“Option one: you stick to the plan and we send you all to Kenya tonight, 48-hour layover, no food, lodging, no nothing.”
Those are the words that were spoken to me just a short 4 hours before my squad’s flight to Kenya was about to take off- it’s a very promising option isn’t it?! Not.
This year I get to serve as logistics coordinator for my squad along with my co-leader, meaning that my job is coordinating all of travel day- transportation, check-ins, security, lodging, etc., planning debriefs and LDW weekends. January 1st started my squads third travel day, this time going to Malawi, Africa. We had a nine-hour flight leaving at 1 A.M. to Kenya with a connecting flight to Malawi. Well, as we go to check in we get the glorious news that our flight is delayed 6 hours and we would miss our connecting flight. Cheers to the New Year, am I right.
Over these past few months of serving as logistics, I have quickly found out that when we rely on our own plans, our own strengths, and our own understanding, we are left empty, broken and lost. When that is the path you choose, you end up with unnecessary stress and anxiety. The Lord has been showing me how His plan is better than anything I could ever imagine, and that He is begging me to hold His hand as I go through coordinating things for our squad. He wants me to allow Him to guide us where HE pleases.
“Option two: you deny boarding and we have a hotel arranged for you, meals for all of tomorrow and dinner tonight, transportation to and from hotel, and a $400 USD voucher for each person, that can be used for anything with Kenya Airlines or redeemed for $300 USD cash.”
CAN SOMEONE SAY AMEN?!
Now, obviously, the choice that we made for the squad is pretty obvious. Who in their right mind would ever choose being in Kenya for 48 hours with absolutely nothing over a mini vacation and a cash prize? But as I was reflecting and thanking God for the way He lead us and provided, I was convicted with the two options. I had to ask myself: “How many times in your walk with the Lord do you choose to be stranded in Kenya, when He’s asking you to join Him in paradise?”
Everyday we are presented with the exact two options that were given to me the night of that flight: we can follow our own plans, the original ones that we have set. Or we can let go of what we have planned, and let Him take us where He wants us. When I choose option one, I am stranded. I have depended on my own strength and when it runs out, I am left with nothing. But when I choose option two, when I choose to follow everything that the Lord has in store for me, I am provided with everything that I need.
The day of travel day almost my whole squad was praying for rest. Those days leading up to Africa were very jam-packed- leadership changes, team changes, training, planning, New Years Eve. You name it and we did it. We were tired and desperately needed time to just sit. It is crazy how it all worked out, but the Lord knew what we needed and He showed up like none of us ever expected.
If my partner and I would have chosen the first option just because it was the original plan, we would have led ourselves and our squad into a non-ideal situation. It would have been a selfish and stubborn choice that we would have made, and we would have only made it because it was the plan that was put in place based on our earthly paths. It would have made absolutely no sense.
When the two options are presented how they were to us, Kenya with nothing or Bangkok with the whole nine-yards, we don’t even think twice. Let’s look at putting all of our trust in the Lord in the exact same way, stranded on our own or enjoying paradise with the plans the Lord has in store for us. Today and everyday, I am thanking our Father for the choices He gives us and the paths He leads us on.
