"Faith Is The Refusal To Panic"

Our day began headed to the airport for a morning flight to Houston.  Soon after our arrival we were notified that the plane we were scheduled to leave on was still in Dallas.  Our connecting flight to Houston would not be possible.  All other later flights from DFW to Houston were booked.  The American Airlines ticket agent was very understanding about our need to get to Houston, so she worked with United and got us on a direct flight later in the evening.  We almost got on a 11:15am flight but a couple that was originally scheduled for the flight showed up at the last minute and filled the last two spots.  Our United flight was scheduled to leave at 6:30pm.  We went home for lunch then I went in to work for a few hours.  We arrived back at the airport and boarded the plane at the scheduled time.  We knew it was important for everything to be on time with all the bad weather headed our way from Oklahoma.   Everything seemed to be going smoothly until we got to the runway and we weren't going anywhere.  Within a few minutes we were told that our plane would be headed back to the terminal due to bad weather.  Tony and I were thinking that an airplane ride might not be for us and that driving all night might have to be an option.   

I went and sat with our bags while Tony waited at the ticket counter to see what our options might be.  The skies outside were extremely dark and threatening.  I heard a loud noise and thought someone was rolling a cart down the main aisle, but quickly realized it was the wind blowing extremely hard and everyone began running to the bathrooms.  It was like a scene you see on television, where the wind and rain come in extremely fast and all those round you are taking cover.  I didn't like the fact that Tony and I were separated.  All the women and men were going to the appropriate restrooms.  My phone rang about 10 minutes later and it was Tony asking me if I wanted to meet him in the family bathroom across the hall.  I was happy to be with him again.  We didn't have to wait long before they called off the tornado warning.  We returned to our gate and were told there was a chance our flight would still be able to depart.  Within 30 minutes we were back on the plane and able to depart Northwest Arkansas.  

The view from the plane was the most incredible light show ever.  It was as if God was showing off His power and majesty all around us.   Words cannot describe what we saw from the skies!  

My friend Joni Hartman felt led today to start a prayer chain for me and Tony for the next several days while we are in Houston.  She sent out an email and put it on Facebook asking for people to take an hour time slot to pray for us.  She called me before our original 6:30 flight to tell me that every hour time slot was filled and that some of the time slots had several people praying.  That means 24 hours a day we are being prayed over.  How do you comprehend such love of others and also know that it ultimately is God's mercy and grace being poured out over you?  We serve an incredible God that continues to lavish His love upon us.  May we all be diligent to pray for families in Oklahoma that have lost loved ones and looking for lost individuals.  

We are not sure what lies ahead for us on this journey but we do have the calmness and peace that no matter what, God is in control.   We are not guaranteed tomorrow but we only have the very second we are living in, to bring Him glory and honor.  This life is not about us, but it's about leading others to a saving knowledge of our Savior.  Ephesians 2:4-5 "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ-by grace you have been saved."  John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." 

We have safely landed in Houston and so thankful for God's provision to get us here.  We are also grateful that David and Jordan will be staying at our house all week taking care of Oscar, the dog, and our home.

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."