Detour

I can picture us sitting in the see-saw contemplating ways that we would never have to part and our friendship could last forever. I don't know who came up with it first, but hey I have a little brother and you have a little sister! Let's marry them! Then we will officially be sisters and can always be together! So what do we do? We grab both of them and marry them then and there, both of us acting as the pastor of course. But our little scheme didn't work. Her family still moved to GA. The year was 1997. These almost 20 years since I've never quite found a friend that is so much like me. Same sporty, outdoorsy, I'm going to play with the guys because they're cooler, attitude. We would hide under pews at church or anything else so we didn't have to go home, and once she even buried her shoe in the playground so we would have to stay and 'look' for it! 

Flash forward to yesterday. I finally left for a rotation in Honduras which I was so incredibly excited about! I knew I only had 30 mins to change flights in Atlanta but I had my running shoes on and was ready to get there as fast as I could. Then we sat on the runway for 30 mins, there goes my time to change flights. We touched down and my next flight was boarding, they closed the doors as I was running to get there. No one was at the desk but I could see the plane sitting there still! I missed it. Yet, I was 't as stressed or worked up as I had expected I would be. As my plane was taxiing to the gate I prayed Lord whatever happens, please let me be calm and not rude, not to anyone. And He did, He calmed my spirit, and reminded me that He made me miss that flight and I needed to now look for what He wanted to show me. I went to a local hotel and had about 20 hours until my new flight. It was tempting to just turn on the TV and let time waste away. After all I was just waiting for the next day right? But I couldn't do that. I knew God arrange this and I needed to be still and listen. So, I turned on the praise music and opened my bible. 

"Who is a God like you, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold onto His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love." Micah 7:18

"Yahweh, your God is among you, a victorious warrior, He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will bring you quietness with His love. He will delight in you with shouts of joy." Zephaniah 3:17

As I began writing in my journal I realized that I had been so focused on Gods works, His creation, His biggness. I had forgotten to bask in His love. I tend so easily to come to God has a Father who disciplines and who deserves more of me than I can give. And I forget that I don't have to be perfect, He loves me as I am. I don't have to muster up, well, anything. 2 Peter tells us that He has given us everything for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him. This God, the one who created the world in so much intricate detail that we cannot comprehend it, He removed my iniquity and passed over my rebellion, He is my inheritance, He is my victorious warrior, and He brings me quietness. But here's the kicker, this God, He delights in me with shouts of joy! God caused me to miss that plane to remind me that I don't have to focused on doing everything for Him to the best of my abilities, I need to focus on Him! 

And isn't it just like God to give blessing after blessing, my friend who moved to Ga, she was able to come meet me at my hotel. And we picked up right where we left off! God is making her into an incredible woman, wife and soon to be mother! And what an encouragement to just be able to talk with her and laugh and remember. 

God is so good, and His ways really are higher! So now, I'm back at the airport sitting at my gate, more prepared to serve Him, to bask in Him, in Honduras!