On a sunny Saturday morning in early February, my wife, Debbie, and I were enjoying a quiet ride home to Ann Arbor from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The evening before, we had the privilege of speaking at a gala marriage event for more than two hundred Catholic couples. My heart was filled with gratitude to the Lord as I thought about the many inspiring couples we met and the many opportunities we’ve been given to serve the Lord.

In my happy state, I turned to Debbie and said, “Deb, I feel so blessed. I feel physically healthy, strong, and spiritually encouraged. I’m looking forward to all the upcoming events over the next few months, the mission in Brazil, men’s conferences, marriage events, and priest retreats. They’re going to be fun!”

Little did I know that storyline would change, quickly and completely.

That very evening, after returning to Ann Arbor, Debbie and I were preparing for another marriage event at a parish near our home. Dressed and ready to go, I took a box of our books to the car for the event. It was dark, and a light snow had fallen on the driveway. I loaded the books, closed the trunk, and as I took a step, my feet came out from under me, I landed squarely on my left hip bone, and pain exploded through my body. As I lay there groaning, I knew something bad had just happened. In a split second, my happy little world, with my exciting plans for the next few months, vanished. I broke my hip in two places. Technically, it was two nondisplaced fractures of the acetabulum.

God had other plans for me. Instead of all the exciting travel and ministry, I spent three months, mostly at home, getting around in a wheelchair and a walker, and spending lots of time alone. All the predictable battles with the flesh happened—boredom, frustration, temptations to discouragement, and some depression—but mostly, it was precious time with the Lord. I knew He had permitted this fall to happen for my own good. He needed to slow me down in order to get my attention, because He wanted to talk to me and bring about deeper change in me.

Here’s some of what I felt the Lord was saying to me: “Peter, be still, and know that I am God. Be attentive, listen to Me.” Though I’ve read the “be still” passage from the Psalms many times, this time it had a gravity and sense of urgency I’ve never felt before. As I sought to listen each day, two themes kept emerging—clear instructions from the Lord. The first was, “Let go!” The second was, “Without Me, you can do nothing.” At first, I thought, “Lord, these are so basic. Is there more?” To put words on what I heard loud and clear: “Yes, Peter, these are basic, but you need help. You’re not living them, and they don’t characterize your life in a way I want them to.”

Another word that the Lord impressed on me during those days was, “Be ready! Do you see how quickly the whole picture can change?” I just assumed all my plans would go as scheduled and all would be well. Presumption is foolish. The Lord wants to help all of us to live in a posture of readiness. Readiness to die, and readiness for the Lord’s return. He told us it will come when we least expect it. Are you ready? Let’s help one another to be ready.

This article originally appeared in Renewal Ministries’ May newsletter.