"The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121:8 (NIV)
I'll never forget the morning of March 18th, 2008. After a sleepless night, I reached for my Bible and journal, desperately needing to hear from God. Events that transpired over the previous twelve hours had shaken my world and I needed confirmation from the Lord. On my knees, in tears, I begged God to speak to me. Longing to hear, yet uncertain how He would answer, I opened my journal. The verse above was written on the top of the page. My answer had come.
For those of you who don't now this story, God miraculously opened doors for me last year to attend the "She Speaks" conference in North Carolina, but my fear of flying was keeping me from registering. I’m nervous of heights. I don’t understand the scientific reasons or how a huge plane filled with passengers can defy gravity and stay up in the air. I just couldn’t get past my fear of flying. I knew of no-one headed down to the conference with whom I could travel and in my heart of hearts I knew God was calling me to fly and to go alone. Although God had already intervened in ways beyond my wildest dreams, I had to have the assurance of His presence if I was to step one foot on that plane.
He will watch over my coming and going both now and forevermore.
God wasn’t guaranteeing me a smooth trip or even necessarily a safe trip, but He was promising me and reminding me of His presence.
Before I could change my mind I registered for the Conference and I found out later that as soon as I registered, they closed the registration.
I wish I could tell you that for the next 3 months, from March to June when the conference was being held, that I ran with determination, confidence and joy, but the truth was I was on quite the roller coaster ride. Some days I was going to tackle this no problem and other days I would have surrendered my ticket in a heartbeat.
My husband booked my flight on a little 50 seater plane - which didn’t encourage me much. I wanted the security of something large, but you see, again, I was placing my faith in the wrong thing. It wasn’t the size of the plane that would get me to N.C., it was the size of my God.
The morning I was to fly out my husband drove me to the airport, and I must say I was shocked at how quickly he abandoned me. He basically dropped me off, pointed me in the right direction and told me to have a great time as he kissed me goodbye.
After discovering I had to take a bus to a different terminal to find my Gate, I sat in the waiting area calling on God’s Name. In my hands I held 31 pages of typed written verses, prayers, notes of encouragement that friends and family sent me - and I was claiming His promises.
About 30 minutes before my flight was to depart, I happened to look up and I saw a girl walk by - and as I looked again - I knew her!!! I got up and followed her to the next aisle and as she was sitting down I said, “Lorie?”
She looked up and said, "JOY!" We embraced and I questioned her - Are you going to the She Speaks Conference? Yes! Are you flying Air Canada Jazz? Yes! Lorie and I had attended school together back in grades 7 and 8, but in the last 30 years I had probably only seen her about half a dozen times. We quickly reminisced and then the stewardess gave the Boarding Call. As we gathered our belongings, and went to stand in line, Lorie asked me where I was sitting. I grabbed my Boarding Pass and told her I was near the front of the plane. She then told me that she had booked her seat on-line, but when she arrived at the airport just half an hour ago, they had changed her seat. She went on to say she couldn’t understand why this had happened as the flight we were travelling on wasn’t even half full. As she pulled out her Boarding Pass and we took our seats on the plane, guess where she was sitting? RIGHT BESIDE ME!! Just half an hour before take-off God had moved her seat.
Where God guides He provides. If there’s an adventure with your name on it, and you’re hesitant, know that He will not abandon you. He can do immeasurably more than you can ask or imagine. Could He have asked me to travel alone? He most certainly could have, but we have a God of compassion. He saw my fear. He saw my willingness. He saw my mustard see faith. He saw my trust and my obedience IN my fear and He honoured that step of faith.
He continues to watch over my coming and going, both now and forevermore.
