DON'T MISS THE BOAT!
Happy 2019, friends! I wanted to kick off the year sharing a story with you – – something I always love to do. Grab some coffee and pull up a seat!
I spent the beginning days of this new year with my family soaking up all that good tropical sun. We traded in our sweaters for swim suits (insert glowing skin here…ha!) We were ready for an adventure! Little did we know, our adventure would turn into our very own episode of the Amazing Race. Extremely delayed flights led to us missing our connecting flight. That’s right folks, we almost missed the boat…
After waiting for a few hours on standby, we finally got seats on a plane and landed in Florida. The feelings disbelief and disappointment that our vacation could be gone felt ever present – – our very possible reality. At this point, we were literally racing the clock. All odds seemed to be against us. We rushed to baggage claim and frantically waited for our luggage. A police officer noticed our distress in the midst of chaos all around with passengers and luggage everywhere. She helped us hail a taxi that drove waaaaay too fast to get us to the port down the street. On our joyride there, I pleaded with the cruise line on the phone to wait just a few more minutes…we were SO close.
The taxi sped up to the curb and we all jumped out in a rush of grabbing luggage and dashing down the sidewalk. A cruise guard was waiting for us!!! We could NOT believe it. The rest felt like a movie. We breezed through security and checking in. We were, after all, the VERY last humans to board this cruise ship. I looked like a crazy person – – a mix of sweat, tears, and joyful laughter that we actually made it.
We didn’t miss the boat!!
In the midst of our doubts of making it there on time, I wondered maybe we were not supposed to even go on this trip. Then as we boarded the boat a security woman smiled and said to me, “God is on your side.”
I think she’s onto something there.
Bob Goff is one of my favorite authors. He writes that sometimes doors open for us, but other times we have to kick the door down.
We had to really want to make it on this trip. Like really, really, want it. We were not guaranteed anything, but I know the Lord was with us every step. We did a lot of kicking doors down, too. And there were people in our path who helped us along the way – – true God-sends.
Through this day I am reminded of how God works in processes. He can do anything at His command, but He works in our hearts through processes, easy or seemingly impossible. We have to put in some effort too, and ask for help along the way. I knew we needed a Christmas miracle to make it on this boat in time. God was there every step, tear, and long distance sprint. The true gift to take this trip is even more special now because we thought it was gone. Through it all what matters most is we made it on this crazy adventure together!
Though it was not easy, we didn’t miss the boat. Now we can even laugh about it!
Now that we are back home, I have been thinking about missing the boat outside of water. I’m not coming from a place of good ole fear of missing out, but of looking for un-tapped potential and opportunity to grow. It’s searching for whimsy. It’s looking at fear in the eye and acting in spite of it.
How can I be more brave in 2019? How can I go for it with all I’ve got, knowing God walks with me every step? I’m still learning. Even if it looks like my ship has sailed, my hope will not be shaken. After all, smooth sailing never made for a skilled sailor, no? I hope you’ll find your ship, too!
For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. -Isaiah 43:19