Giving me wings at 37,000 feet.

 

“Belief is the antidote for a troubled heart: believing in God, believing that He is with us, believing that He is good, believing that He can take care of our trouble, believing in His presence with us every minute, and not looking to the limitations of our circumstances!”
~~Sally Clarkson, Dancing With My Father

 

This past weekend I experienced another first in my life.

 

I flew for the first time ever.

  Ever!

  

A month or so ago, I walked into a challenging place and shared a part of my testimony in front of hundreds of women.

 

That, I thought,
would possibly be the biggest fear I would face this year...

I was wrong.

 

I've always made a joke about me flying, especially with God.

 

He spoke into my heart a few years back that He was going to send me to Kenya.

 

I bounced back with a funny, "Oh, I can't wait to see how You pull this one off, since I'm NEVER flying. Ever!"

 

Oh, how His humor captures me.

 

We received the blessing of getting to fly for a weekend getaway,

 all paid for, by my husband's new job.

Absolutely free!

 

Can I get an "Amen!" on that?

 

So, it was time for me to kick yet another fear in its face and fly.

 

I actually became very excited as the day of our trip approached.

 

I was doing fine, really I was.

 

Until... 

the plane began to move down the runway.

 

Then... 

the "freaking of the out" commenced!

 

I thought that I would either pee my pants,

 throw up,

 start to cry,

my heart beat out my chest...or just pass out cold right there in my seat.

 

I just knew that some unwanted bodily function was about to happen!

I can not lie.
 I. was. scared!

 

 

As I held my husband's hand and squeezed my eyelids closed as tight as I could...I began to quote just a portion of a scripture that has helped me time and time again;

 

"You have NOT given me a spirit of fear. You have not. You have not. You have not."

 

 

And that...was my prayer as the plane took off and throughout the next couple of minutes following.

 

It's the only words I could squeeze out during that time of being so scared.

 

I assumed the first part of the scripture was enough to let Him know how much I needed Him in those few short moments, and the ending was just to convince myself of what He had already done.

 

It apparently worked,

 because the remainder of the flight and the other five flights throughout the weekend were absolutely amazing.

 

Simply AMAZING!!

 

I had the opportunity of getting the window seat during 5 out of the 6 flights we took.

 

I couldn't get enough of it.

 

It was awesome and surreal to be able to see God's artwork from my new view.

Oh, the wonders He has made!!

 

I also sat on top of or right behind the wing for every flight.

Every flight.

The odds of that were just crazy.

6 flights in 2 days.

5 window seats and 6 wing seats.

 

Really?

Yeh...that's crazy.

 

Each time I looked at my ticket before boarding the planes, I thought to myself,

 

"There's no way I'll get another window seat or a wing seat. There's just no way."

 

But I did!

 

I was so thankful for that!

Something about seeing that wing made me feel content.

I wasn't sure what it was, but I just felt peaceful looking out and seeing the wing.

I had no fear at all.
None.
I felt peace.
I felt God right there with me.
 

 

As I looked out the window,
 and onto the blanket of clouds draped beneath us,

the sun peeking out, bouncing off of the wing of the plane,

I couldn't help but tear up in awe of God's beauty in front of my eyes.

It was so breathtaking and majestic!

It made me realize just how small I am in this huge world,
yet still so very important to God.

 

As I sat gazing out, this scripture came to me;

 

 

Isaiah 40:31

But they that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

 He whispered softly into my spirit,
"I'm right here. I'm carrying you just like the wings carry and guide this plane. I am here."

I cried as the words soaked into my heart.
 

God showed me right there in that window seat,
 on top of the wing of that plane,
at 37,000 feet in the air,

that He was carrying me.

He reminded me that I am His.

 That I am never alone or without Him. Never.

That no matter where I am, or what I am doing He is carrying me.

That even at 37,000 feet in the air, He gives me wings!

 

That His LOVE is what gives me wings.

That He is my strength!

 

I've been praying about something over the past few weeks,

trying not to get caught up in the web of worry or to lose my hope in Him,

believing in God for my strength and His will for my life,

no matter what that may bring.

“We can make a commitment to take every situation, every feeling, every fear to God as it happens. We simply have to practice walking each step with Him and allow His presence to bring us the joy that comes from resting in the arms of our capable dance partner through each measure of life’s song.”
 ~~Sally Clarkson, Dancing With My Father

 

Each flight,

and each time I would sit in my seat

and see that wing right outside my window,

He would remind me again and again of His love for me,

 and that scripture would be whispered into my heart.

 

Why every time?

Why so many times?

 

I thought about that too.

 

Then I realized how much God knows me,

and how I need to be told things over and over and over sometimes...

okay, most of the time,

until it sinks into my every fiber.

 

Until I breathe it in and exhale it out.

He wants me to believe in Him with everything that I am!
He wants me to know Him and trust Him no matter what my circumstance.

He is good and He loves me so much!

 

He is my strength!

 

And when I grow weak, He is the renewal of that strength.

And as I believe in Him, and wait on Him...

I will mount up with wings as eagles and be confident and strong in my flight.

 

I shall not grow weary.

 

I will not faint!

 

faint-lacking strength or vigor, lacking conviction, boldness or courage, lacking brightness, to weaken in purpose or spirit.

 

I will not lack courage

or strength

or vigor

 or weaken in purpose

or spirit

or lack brightness.

 

I will not faint!

 

Thank you Lord, for giving me wings at 37,000 feet.