It’s been said in air travel that taking off and landing are the most crucial and critical parts of a flight.
That makes sense, seeing as though it can be quite a task to lift a heavy machine into the air and then get it back on the ground safely again.
But during a recent trip, as we were sailing through the air and just about to begin our initial decent to our destination, I thought about life, and it’s ventures, and how so many of us are just circling cities.
Whether it be….
Faith.
A job.
A relationship.
An identity.
A ministry.
A move.
An idea.
A longing.
A dream….
The beginning and the end of the journey are the parts you’ll have to really push through the most. They’re intense, and they require an all systems go approach, an all senses active awareness, an all in kind of mentality.
But it’s the finishing, the landing, the touch down that means you’ve gotten to where you were supposed to go, and that you’re alive and active in the place He’s put you in.
Some of us just need to be told today to land the plane.
You know where God wants you to go, you’ve heard him and seen Him and felt Him point you to your path, you’re excited about the possibilities, but the fear of change, or hardship, or embarrassment, or loss keeps you hanging in mid air, getting you no where.
If this is you, land the plane, child. You’re running out of gas and you’ve got things to do, and people to bless, and lessons to learn, and growth to gain. Let the flaps down and enter the landing pattern and kiss the runway already!
I feel like God is writing TO me THROUGH me, today.
I need this more than any of you, but it’s sweet that He lets me bring you along.
I circled our current city for years. I had good reasons for it. I actually did more of a touch-and-go: landing, seeing some awful (and also beautiful) things on the runway, and taking back off again.
I’ve fully landed since, and sincerely want to be where I am, but still have days that make me want to take off into the wild, blue oblivion. We’ve had people accuse us of brainwashing, associating with heretics, trying to mimic other churches, and all manner of other untrue things. We’ve had our property damaged, our names slandered, and our lives lied about. And I write all these things to you truly feeling them but still smiling, because we have communed with Christ IN IT ALL and there’s nothing purer or sweeter than that. He is so near to the broken-hearted and ever present in times of great pain.
You should know too though, that we have had the best encounters with the most precious people since signing on to serve in this city. As a whole, the folks in these parts are deeply kind and encouraging and we love them dearly.
So Mama and her people here? We’re staying for a long while and it feels good to say that. What I’ve learned is this:
If you’re called, He’ll keep you.
We’ve been under his wing and it’s a wonder and I’m staying put.
So land the thing, and shake it out, and get to work, and rest in the grace of it all.
We’re making a landing of sorts here on the blog today too, because October’s Blog Blitz is having its last run tonight. I’d love to pull a name or two from the comments (from here, and on the socials) so leave some love if you want to be entered for a treat win. Names will be drawn on Monday!
Thank you. Thank you for tuning out other things to tune in here. I’m grateful and I feel the love.
My hope and prayer is that you have pocketed something that brings you peace and moves you forward.
Hugs all around.
