Flying hasn't been ruined for me by a weekly or even monthly trip. It's still somewhat of a novelty. I am fascinated by the mechanics of an airplane even though I don't know a thing about how they work. I do, however, look at the engines and think about all my good, capable, conscientious engineer friends at GE and wonder: "Did they build this engine?"
I'm fascinated by people. Who will be in the seat next to me? Or perhaps it's the person on the other side of the plane whose life story we all get to hear! On an airplane is a great place to find a detour, a serendipitous meeting, a God-moment if we'll pay attention.
I'm presently 36,000 feet up going from Chicago to San Francisco. The first flight provided a God-moment. Sitting on the aisle I was asked my a husband if he and his wife could sit together instead of separated. I did what I would have wanted anyone else to do for me and shifted to the seat across the aisle. An easy conversation began as I saw a Bible Study book in the young lady's hands. We talked churches and families and faith walks, mine being far longer (mostly because I am far older) than hers. In two years the Lord brought her from little faith, an atheist for a father, depression and attempted suicide to a faith-filled life of joy and anticipation via a mission trip to Kenya. She said it this way: "What medication and counseling couldn't do, God did in Kenya."
Her story is filled with hope. Nothing should have worked the way it did. But God showed up and everything changed. She paid attention to some nudges, she said, to go to Kenya even though everyone was a bit worried about her mental state. She ended up choosing the college she is attending because God spoke to her through the Kenyan speaker in chapel on her campus visit.
God meets us in each place, every place, if we just pay attention. He uses nudges and impressions. He shows up always engineering for His purposes and plans in our lives.
The movie YES MAN reminds me to say YES to more opportunities. Not to the same extreme as Jim Carrey's character but still, say YES more often than NO to the people and circumstances that come before me. You might say spontaneity is not my strong suit! SURPRISE! And I wonder how many times I've missed a nudge, a space being opened up by God but I didn't step into it? Regret? No, that's too strong of a word. Not as curious as I could have been? Yes, that's a good way to describe it. Too busy. Too much to do. No time to smell the roses. Don't want to be bothered and in the process the possibility of missing God's possibilities.
I was thankful that I was given the opportunity to switch seats on that plane. I sat down and God encouraged me through another one of His saints.
What will God bring your way today? Where will you step up to meet Him?
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