A Heart At Home With God

A few years ago, I was in a conference center outside of Santa Fe in New Mexico. While there, I got a call from my wife that one of my children was being sent to a hematology specialist in Columbus, Ohio, for urgent tests and possible treatment. I finished my teaching session, grabbed my bags, and jumped aboard a bus to the Albuquerque airport and attempted to arrange a flight. As far as an earthly home goes, my place is with my family. While I have on occasion found myself led by the Lord to be on the road (or in the air, as the case may be), my first commitment to God is to be the husband and father He’d have me be.

No matter my explanation about my son’s emergency and my appeal to be allowed to go ahead and fly home, I failed to find an available flight. I was stymied and sat down feeling very frustrated and vexed. I began to fiercely pray that God would open a seat on the next available plane. Only a few moments had passed when the airline representative called me back to the counter and told me that a seat looked like it was going to be opening up. I quickly thanked God, gladly seized the opportunity (even though they charged me a penalty for changing my ticket), and gladly boarded the plane to fly home. I flew back to Columbus, got my car, and then met my family at the hospital where we faced some difficult days together.