Eventful Holiday

I don’t know if you've ever been in a place where you NEEDED a holiday and it just didn't turn out the way you planned. We have . . . more than once! Whether the mosquitoes drove you crazy, the weather wreaked havoc on your tent or your vehicle broke down – sometimes our plans just don’t turn out the way we intended.

We actually have had all three of the above happen . . . on the same holiday! Not fun. In fact very disappointing, especially when you NEED a holiday to rejuvenate. Sometimes we need time to take a deep breathe of clean, pure, peaceful air to fill our souls with God’s reassurances, peace and perspective. Our intent on that holiday was to rest, hike, swim, enjoy the outdoors and have a great holiday with our family – it didn't turn out as we had planned. However, in the midst of that challenging holiday God used people to help us along the way. This was an opportunity for us to see God’s hand at work when our friends helped us out on that eventful day! Sometimes our plans are not God’s plans. And sometimes God wants to teach us or show us something even though we’re tired, burned out or just needing time away.

I don’t have a profound conclusion of what God taught us during that crazy holiday, but I do remember being so thankful for friends who would go the extra mile to drive stranded friends and help them get home. So perhaps what I learned that summer was we all NEED a friend, and we also need to BE that friend. Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times.” (NIV)

I do hope throughout this summer holiday season you will have opportunities to step out of the daily grind to breath deep from the well of God’s refreshing. Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” (NLT)

Jo-Ann