and replaced. When we got ready to head out, I was going to climb in the passenger seat. My dad asked me what I thought I was doing. I told him I was too scared to drive. Without batting an eye and a serious look, he ordered me to get behind the steering wheel. His exact words were, “You got us this far and you’re going to get us the rest of the way down.” “Quitting isn’t an option, and if you’re ever going to make it as a professional truck driver, you have to fight and overcome fear.” He was basically saying, “either fight or stay home.” It was the best thing he could’ve done. I did get us off that giant of a mountain and many others afterwards. He later confessed to me that he was a little scared too. He said being scared is okay because it keeps you from becoming overconfident. It’s when you become paralyzed with fear that you make mistakes or quit. That experience and his words of wisdom gave me the courage that I would draw from many times over the next 48 years.

I’m reminded of David and the Bible’s account when he defeated Goliath the Philistine giant found in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Israel and the Philistines were enemies. They were faced off to do battle with each side positioned on separate mountains with a valley between them. Goliath was a warrior who stood nearly 10 feet tall. His armor alone weighed 125 lbs. He carried a javelin across his shoulders, a huge sword at his side, and a spear in his hand whose spearhead weighed 15 lbs. As if that wasn’t enough, he had a man bearing his shield going before him. Just the sight of him was quite intimidating and struck fear into the entire army of Israel. Goliath would come and stand in the valley and challenge Israel to send out a man to fight him. This went on for 40 days, but nobody came forward to meet the challenge. They were all cowards, including King Saul. Enter David, he was the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse their father. The three oldest were in the army of Israel and Jesse sent David to deliver some food to them and inquire how the battle was going. It just so happened that David arrived at the camp when the army was shouting and going out to battle. He saw Goliath and heard his mocking threats and witnessed everyone turn tail retreating in fear. David was dumbfounded as he exclaimed in verse 26, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the Living God?” His brothers were angry with him for even being there and in short told him to go home where he belonged tending the sheep and leave this battle up to those who were qualified. Ironically, those who were qualified weren’t engaging in the fight and were running from it. David states, “Is there not a cause?”, and boldly proclaims that he will go fight Goliath. Whereupon he is promptly brought before king Saul. Seeing that David is just a youth, Saul assumes and concludes that David doesn’t stand a chance against an experienced warrior as Goliath. David recites that he has killed both lion and bear when they came and attacked the sheep and Goliath will meet the same fate. Saul tries to put his own armor on David, but he couldn’t even walk in it. David took it off saying all he needed was his sling which had served him well in the past, and he was deadly accurate in using it. So here comes Goliath once again spewing out his arrogant taunting. When all others before had cowered and run from him, David instead runs toward him with unflinching boldness. David declares (my paraphrase), Dude, you may have the most modern weapons and armor, but the Lord is on my side and because you have defied Him; you are dead meat, and He will deliver you into my hand. Before Goliath can even draw his sword, David slings a stone, it sinks into Goliath’s forehead, and he falls to the ground face down. David runs and cuts off his head with the giant’s own sword. The army of Israel, seeing that David had killed Goliath, were then emboldened, and rose to defeat the Philistines who were running in fear. It’s amazing what a courageous person can accomplish when walking in truth, fully knowing the Lord and whose confidence is in Him alone.

The modern-day church has had its analogous lions and bears, but unlike David who slayed them, many church denominations have capitulated, ran from, or compromised in one way or another. Consider how the whole declaration about the so-called “separation of church and state” has caused the church to retreat from or be cast out of those institutions that once held her values and doctrines dear. As she incrementally gave up ground to a few in the misguided minority, there has been a gradual and constant onslaught to silence her voice, infiltrate her ranks and pollute her values and truths. Jesus warned his disciples to beware of the leaven (doctrines and teachings) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Once introduced and accepted leaven affects and changes the whole. Likewise, Paul warned the church at Corinth about the leaven of sexual immorality that was in their midst. He didn’t call for debate, take a survey, present bogus scientific evidence, or consult experts. He simply ordered them to purge it and clean it out. In the same manner he wrote to the Galatian church who began to stray from the true gospel of grace which he brought to them, and turn to another under the law promoted by false teachers who had crept in. In today’s terminology, they were a bunch of creeps! As I read the New Testament, I can’t help but to conclude that the life of a true follower of Jesus Christ is a constant battle to live and stand for truth as found only in Him. We are called to contend, strive, and fight for the truth and to resist, expose, and oppose everything to the contrary. No battle is ever won by appeasement, yet in so many ways some churches have done just that by twisting the truth as Peter wrote. (2 Peter 3:16) I’m not much of a book reader, but I recently purchased and read one called, “Dangerous Affirmation” by M.D. Perkins. I highly recommend it. The true church of Jesus Christ is made up of individual believers not exclusively confined to the four walls of a building. We are facing many Goliaths and this book delves into and exposes one of the big ones. The battle lines have been drawn, and the opposition comes both from inside the church and the secular political outside. The bible clearly says that there will come apostasy and a falling away from the faith in the last days. If you’re a believer with any discernment, you have sensed the last days are at the doorstep if not already here.

In Ephesians chapter 6 Paul talks about putting on the full armor of God and fighting in the spiritual realm. Just as the devil uses people to propagate and advance his agenda, so I also believe God wants to use His people in bringing His kingdom to a lost and dying world. The battle is two-fold, both spiritual and physical as even Paul prayed for boldness that he would open his mouth and speak the truth. Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church and the victory is clearly ours. I skipped ahead and read the book of Revelation. However, we need to do our part because it can’t be fought by silently sitting on the sidelines cowering in fear or running from the battle. We must be like David and run to the battle and “Either Fight or Stay Home”.