Circuit Riders

When I heard that we would be leaving at 3 am and arriving at LAX at 4 am, I knew that was a bad idea. I was arriving exactly 1 hour before my flight to a very busy airport. Grand Rapids airport I would probably get through in like 30 minutes, but when I got to LAX, the line to just check my bag was backed up all the way to the next area. I knew that it was a bad idea to arrive 1 hour before my flight, but there I was. Kind people let me go ahead as my plane was literally boarding as I was waiting to check my bag and still needed to go through security. I then ran through the airport all the way to the gate feeling as if I was in the movie Home Alone. I got to my plane as the last group was boarding, and right then I knew I was ok. I immediately relaxed and put on my headphones listening to "No One Like the Lord" as the plane ride took off to Chicago. I felt immediately at peace and ready to head home. 

When landing in Chicago, I was excited to be back in the Midwest. I had about a four-hour-long layover, and my mind was everywhere. I heard over the intercom at the airport that there would be a chapel service. I decided to go to it, and people were so encouraged to hear my testimony of my week in California. What is crazy is I never knew that there was a chapel in the Midway and O Hare International Airport. 

As I reflect on this trip, I think about the wider context of this summer. This summer, I had deep encounters with the Lord. My perspective of who I am has shifted this summer as now I view myself the way that Christ would. I am one burning for my campus and my community. I can't wait to see what God has in store. 

It has been a few weeks since the trip. In all honesty, I faced a lot of spiritual warfare coming out of the trip as well. I was sick the first couple of days after the trip. I realize that so much of the spiritual warfare before, during, and after the trip always had God coming out on top. A brake line going out where I did not think I would have the money to pay for the trip to God providing full funding of almost everything. Dreams of missed flights, issues happening, my past to God centering me on his peace. Tiredness, weariness, and expectations that were not being met to have a deeper revelation of his love. Almost missing my flight home to God giving me immediate peace as I boarded my flight back to Chicago. Arriving in Chicago right before the Chapel. The day after I got home, all the airports shut down due to a Microsoft outage. My friends who were stuck at the airports all got home and we were able to pray over them. I became sick right after Circuit Riders, but I was able to sit down with some friends the following week to share the testimony of my trip. The one week I saw those friends was the week that actually worked best for them to have lunch with me. I believe that when we walk in our identity of Christ, we see the spiritual warfare around us, but God always comes out on top.