Travel Delays or God-Sent Detours?

Did you ever stop to think about the way God works in your life?  And have you ever considered the fact that sometimes a delay or detour in life is simply God’s way of keeping you from harm?  Last month, my dad and I arrived at La Guardia airport over two hours prior to our departure time.  As I scanned our boarding pass at the check-in kiosk, I received a message stating that we needed to see a Delta agent in order to check in.  We were perplexed when the agent printed out tags for our luggage to be flown to Washington, DC.  Along with connections in Washington and Atlanta, they quickly informed us that we were not to fly out until the following day.  Our direct flight to Jacksonville had been cancelled along with countless other departures and arrivals due to gridlock and inclement weather.  We were not going home tonight.  We were stranded in New York.

Because of the cancellations, all hotel rooms in the vicinity of the airport were booked solid.  We found a metal bench in the Baggage Claim area.  We had gone from taking a stroll in Central Park earlier in the day and having lunch at Uncle Jack’s Steakhouse that afternoon to sitting on a metal bench with our luggage in front of us like we were homeless.  Funny how things change, isn’t it?  Soon the jackhammers began to sing.  Every time sleep seemed possible, we were reminded that we were sitting in an airport near a construction zone.  Still, we were grateful to have a bench, as many stranded passengers were not so fortunate, having to endure a long, sleepless night on the floor.

The next morning, we boarded the plane, excited to finally be heading home.  As soon as we got settled in, the pilot came on the intercom to inform us that the rear luggage door was not closing properly.  The next announcement delivered news that the hinge pin was broken and we would have to deplane.  The substitute plane was en route from North Carolina and would depart a couple of hours later.  But even with the seemingly endless delays, we knew that God had a perfect plan.  I prayed a silent prayer, thanking Him that the pin broke at the gate and not in the air.  Long before we even booked this flight, He knew which plane would be safe.  As the song written by Joyce and Colbert Croft aptly says, the Lord is always looking out for us.

From the moment our vacation began, God had His hand on us.  Our flight from Jacksonville to Atlanta was delayed by three hours, but the connecting flight from Atlanta to Boston was delayed four hours.  On the Freedom Trail in Boston, we heard a single shot fired near our location and an ambulance arrived soon thereafter.  From our hotel room in New York, we heard several shots fired on more than one occasion.  But through every delay and every danger lurking around the corner, God kept us safe from all harm.  Every part of our journey revealed God’s love for us, from the moments when we prayed for safety to the moments we were awestruck by the beauty of God’s Creation that surrounded us.

From the beauty of Walden Pond near Waltham, Massachusetts to the pastoral scenes of Prince Edward Island, Canada, it was evident that God’s paintbrush had majestically graced these picturesque landscapes.  I was captivated by the delightful views as we walked across the bridge at the top of Montmorency Falls in Quebec, Canada.  Every aspect of our trip was proof that God was piloting our ship, ensuring that we enjoyed the journey just as much as the destinations themselves.  Of course, one destination proved to be extra special.  We had the opportunity to return to the Brooklyn Tabernacle in Brooklyn, New York.  The moment you enter the doors of this Tabernacle, something special takes place.  Goosebumps covered my arms as I immediately felt the Spirit of God surround me in a warm embrace.  What a sweet reminder of God’s love for me, as well as a chance to reflect on this New England and Canada adventure that my dad and I were blessed to enjoy together.

What about you?  Do delays seem to squelch your spirits, causing you to become impatient and angry?  Even amid the detours of life, remember that one thing never changes.  That is the love that Jesus Christ has for you and me.  No matter who you are, He loves you.  No matter where you are, He loves you.  As my dad and I stood overlooking Jordan Pond, I was reminded how God can take a broken life and transform it into a beautiful one.  For you see, the surrounding landscape does not share the same serenity of Jordan Pond.  Cadillac Mountain and Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park, while beautiful to photograph, are not hospitable terrains, full of jagged rocks and boulders.  Just like God took time to create a gorgeous, peaceful pond in the midst of this rugged landscape, He will take the time to soften your heart and bring peace to your troubled soul.  So the next time you experience a delay, just remember that God knows more than you do.  That detour may just be the Lord looking out for you!

In Christ's Love,

Jennifer

Baggage

Think back to the last time you were at the airport.  When you arrived, I’m sure you were lugging all of your baggage with you until you finally made it to the check-in counter.  Then, you left it with the airline agent and proceeded toward security with only your carry on bags in hand.  Wasn’t it a relief to be rid of the baggage that weighed you down?  If you’re like me, you probably felt free, or even light as a feather.  Why?  All because you gave your luggage to someone else and left it with them.

The luggage that we carry with us on vacation is much like our burdens that we carry around in life.  We may be concerned because we do not have sufficient funds to pay the rent.  Or we may be distressed over a bare cupboard in the kitchen.  There may be a desperate need for new tires, an air conditioner, or even a home to live in.  Or maybe we are dealing with an emotional or mental burden, such as the feeling of depression, loneliness, or hopelessness.  So many burdens, yet we continue to carry them around with us, struggling through each day.

