Finding JOY in Our Journey

I'm not big on flying in an airplane.  Although to ease my mind, others tell me, "Don't worry, it's much safer to fly than to drive a car!"  Good and true advice!  But I still can't seem to wrap my brain around how this huge piece of aluminum can stay in the air.  It just doesn't make sense!

My husband, my daughter and I, just got back from an amazing trip to sunny Southern California where we had the privilege of speaking at a church.  I am overwhelmed at how God blesses us and puts the most intricate details in place.  The church we spoke at just happened to be 60 miles from where my sister and brother-in-law live.  Coincidence - I don't think so!  First of all, I have never traveled west of Missouri, but have always wanted to, and second, I never dreamed I would get the chance to visit my sister while they are living in California.  But God is so good!

I was very excited about the trip, and the weeks and days leading up to it, I thought of all of the things I'd like to do and see while there.  But as soon as I boarded the plane, my excitement turned to anxiety and fear.  All of these thoughts started flooding my mind.  All of the "what if's?"  Anything and everything that could go wrong with plane came to mind.  Isn't that silly?  As I tried to distill those thoughts it made me start thinking about how all of the "what if's" affect our daily lives.  How many times have you found yourself saying, "What if I'm not qualified enough?"  "What if I'm not smart enough?"  What if I'm not pretty enough?"  How about, "What if I'm not worthy enough to be used by God?"  All of these "what if's" can paralyze us into believing the worst things about ourselves and can keep us from doing extraordinary things that God has planned for us.

But God, with His divine mercy and grace can give us JOY for our journey.  As a child, I learned a church song that now cracks me up when I sing it, but it so relates to finding that JOY.  These are the words:
     Give me umption in my gumption, help me function, function, function.
     Give me umption in my gumption I pray.
     Give me umption in my gumption, help me function, function, function.
     Help me function till the break of day!

I'm not real sure what an umption or a gumption is, but I still understand the message.  Only through emptying ourselves out and letting God fill us with His JOY and peace can we accomplish all He has for us.  We can't do anything without Him.  Philippians 4:13 reads, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."  Psalm 29:11 says, "The Lord gives strength to His people, the Lord blesses His people with peace."

Finding JOY in our journey means relying on the peace He gives us while doing those things that we may not like or want to do but is necessary in order to get where God wants us to be.  It means clearing our mind of all of the lies that Satan tries to sell us.  All of those "what if's" and clinging to our Father's sweet promise that He will never leave us or forsake us.

As I sat on the plane that beautiful sunny day and began emptying my mind and letting God fill me with thoughts of His peace and love, I began to focus on the beauty I saw as I looked out into the depths of His creation.  I realized that flying was part of the journey to get me where I needed to be.  As the plane carried us across the U.S.,  I praised God for His incredible blessings and basked in His presence as His calming peace filled me with JOY on my journey!

Much JOY,

Angie Burkeen
Club 180 Ministry
503 Main Street
Cumberland,  KY  40823
www.club180ministry.com