It's been a full two weeks since we've written, and although we are sad to have been apart for so long, it was a much needed time of rest.
My family and I were able to travel abroad and spend some time in various locations of Central America. We enjoyed many wonderful types of food, music, and entertainment. I guess you could say that it was the perfect vacation! God's glory was evident and magnificent, yet in the midst of the joys we experienced, it was so like our loving Father to share a life lesson with me. Surprisingly, it wasn't in the rainforest, or in the impoverished areas that we visited. The Lord didn't send me a revelation amidst the beauty of the clear waters in Belize or as we Zip Lined through the canopy in Roatan. Instead, the Lord spoke to my heart in the airport, as we were traveling back home.
Like many of you, I am strongly connected to the social media world. My first thoughts, once we got back into the states, was to post, share and blog all of our amazing pictures, for our friends and family (and the world) to see. And that is exactly what I did. I posted, I edited, I instagramed... I did it all! I was so absent minded about the people I passed by, my husband's instructions for me to keep up with him and even my own luggage! I was in my own world, mesmerized by my own interests and as a result, the very thing that I was so attached to, was the very thing that I lost! Yes, I lost my phone in the Atlanta air port. I lost all my videos, all my pictures, all my memories! I couldn't remember where I left it, or how I could have been so irresponsible. Had I laid it down on top of my luggage? Was it left behind at the Starbucks counter? What about the bathroom...was it there?As my heart began to sink, trying desperately to retrace my steps, feelings of hopelessness overwhelmed me and I expected my husband to be irritated at my mishap. Yet, instead, he was calm, concerning and exercised great faith. He prayed that we would find the phone. He looked, he asked, he searched. When I had given up hope, he had not. He went up and down the terminal, as if he himself had lost his own phone. I sat, hopeless, begging him to just forget about it. I felt as if it was a ridiculous search and that it was an impossible waist of time. In fact, time was running out. Why waist our last few moments, stressing out about something that was a lost cause? Yet, to my surprise, with the flight attendant calling for our line up to board the next plane, my husband came around the corner, with a grin on his face and a self confidence in his spirit and handed me my phone, saying, "See, I prayed and look what happened".
That was my lesson from the Lord: when all seems lost, when we are irresponsible, when we are hopeless, when we feel as if it is a waste of time, God continues to be faithful. My husband's example of faith, perseverance and determination humbled me; more so than the breathtaking orange sunsets, or the animals that we observed- more so, even than the wild dolphins that we swam with or the diamond stars that seemed so close in the Island sky. His faith took my breath away! How much I need to learn about trusting God, more so in the little things, not only in the big things. I can pray for a family member's cancer, I can go to God for his favor over my marriage, but how silly that I struggled to approach him on behalf of my cell phone?
Jesus said, "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks will receive, those who seek will find and those who knock, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). This is what the Lord encourages us to do, because this is what he does for his people, daily. Jesus is consistently asking us for our obedience. He is always seeking those who will choose to love and follow H
im and He is always knocking on the doors to the hearts of those who need Him.
Lord, thank you for encouraging us to never give up. Thank you for never giving up on us!
~Pearls
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