I am in Atlanta for the next week and a half to help serve at the October World Race training camp. Myself and other members of the serve team will be helping keep the Adventures in Missions campus running while the staff focuses on training the squads that will launch on the World Race in January. I’m also getting to reconnect with my World Race coaches, mentor, and some of my squad-mates.
I decided to drive down to Atlanta for a few reasons: 1. I was combining the trip with taking my sister’s dog back to where she lives in Indianapolis (the dog was staying with us while she traveled), 2. God provided me with a good car after returning home from the Race and I enjoy driving it, 3. I could save money on airfare by driving.
My plan was to drive the 4 hours to Indy on Wednesday evening, stay the night there with my sister, Faith, and then leave early on Thursday to drive the 8.5 hours to Atlanta. I also needed to pick up my newest prescription of my meds from the pharmacy in Aurora on my way out of town on Wednesday night.
So I left Wednesday evening and was about 3/4 of the way to Indy when I realized I forgot to pick up my meds. My first thought was total despair. I thought “I’m going to have to drive all the way back home and then all the way back to Indy and then all the way down to Atlanta and I’ll probably have to push my schedule back for my time in Atlanta.”
I called Faith and she suggested that I call the pharmacy near her to get them filled. But by this time it was already 8:45 eastern time and all the pharmacies near her were closed.
When I do not take my meds, I usually don’t sleep much and the next day is pretty awful. I have some terrible physical withdrawal symptoms that sometimes incapacitate me towards the end of the next day. I was fully confident I could get the meds filled the next morning before I headed out for Atlanta, but my concern was for the 8.5 hours of driving I had to do without having taken my meds and with the lack of sleep from the night before.
After exhausting all options of getting the meds filled that night, I knew it was time to start praying and to ask others to pray. I knew that Jesus could carry me through the next day and my travel with no problems even if I didn’t have my meds in me. But I needed to ask Him. So I texted some friends and asked them to pray that I could sleep that night, that I wouldn’t have withdrawal symptoms the next day, and that I could get my meds filled at the pharmacy in Indy.
Unfortunately, I did not sleep much on Wednesday night. Thursday morning I felt depleted and drained both emotionally and physically. I called the pharmacy as soon as they opened to get the process going for filling my meds. They said it should take about an hour. So I got up and went to clean my car because the dog food spilled all over my trunk…
After I cleaned my car, I ate some food, packed up my stuff, and got ready to leave. I sat down at the kitchen table for a minute and admitted to Faith that I did not want to do this trip. I was feeling emotionally and physically down and I did not know how I was going to do this by myself. But I got up and left anyway.
I got to the pharmacy and found out that they had not started filling the meds because there was a problem with insurance. Once we got it figured out they said it would take a while to fill them because there were other people in front of me… I was already getting a late start and I knew that as the day went on my withdrawal symptoms (which were not yet present) would get worse and worse. I just wanted to get this over with. But I had to wait more.
So I went back to Faith’s and she offered to make me chili. If you don’t already know, making me food is one of my love languages. I love food but do not like making it. And usually when other people offer to make me food, I feel bad because to me it’s a lot of work and I don’t want to put that on them. But this time I decided to say yes. I needed some good, substantial food to keep me going and this way I wouldn’t have to stop and spend money to feed myself. Plus, Faith loves cooking anyway.
Y’all, I’m telling you that chili was something supernatural. It was an act of love not just from Faith, but from Jesus. And it was powerful. Both of them knew how I was feeling that morning. They knew I needed some love and encouragement. Faith filled my belly and Jesus filled my heart. I was in tears on the inside. I left Faith’s house the second time a completely different person: full, alive, and excited instead of depleted, discouraged, and dreading the trip.
What’s more, that fullness covered any and all withdrawal symptoms and lasted me the ENTIRE 8.5 hour trip! I had NO withdrawal symptoms all day until I laid my head down to go to bed after arriving in Atlanta. Plus, I actually enjoyed most of my drive.
When all of this started happening, I thought about cancelling the trip. But that was most definitely an attack from the enemy because this trip is a gift from God. A chance to fill my soul and refuel my tank. Had I not asked Jesus to sustain me, I might be back in Aurora right now instead of in Atlanta enjoying the company of some of my dearest friends and getting ready to serve the next “generation” of World Racers going out for a year to share Jesus and become more like him… going out to do the thing that changed me SO much.
Today I’m thankful that no matter where I am in the world, Jesus is with me and cares about my needs and struggles in that present moment.
**P.S. Stay tuned for some big changes coming in my next blog!
