After 24 LONG hours, Cecily has finally arrived to Panama! To express the amount of stress we endured yesterday can't be fully written. Cecily waited patiently on stand-by for a flight to end up being denied a seat five times. All the tears I cried at work (it was embarrassing) to Al being on the phone with United to try to do something was all out of faith. What parent just sits there and does nothing?
A day later with better perspective, I have to thank God for His love and protection for my daughter - His daughter. In situations like yesterday I had no choice, in all my weakness, but to pray and trust God had a plan. My prayer was simple and I extended this request to all my sisters. These ladies are prayer warriors so I knew Cecily was covered and God could hear the shouts of these bold, courageous women. We were circling this prayer with unwavering faith. After the 3rd flight, I was begging God for ONE SEAT to Houston. Yes, one seat to Houston but I failed to specify on a plane. We'll get to that point eventually.
Meanwhile, God had a different plan that had nothing to do with a plane, but a seat, on a car, to Houston. Our God has a sense of humor! What are the odds of Cecily meeting another TCU student, also flying to Panama for a special NGO event? I know, right! She also missed her flight and was on stand-by for the last five flights. Let's face it, the odds were against them since 6 am when they were told that all flights were fully booked and stand-by was their only option getting to Houston.
God is sovereign! Allegra, the TCU student (a complete stranger) offers Cecily a ride to Houston. Again, I had to trust God in this situation. I immediately felt peace and knew God was in control. It turns out she also offered her a place to stay for the night. Her aunt (another complete stranger), graciously opened her home for a good night's rest. If you were to ask me three plus years ago , I would've flipped out! There is NO WAY my daughter is staying in a stranger's home. In this season of trusting God, I knew this again was a test to my faith.
While they're driving, I ask Al to call United to get her flight details and confirmation sent to us via email. She was scheduled to leave at 9:00 am to Colorado and arrive in Panama at 8:00 pm. He spoke to the representative and realized that the rep that Al spoke to earlier never followed through on her re-booking. My heart stops once again as my husband pleads with the rep to double and triple check. She then says that instead she can offer us a DIRECT FLIGHT leaving Houston a 9:00 am and arriving at 2:20 pm! I praised Jesus for His favor. My Spirit told me since I trusted Him and prayed through this, this was His gift - His great reward for obedience! We looked online before and during this call and this mysterious flight never came available. We were confused in some sense but realized in the supernatural, it's sometimes unseen and we just had to trust this.
The email confirmation came through and her flight was booked as stated via our telephone conversation. She even got a window seat for good measure! Only God could be this gracious for a fully booked flight on a Saturday, during Spring Break. A reminder that nothing is too grand for Him. His ways aren't our ways for a reason.
Cecily landed safely with a big smile on her face. You could imagine my mama heart was melted to touch her, see her face, and tell her how much we loved her. What an honor it is to witness God's love firsthand for our family! To see what He does here on earth for His children. I realized today while praying that my obedience of releasing her to Christ her junior year of high school was all worth it. There is no doubt He has her in the palm of His hand and working out every detail for her perfect story by the perfect author!
Side note: As most of you know, Cecily is super responsible but not perfect. She forgot her passport at her dorm which lead to her missing her first flight. Lesson learned!
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