I reallly could write a book on all
the airplane stories of conversations
and people I have met while flying
to and from my engagements. I
laugh because I am never the one
to initiate the conversation and yet
there have been so many great
discussions I have had on airplanes.
Don't get me wrong, I love to talk
to people and I will always smile
and say, "Hi", but I usually am shy
unless they start talking to me.
Most people would be shocked to
hear me say I am shy, but it's only
in getting the coversation started.
After that, I am an open book and
I love to share my life and my faith
when the opportunity arises.
This time was a little different. I
wasn't the one in the conversation.
But the discussion I heard in the
seats behind me gave me such
encouragement that I had to share
what happened.
There was a girl who was about
early 20's and another woman
probably in her 30's sitting directly
behind me. They were talking and
I have no music on my iphone so
I had no other option but to hear
what was being said. After a couple
minutes, I was intrigued. The girl
was very open talking about how
her mother had recently died and how
it was very messy. She said that her
dad had cheated on her mom many
years earlier and left her and
that started a downward spiral
in her life. She said she didn't see
her mom very often and that her
mom made some very bad choices.
She also said that her grandmother
was very cold when she walked in
one day and just flat out said, "I
went to your mom's house and found
her on the floor. She's dead."
The girl said she collapsed and hit
her arm when she fell, breaking a
bone. She said the put a hole in the
wall and was out of control that day.
She said that her dad and grandma
advised her not to see her mom, but
that she HAD to do it! She said that
she held her mom's hand and told her
she loved her. She said she screamed
at her and then asked for her to forgive
her. She said she told her mom that
she also forgives her mom for all that
she did. There was so much hurt in this
girl's voice. She was saying how she
hasn't eaten and has lost so much
weight and that she is so LOST.
I so badly wanted to turn around
and tell her about the hope we have
in Jesus when the world around us
is crashing down. But I didn't have
to- God had his child sitting in that
seat that He had chosen. With
gentleness and love, the lady sitting
next to her started sharing how she
had lost her brother recently and
how hard that had been. Then she
went on to say that she believes
that God can redeem all this girl
has gone through. She told her
she would pray for her and that
if she opens the Bible that there
are words that will encourage her.
She said she would like to get
her number (and the girl gave it
to her) so she could text her and
send her verses. She also said
that she should ask God to show
Himself in all of this because God
will do that.
I was praying while while these two
were talking. I was praying for
this girl who is heart-broken and so
lost. This girl said she has
no spirituality in her life and her
grandma is a complete atheist.
No wonder the words of her mom
dying were so cold! This poor
grandmother couldn't
even console her granddaughter
because her heart is probably so
hard towards God and she
doesn't understand the healing
that God wants to bring in to her
life! I will pray for that woman
as well.
The best part came after I got
off the airplane. I saw the lady
who shared with the girl and
said I thought it was awesome
and that I was praying for the
girl as well. She told me that
she didn't know the words to
say but knew she needed to
share God's love with the girl.
She also told me that after they
got off the plane, the girl prayed
the sinner's prayer and asked
Jesus into her life! Talk about
a God appointment on a plane!
I was a bystander and my faith
was increased! God is so good
and wants to use His children,
as unworthy as we may feel,
to help people around us who
may have never even heard about
Jesus Christ and that He died
for us so we can have eternal
life with Him! There is HOPE
in Jesus, and we ALL need
hope! I pray that this encourages
you because it makes me want
to step out and start more
conversations. I never
know when I might meet a girl
just like that on the plane who
has a broken heart and needs
the love of Jesus to come in
and heal her in every way!
