Several days prior to Christmas, the sense of going was impressed upon my heart.  Truthfully, even though I did have days of leisure available, enjoying the quiet of home without the pressure to prepare lessons to teach or papers to grade appealed to me.  Yet, God had another plan for my season of time after Christmas and the start of the spring semester.

There is a verse in the Bible, found in the book of Psalms, where David speaks of TIME, of seasons of life and our encounters with others, of obedience to God, of His Divine Interventions, and of our reliance upon God.

During the course of time since God first impressed upon me the need to go, I began to pray, and to be honest, my first prayers sounded something like this—‘Dear God, I am not sure if this desire to travel to Sydney’s and then to Marieke’s is just a desire to travel.  God, I was just there in late July, and Sydney will be home for a visit in June.  So, God, if this is Your will that I go, then help me to see the ‘why’ and work out all the details.’

God is Faithful.

Let’s proclaim that statement a little more emphatically.

GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!!!!!

The snowstorm stranded me in a hotel room last night when I should be safely home; thus, today I do hope to finally drive home, but just maybe, God has even another person to meet during my journey’s path.  Time will tell.

Let me share with you some of the people God has brought to my path—examples of God’s faithfulness over the past ten days.

Rizza, the thirty-one-year-old phone tele-marker from the Philippines—After mentioning to my husband how I felt the need to go to Sydney’s, my first thought was:  Darrell will be so against the idea, but he merely replied, “okay.”  So, on a Wednesday night before church, I looked online for a flight to Germany.  Booking a flight is normally quite an easy task, so as I stood at the kitchen counter seeing the message:  “Your request cannot be processed.  Please try again” over and over and over, finally, I called the 1-800 number and told Darrell to go ahead to church and I would follow soon enough.  I realize now that God had other plans for My TIME.

When I first encountered Rizza on the phone, I did not know I was speaking to a girl by the name of Rizza, but after a long conversation, a flight booking, an email reply from the airline—now I know Rizza a little better.

Gretta, the young foreign exchange student from Germany—Once I arrived at the LEX airport for the first leg of my journey, only to find my flight cancelled.  Thus, instead of traveling on the flights booked, the ticket agent asked me to drive to Louisville airport, take a flight to Houston, and then to Frankfurt, Germany.  I realize now that God had other plans for My TIME.

While waiting in the Louisville airport and while masked in my favorite Campbellsville University mask, that’s where a young girl approached me.  I did not know I was speaking to a girl by the name of Gretta, but after a long conversation, a delay, a flight from Louisville to Houston, and a race across the Houston airport to catch our international flight, a nine-hour flight, waiting with Gretta to retrieve her luggage, and a walk with her to meet her family—now I know Gretta a little better.

Zainap & Yelda, a mother and her daughter from Turkey—During the long international flight, I sat next to a family of three who were traveling to Spain.  After making polite pleasantries, I waved at the little girl sitting in-between.  She waved back.  Thus began a beautiful chance encounter.

Five weeks ago, one of my students and I were talking about a certain novel, a sequel.  So, I drove after class to the bookstore and purchased us copies of the sequel, but I also purchased the first book for myself since it had been years since I read that novel.  I began carrying my Bible everywhere I go last year, and usually when I travel, I carry a novel with me.  In my backpack for the flight, I carried the novel that I wanted to re-read.

Fast-forward to a long flight, a conversation with a mother who (again) noticed my CU mask, and a revealing that her six-year-old daughter loved to read and was, in fact, a strong reader who read books above her grade level.  God impressed upon my heart what I needed to do.  Rummaging below the seat in front of me for my backpack, I dug in it until I found my copy of To Kill A Mockingbird, a classic no doubt.  I asked her if they would allow me to give my copy to Yelda, and immediately, Zainap’s eyes lit up as she exclaimed how that was her favorite novel when she was young.  The mother and I exchanged WhatApp numbers before we deplaned and have since spoken by text.  I realize now that God had other plans for My TIME.

When I first parted from Gretta to take my seat further back in the plane, I was not aware that I would encounter this family of three—now I know Zainap a little better.

The young high school student from Palestine—Let me first say that I am sad at how I failed to ask for her name.  On my journey home from Frankfurt, the airlines cancelled the last leg of the journey, so (again) other plans had to be made.  This is how I happened to be inside the international airport standing in line for a flight to our nation’s capital.  I realize now that God had other plans for My TIME.

Simple questions begin great conversations:  “Is this the line for the boarding,” she asked.  Turning, I replied, “Yes, but they are just now boarding the elderly and parents with small children.”  One question and one reply led to additional questions from me (no surprise I suppose).  In talking while we waited, I learned she was traveling to her dad to begin her university study to become a Gynecologist.

When I had to re-route my plans to go home, I never considered that I would meet another student, and even though I failed to ask her name—now I know this soon-to-be university student just a little better.

Michael, a young Polish student traveling to America to study medicine—I will begin by stating how I noticed this young man journaling during our international flight.  We did not exchange any conversation until the final hour of our flight.  That’s when I became aware of where this young man was from, and I realize now that God had other plans for My TIME.

Michael studied Humanities for his undergraduate work, and that he hopes to become an Osteopathic doctor (once he takes his M-CAT and is admitted to med school).  What most caught my attention was the uncanny way he resembled and even spoke his words as my son-in-law. Finding out about this young man’s study was fascinating.  Let me explain.

As we conversed, Michael learned of my profession, and so he began to ask me questions.  (I do believe we share a love of questions.).  In talking, I learned that this young man was a believer, a Christian, a person who values and studies about prayer, and a young man who hopes to work in a location (a lower socio-economic area) where he can better help mankind, & after sharing so much—now I know Michael a little better.

God blesses us with others.

God may have “other plans” for Our Time, especially when we accept how the alterations of our set plans can become a Godsend.

Last night on the final leg of my journey, (delayed of course for plane technicalities and then again for de-icing), I found myself thinking about the precious people I would never have met had it not been for Divine Intervention.

As I now sit in the hotel room, awaiting the opening of the interstate, before I can finally drive the two remaining hours to my home, I could not but help to write about the people God has placed in my path.

I went to Germany to visit my daughter and her husband.

I traveled by train to visit another precious one and her family.

I spoke to a man, a task God gave me to do many weeks ago when He impressed upon me the need to go.

And now, I know so many more people, just because my Time was in God’s Hand.

God,

May we never become so busy with the cares of our lives that we forget why You have left us here on earth, that we are here to encounter others, to reflect You.

May we be willing to allow changes in our plans in order to be placed exactly where we need to be.

God’s Word speaks of the days and times of our lives as He reminds us who provides for our Divine Interventions as we walk through this life, but do not believe me; READ with me & SEE.