Hey! Remember that one time when we were flying and a condor got sucked into our engine and we had to make an emergency landing and got stuck in Honduras for hours at a random airport in San Pedro Sula?!
Life is full of surprises! Some blessings are more obvious than others. Our current situation for example: stuck in a random airport waiting on a new airplane to come get us and take us to Atlanta where we will have missed our connecting flight to Detroit. Not an ideal situation of course, but after experiencing the traumatic death of a giant condor - which could have potentially foreshadowed our own fate - we are grateful to be safe on the ground.
Emergency situations definitely put things into perspective wherever you are in your spiritual walk. You can say that you trust God with your life and that you want His will to be done no matter what, but when you are in a potentially dangerous situation, it shows what is at the core of your heart. I think everyone's instinct is to pray. It seems like even non-Christians resort to this oftentimes when they are truly afraid. I believe this is because we are wired to have that emotional connection with God.
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11
"So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them." Genesis 1:27
"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." Psalm 139:13-14a
Sometimes situations arise that teach us patience (like our 9.5 hour bus ride yesterday haha), some teach us maturity, some humility, but all are there as an opportunity to act out our faith to others. As Christians, we should have full, unshakable confidence in where we are going when we die. This is why our team - as well as the other mission team on the plane with us, our flight attendants and even our pilots - were able to stay calm. We spoke with one flight attendant in particular as we were waiting at the airport. She said she was nervous at first but she sat down for a moment and prayed that God would take away her nerves, and He granted her that. She said she felt all the nerves and fear leave her body and a peace come over her and comfort her which allowed her to do a remarkable job under that pressure. As we were leaving Paula thanked the pilot and he responded something like "It wasn't me, it was my Savior that kept us safe." Wow. How amazing that God would give us a crew like that.
I was also blessed to meet a missionary who works for Orphan Outreach. He was explaining their organization and the work they are doing here in Honduras as well as all around the world. I was so blessed not only by everything they are doing, but in general just the wisdom and love for God that this man has is inspiring. He speaks with a kind, gentle spirit and an intense passion that is contagious.
God never ceases to amaze me. In the midst of the good, the bad and the inconvenient He is present. He shows up and He makes His presence known to me in so many different ways. Sometimes it's while a child clings to me in a poor community in Honduras. Sometimes it's while I'm worshipping and singing while driving. Sometimes it's while I'm sitting on an airport floor talking to someone who has devoted their entire life to helping orphans feel the love of Jesus.
I thank God that despite the many times I ignore him or the times I fail to succeed because I'm trying to do things on my own, He is faithful and He pursues me. He sends me blessings and comforts me though I deserve none of it. He is filled with grace and he extends it to me. I'm forever grateful. Anyone who doesn't understand why I go on mission trips has not fully embraced His grace. Once you get a taste of that, there's no turning back. I want every single person to experience the grace and love and peace that I have through Jesus.
"Still" - Fresh Life Worship
Philippians 2:3-8
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death - even death on a cross!"
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