Sometimes, we go to church on Sunday, kneel at the altar, and pray for God to take our burdens.  We set our burdens on the altar rail.  We feel so much better and we begin to see a ray of hope begins to shine through the clouds that have been lingering overhead.  As the vocalist sings these lyrics, “Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there,” we make a solemn commitment to God that we will no longer attempt to carry our burdens alone.  Everything seems brighter and we know that things will be better.  That is, until we see the mess we have made, leaving our burdens all over the altar.  The moment we stand up, we start picking them back up, stuffing them into our pockets or pocketbooks.  We've carried them so long that they have essentially become a part of who we are, albeit a negative part.  It’s so easy for us to try to take things into our own hands.  Instead, God wants us to leave it all in His hands.

What about you, friend? Perhaps you are newly widowed, divorced, or separated. Your child may be ill. You may feel like you are at the end of your rope with everything that is going on in your life at this very moment. The baggage you carry is getting too heavy. You feel like you will collapse under the weight. You simply do not know what to do. I want to encourage you right now to call on the name that is above every name. Call on the name of Jesus Christ. He will take your burdens. He will lighten your load. He will renew your mind, restore your joy, and reveal to you abundant life.

Our Heavenly Father does not want you to carry your burdens.  He does not want you to live in worry, fear, or despair.  He wants you to live a life of joy, peace, and grace.  Jesus Christ gave His life on the cross just so our sins could be forgiven.  He gave His all just so you could live a life free from sin, free from worry, free from everything that weighs you down.  He does not want you to be lugging around an enormous amount of baggage.  Give Him your baggage, big or small.  Give Him your worries and cares.  I Peter 5:7 says to cast all of your cares on Him because He cares for you.  Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, loves you more than you could ever imagine.  He cares for you.  He wants to help you.  Don’t pick up your burdens like you pick up your luggage from baggage claim.  Leave them on the altar.  Hand them over to Jesus.  Live a life free from baggage, so you can be abundantly free!

In Christ’s Love,

Jennifer

Let Go

Have you ever taken a vacation, only to arrive at the destination with the realization that you packed way too many items for the length of your stay?  Or did you ever try to carry an entire load of groceries into the house in one load, just to avoid making a second trip?  Perhaps the burden you carry is not a literal one, but a figurative one.  Do you ever stuff your emotions into a bag and then carry them around, unsure of what you should do with them?  When we find ourselves toting around extra baggage, we need to learn to trust God.  We need to trust God and ask Him to bear our burdens.  We simply need to let go.

Last October, I had the opportunity to attend my first Women of Faith conference in Tampa, Florida.  This was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life, and it came at the perfect moment.  This event allowed me to clearly see the purpose-filled future that God wanted me to enjoy, as opposed to that one sorrow-filled night, which I had focused on far too long.  I thank God for this renewal of joy, as it enabled me to let go of some of the emotional baggage I had been holding onto for over a year.  Of course, that one tragic night continued to haunt me, even after this time of fellowship and worship.  There were things I still held onto, even after letting go of a few burdens along the way.

Several weeks later, I was blessed to be in attendance at the first “Shelter of God’s Promises” tour led by Sheila Walsh.  During the concert, Sheila sang a song titled, “Let Go.”  In this very moment, I felt God speaking to my heart, telling me that it was time to let go of all of the emotional baggage that I had stored up since my Mom passed away.  Every word spoken seemed to be articulated just for me.  The messages brought forth brought to mind the verse in the Bible that says, “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22 NIV).  I knew that this was the moment that I would give my burdens to the Lord.  Not only that, but I was determined to give them away and never pick them back up again.  God ministered to my heart, giving me calm assurance that this was the day that I would begin my journey back to true, unconstrained joy.

Later in the day, Sheila asked how we would feel if our friends and family could see a movie of our life, including every single detail.  She proceeded to say that God has seen our movie.  I began to think about the fact that the burdens I had been carrying around were seemingly pointless.  While I had kept the majority of them hidden from many people, God knew about every single one of them, whether big or small.  He knew that I was carrying these burdens around.  He longed to help me carry them.  He wanted me to release these burdens, and He waited patiently for me to finally decide to let go of the things that had been weighing me down.

Imagine you are planning to run a race.  But, there is one catch.  You are the only one competing in the race who must wear 500 pounds of baggage on your back for the duration of the race.  It is likely that you would not have the stamina needed in order to finish the race.  Your body would not be able to withstand this additional weight, eventually collapsing under the load.  The emotional baggage we carry is much like the extra baggage required to run this race.  Inevitably, we cannot carry our burdens alone and win the race.  Instead, we must cast aside our burdens, so we can endure to the end.

In Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV), we read, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith…”  Notice that the author of this scripture did not say to “lay aside” a few weights, but to “lay aside every weight.”  Many times, it may be easy to let go of a small burden.  Or it may even be effortless to release two or three pieces of “baggage” that we carry around inside.  But, in order to live a life according to God’s will, we need to look to Jesus and let go of all of our burdens.

I encourage you today to let go of your emotional, physical, mental, financial, and any other burdens that you may be carrying around.  God can do the same thing for you that He did for me.  He will take your burdens, every single one of them, and allow you to enjoy living your life.  Talk to the Heavenly Father.  He wants to hear your story.  Give your burdens to Him, and let go of the things that have been weighing you down.  He will reveal to you the life of perfect peace and abounding joy that you have been searching for so long.  And the best part?  All you have to do is to simply let go.
 
In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer