“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you…” 

Isaiah 41:10

Have you ever been at a low point in your life when God seems silent?  When your cries seem to go unheeded?  When your lack of understanding and frustration cause you to become disappointed in God?

We had been eagerly looking forward as a family to a trip to Israel.  We were excited as we thought about all the wonderful sights and experiences we were going to have with our daughter, her husband, our son and his wife.  We had paid in full for the trip, plane tickets bought, passports in order and suitcases all ready to go.  Then, things went awry!  Our son in law came home from a business trip with a possible blood clot in his leg and his doctor “grounded” him.  He would not be going!  Two days before we were to leave, I fell in the church parking lot and injured my elbow.  We prayed hard……as I make the trip to the nearest ER to have it x-rayed.  It was badly broken and would need surgery….in 2 days!  “Oh no, Lord, how can this be?”  The doctor said I could join the tour later if I could stand the pain!

I felt terrible leaving the family to go without me, but friends took care of my needs and soon I was ready!  But I needed someone to travel with me!  My other daughter agreed to go and she took her brother-in-laws place.

Meanwhile, the family was to meet in Philadelphia and continue together to Israel.  However, daughter’s flight was delayed, and besides, she had gotten all the way to the airport and forgotten her passport!   That problem was overcome, but with her delayed flight, she missed the connection to Israel by one minute and had to spend the night in the airport!  A friend whom she hadn’t seen in 20 years saw her plight on Facebook, he “happened” to be in the same airport and they enjoyed breakfast together.  Was God in this problem?

Later that week, with my arm in a cast, we also missed our flight and got to Israel in the middle of the tour.  We still got to “swim” in the Dead Sea and enjoyed all the places where Jesus walked in Jerusalem.

Had we missed the Lord’s will about this trip?  There were some who advised us to cancel, but are difficult circumstances always an accurate guide to the Lord’s will?  Was God trying to teach us some needed lessons?  Were there going to be great blessings that satan was trying to hinder? Trying circumstances may actually be a confirmation that God is training you in His school for greater things.  You are right where He wants you!  In Mark 4:35, Jesus told the disciples to “get in the boat and go to the other side.”  He directed them into the boat, knowing that a furious squall would come up and the waves would break over the boat.  They needed that lesson!  They were going to experience storms of persecution and oppression as they spread the gospel!  He allowed the strong winds, but He brought them safely to the other side!

We need to trust the Lord even when He seems “asleep in the boat.”  When we are confident we are in the will of God, we persevere, even when circumstances are trying.  Struggles are normal, we need to be “overcomers.” “Do not fear, for I am with you…..”

Oh, I forgot to mention!  The trip was one of the greatest memories we have of family time together!

Your friend, Jean