Always and Forever

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 It was 1997, and I was sitting in the window seat of an airplane, taking off from Houston and heading for Managua, Nicaragua.

My first mission trip. 

We'd flown into Houston from Detroit and had to run through the airport for our connector. As we prepared to board our flight, I could see the weather outside the window. Dark, ominous. Storms were brewing. Day seemed as night.

Aboard, I stared out the window, glad we were leaving this dreary sight. I could feel the aircraft taxi down the runway, and then tilt its nose as we climbed into the sky. I refused to look away from the window. We sailed through the clouds until we settled above them.

As we broke through the clouds, however, I was greeted by brilliant sunlight. Involuntarily, I squinted to protect my eyes, but I wanted to see it. Golden rays lined the clouds backed by the bluest sky.

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And then I heard Him. "Just like this sun was still here even on the darkest stormy day, I am always present with you."

At the time, I was thrilled to have heard from the LORD. I'd been on a quest to hear from Him. If that aircraft had turned back at that moment, I would have been satisfied with my trip. My 2 small children couldn't understand why I was leaving them. I wasn't sure my husband would be okay alone with them. Our daughter, at 5-yrs, had medical needs beyond our expertise.

As far as I understood at the time, this was the storm He spoke of.

Today, as I remember that moment I realize He was encouraging me, prophetically, regarding the coming years. Like most people, we have experienced loss of financial stability, health, family members, and youth ...  

I could detail each of our trials at length, but suffice it to say, the LORD has always been with us. At certain points, He would send others to provide a way through the wilderness.

Briefly, though, in 2011, we were driving on bald tires with no money to replace them. I asked the LORD and a friend sent a gift in the mail tucked into a cup I cherish to this day. The gift? Funds to purchase tires for the van. In 2013 my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had no car to see her, and a group of writer friends rented a car for me to go see her. Later that year, one of those friends offered to pay my lost wages so I could go visit Mom on the weekend my brothers and I would be together--a rare occasion. Two months later, she went to be with the LORD. 

In 2016, my husband spent time in ICU while medical professionals and I fought for his life. There were other gusts in the periphery occurring as well. But there was a song, marching orders I believe, sent from my Father God to say, "It's not over until I say it is." Toby Mac's "Keep Walkin'" was my anthem for months. You can find it here.

All of this to say, that God is always going to keep His promises. And when the storm clouds gather and threaten the earth beneath us, even if the ground's shaking feels like a 12 on the Richter scale ... He promises, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you," (Isaiah 43:2 ESV).

The LORD bless you and keep you; 

the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. 

~Numbers 6:24 - 26 ESV