Interesting Plane Ride

In a church I visited a few weeks ago, the pastor had given an invitation for people to come forward for prayer or just to spend time with God or any other reason.  As the worship went on I closed my eyes and saw a vision of many people coming down the aisle.  When I opened my eyes, no one was coming.  I felt God telling me that I had to go first.  If I would go down and kneel at the altar, then many others would follow.  I convinced myself that it wasn't really God.  It didn't make sense.  I was the "missionary" and it might look funny.  Others might think that I was just doing it for a show after having shared with the congregation, they could see it as a ploy to look spiritual and try to get more money or something (it sounds really illogical as I type this, but in the moment it was very logical in my mind).  So I didn't go, and neither did anyone else.  Afterwards, I was kicking myself for not being obedient and for caring so much about what others thought of me.  In the end, what does it really matter?  Even if some get the wrong impression, why do I care?  At 36 years old, why am I still so concerned about what others think about me?  Maybe God wanted to use me to "free up" many others.  I missed it!! 

So when I was flying to Montana last week, another opportunity came up.  It was a full United Airlines flight from Denver to Billings.  I sat down in my seat, but a few minutes later a couple of middle age sisters came and asked if I would switch seats so that they could sit across the aisle from each other and talk.  I wasn't too excited about sitting in the middle seat, so I suggested they take the two seats in my row and I sit in her aisle seat across the row.  They agreed and so I moved.  Shortly thereafter a guy claimed that I was sitting in his seat.  I looked at the "sister" and after looking at her ticket she realized her seat was the middle one.  Oh well, I thought, it isn't a long flight, I will just deal with it.  The lady sitting next to the window (Ashley) asked me if this flight was going to Billings.  I said yes and then she asked if Billings was in Montana or North Dakota.  Kind of a strange question, I thought.  What kind of a person doesn't even know where she is flying to?  Right before takeoff someone else came to Ashley and said she was sitting in his seat.  She looked at her ticket and realized she was off by 3 rows, but the man just decided to sit in her seat since the plane was ready to takeoff.  Again I thought, this lady must not be very bright if she can't even figure out which seat belongs to her.  So now all of us were in the wrong seats, but I think it was all God's plan.


The group sitting around me was interesting.  The two sisters were talking about getting to Montana so they could find a couple of cowboys to ride!  The young guy in the aisle seat couldn't finish a sentence without saying at least 2-3 curse words.  And the lady next to me (Ashley) was talking to herself.  All I wanted to do was close my eyes and catch a little nap.  I usually don't enjoy conversating with people on a plane, and especially not a crew like the one I was seated next to.  But during takeoff, I felt God telling me to start talking to Ashley.  Once again I tried to convince myself that it wasn't God's leading and came up with several reasons not to.  This time though I tried to obey.  I opened my eyes and just asked her why she was going to Montana.  She began to narrate a long story of struggles and challenges in her life.  I won't share the whole story with you, but the short version is she was working in the oil fields in Eastern Montana and married a man who didn't treat her well.  She was going back there to quit her job, get her things and bring her grown son and his family back to California with her.  She was trying to sneak in and out without her husband knowing and not having a clue what to do when they get back to California.  She had recently collected a large check of child support arrears from her ex-husband from 25 years ago and was definitely at a crossroads in her life.  I didn't say much except that the check was a huge blessing from a God who loves her very much.  After finishing, I just asked if I could pray for her.  I tried not to make a big scene on the plane, but I laid my hands on her and prayed for her and her family and for God to move mightily in her heart and allow her to see his incredible love. 

That was pretty much it.  She responded by saying that she really needed that, and I said that we all need that.  Who knows what will come of it and what will happen in her life from this point on, but I truly felt the spirit of God moving in a powerful way. 

Thank God for second chances and not giving up on us.