When I woke up this past Monday it was to thunderstorms outside. Though I was grateful for the rain we have been praying for I was apprehensive knowing I had a mid morning flight to Panama City, FL where I was scheduled to preach four nights at a youth camp. I had no idea what kind of day was in store for me when I pulled out of my drive way around 8:00 a.m.
We had smooth driving until we got into Grapevine. We hit bumper to bumper traffic at this time and driving came to a grinding halt. We barely covered two miles in thirty minutes. I was not concerned because we had left extra early to get Turner to the dentist after Brenda dropped me off at DFW airport. I still had a couple of hours to spend before my flight left or so I thought. I had no idea what kind of day I would be facing.
The storms delayed my flight for over an hour and a half which in turn delayed my causing me to miss my connecting flight in Memphis, TN. I was rerouted to Atlanta where I would connect with a flight going to Panama City. My new flight itinerary would not get me in Panama City until after the worship service was supposed to start. We called to rearrange the worship service time but I encountered another delay waiting to take off.
I had trouble getting a rental car once I finally landed in Panama City and ended up having to call the camp director to tell him that now I would not make the back up time for the worship service either. Someone had to be sent from the camp to get me which would take about twenty to thirty minutes one way. So from the time that I touched down in Florida until I arrived at the camp nearly an hour passed causing me to miss my preaching assignment. This has never happened. If I had traveled for one more hour that day I could have driven to Panama City in the same amount of time.
It was a frustrating day of delays and a missed preaching assignment. I spent a great deal of time asking the Lord why? I felt horrible. One thing I was reminded of is that we did not put near enough prayer into the planning of the camp. There were sound issues all week, one sponsor was put into the hospital, and several students were exposed to too much sun.
What life lesson can I take from that frustrating day? I persevered. With the Lord’s help I trudged through three airports and faced challenge after challenge. This also alerted me that if Satan was opposing us that strongly that God must have had a great work to do at that camp. He did.
Several students were introduced to the Lord. Hallelujah! Others were challenged and set free from sin. I had a lady walk up to me on the last morning of camp and reach into her purse without hardly any explanation and take out a pack of cigarettes and hand them to me telling me that she was convicted and was going to quit smoking and then turning to hug her daughter who had witnessed this whole scene. I had students talk to me about the abusive homes they live in. One young man told me about his father punching him in the gut with tears forming puddles in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. It was a powerful moment as I prayed for him.
The delays, the frustrations, and the devil could not stop God. Through persevering prayer we had a great camp. I am sitting in the airport waiting on my flight back home. I hope it goes smoother than the one to get here. Praise the Lord students were saved and kingdom was expanded despite, storms, delays, and a missed preaching assignment.
We had smooth driving until we got into Grapevine. We hit bumper to bumper traffic at this time and driving came to a grinding halt. We barely covered two miles in thirty minutes. I was not concerned because we had left extra early to get Turner to the dentist after Brenda dropped me off at DFW airport. I still had a couple of hours to spend before my flight left or so I thought. I had no idea what kind of day I would be facing.
The storms delayed my flight for over an hour and a half which in turn delayed my causing me to miss my connecting flight in Memphis, TN. I was rerouted to Atlanta where I would connect with a flight going to Panama City. My new flight itinerary would not get me in Panama City until after the worship service was supposed to start. We called to rearrange the worship service time but I encountered another delay waiting to take off.
I had trouble getting a rental car once I finally landed in Panama City and ended up having to call the camp director to tell him that now I would not make the back up time for the worship service either. Someone had to be sent from the camp to get me which would take about twenty to thirty minutes one way. So from the time that I touched down in Florida until I arrived at the camp nearly an hour passed causing me to miss my preaching assignment. This has never happened. If I had traveled for one more hour that day I could have driven to Panama City in the same amount of time.
It was a frustrating day of delays and a missed preaching assignment. I spent a great deal of time asking the Lord why? I felt horrible. One thing I was reminded of is that we did not put near enough prayer into the planning of the camp. There were sound issues all week, one sponsor was put into the hospital, and several students were exposed to too much sun.
What life lesson can I take from that frustrating day? I persevered. With the Lord’s help I trudged through three airports and faced challenge after challenge. This also alerted me that if Satan was opposing us that strongly that God must have had a great work to do at that camp. He did.
Several students were introduced to the Lord. Hallelujah! Others were challenged and set free from sin. I had a lady walk up to me on the last morning of camp and reach into her purse without hardly any explanation and take out a pack of cigarettes and hand them to me telling me that she was convicted and was going to quit smoking and then turning to hug her daughter who had witnessed this whole scene. I had students talk to me about the abusive homes they live in. One young man told me about his father punching him in the gut with tears forming puddles in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks. It was a powerful moment as I prayed for him.
The delays, the frustrations, and the devil could not stop God. Through persevering prayer we had a great camp. I am sitting in the airport waiting on my flight back home. I hope it goes smoother than the one to get here. Praise the Lord students were saved and kingdom was expanded despite, storms, delays, and a missed preaching assignment.
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