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2.26.2005 Connections Last weekend was all about connections for me. I love the way God knits us together in the most unusual ways. Some say, “It’s a small world” or “What a coincidence!” But I don’t believe in coincidences. Everyone we meet is both our teacher and our student. Everything we experience is a lesson for us to learn or to share. I have learned that God does amazing things when we open ourselves up to be a channel for God’s love. When we ask to be used, God listens to that prayer. God is waiting to answer that prayer! I was supposed to be in 4 different places last weekend. In order for me to be in only one place hundreds of miles from the other places I was supposed to be, I had to do a lot of work. I took each task that needed to be done in stride, trusting that God would help me get everything done. And God did it! Everything got done in time for me to board a plane in State College, PA in route to Minneapolis, Minnesota Friday afternoon. I boarded the plane and sank down into the vinyl-covered seat. I sighed a deep sigh and a peace washed over me. Suddenly, I felt this feeling that told me that God was about to do something really spectacular. I figured it meant that I was going to have a great weekend visiting with my Tour of Hope buddies. A man sat down in the seat next to me. He seemed like a normal guy but really happy. He started to tell me about the earplugs he bought because he learned on his flight to State College that the prop planes were really noisy. He was concerned that I would be offended because he would not be able to hear me if I wanted to talk to him. I told him not to worry because I had gotten up at 2:30am that morning, and I planned to sleep. We both slept. About 15 minutes before we were about to land, we both woke up and started talking. He told me that he finally settled down in Ann Arbor, Michigan after spending most of the last 15 years moving around a lot. He had two older sons, and he felt that they would soon start their own families. He wanted to be near them so he could be with his grandchildren. He finally revealed that the reason he moved so much was because he was a missionary traveling all around the world doing disaster relief work. I started to tell him about Bennett, and he stopped me right away and told me the most amazing thing. The reason he started doing missionary work was because his wife died of a brain tumor, the some type of brain tumor that Bennett had. In two minutes, I felt like I was talking to my best friend and began to share all the great things that happened since Bennett came into my life. Even though our meeting was very brief, it had the intensity and urgency that only God is capable of initiating. The whole reason I was going to Minneapolis was to visit my friend Jim, who I rode in the Tour of Hope with. He was receiving the Spirit Star Award from the Minnesota Oncology and Hematology Foundation for his dedication to cancer survivorship. Shortly after the Tour of Hope, Jim learned that his tumor was growing again. He is living the message of the Tour of Hope right now. He is currently enrolled in a clinical trial that one of our teammates told him about. Talk about connections. We are praying that this drug, Gleevac, which has been a miracle drug for leukemia will stop Jim’s tumor in its tracks. As Jim likes to say, “It’s time to get cancer out of our face and into our rearview mirror.” I know if anyone can do it, Jim is capable of riding away from cancer. At the awards gala, another star award recipient was an eleven-year-old girl who started a non-profit organization called the Dragonfly Project. She sends cards and a wonderful story about a dragonfly to people who have lost a loved one to cancer. The first one she sent was to a mother whose son died from a brain tumor. The mother had caught my eye earlier in the evening because I noticed her dragonfly pin and her purple dress. When she was up on the stage sharing her story before presenting the award, I just knew I had to go speak to this her, and I did. Another connection made. It is amazing to know that I have a purple dragonfly counterpart in the world! The next day, I was leaving to come home, and I found out that my friend Kristen, who I rode in the Tour of Hope with, was flying to Detroit on a flight that was leaving about 20 minutes before mine. I really wanted to spend more time with Kristen, and so I signed up to fly standby on her flight. When I got down to the gate, I found out that my flight was cancelled, and they were rerouting everyone. Since I already signed up to fly standby on Kristen’s flight, I was in a much better position to make that flight. The minutes leading up to the flight were intense because I did not know if I would get on her flight, and I started to worry a little about getting home. Finally, I just said, “I’ve got to let this go”. I knew God was testing my ability to trust. So I relented, “if I don’t get on this flight, there is a reason. I trust you God.” Again God made the connection. My seat was right in front of Kristen’s, so it was no problem getting someone to switch seats so we could sit together. Unfortunately, the Detroit airport kept closing which delayed the takeoff of our flight. When we finally arrived in Detroit, my connection to State College was already gone. I was sent down to a gate at the opposite end of the terminal to get rerouted. When I got there, there was a huge line with only two people rerouting all the missed connections. I decided to go up to the front ticketing counter. The line was much shorter. I knew that there was no way I was going to get home that night. It was going to be really tough to get home since all these people needed to be re-ticketed too. But I also knew at this point to just give it over to God. I was the last person to get to an agent before they closed the line and told all the people in it they would have to come back in morning! I spent the night on the floor of the Detroit airport with a lot of other people. They would not have let me back in the secure part of the airport if I had not gotten a ticket for the flight in the morning. But God made the connections for me, and I was let back in. I found a quiet corner to rest in until the next morning. I know what you are saying, “How is having to sleep in the airport a blessing?” I don’t understand it but I was happy in the airport. Forced out of my comfort zone, stranded and left in my solitude, I was surrounded by God’s presence. And I knew that God was taking care of me. I talked to my mom when I finally made it back to Pennsylvania. I told her all about the trip and the weekend. Then I talked to her again at the end of the week and started telling her about having to sleep in the airport. I really sort of forgot all about calling her when I got back Monday. She told me, “I talked to you the day you got back. You didn’t sound like someone who had to spend the night in the airport. You sounded really happy and excited.” When you let God make the connections, you are taken to a level beyond the chaos of this world. There is no such thing as a problem in that place. You are given the joy you are seeking. You are given the life you desire. Nothing seems impossible. My new motto: “Let God make the connections.” Scripture “Have mercy
on me, O Lord,
Story The Dragonfly Story http://pages.prodigy.net/kathy_werling/foc/dragonfly.html Prayer God, I praise you for the miracles that you make happen in my life. I ask that you continue to use me as you see fit. I know I must trust you and have the faith of a child. Help me Lord when I am weak, give me courage. From now on, I am letting you make the connections. Amen
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