Throw Your Hands in the Air and Enjoy the Ride!

I’ve always loved the craziest, wildest rides at amusement parks. Maybe that’s why becoming a private pilot was no big deal for me. I think wild rides are part of my DNA, because God’s plans for us sure did include some like that.

For over 43 years, my Honey and I encouraged many people to trust God for anything — “nothing too big or too small for God, who loves us so much”. When they were facing some really difficult situations, we told many to “just get on the roller coaster — throw your hands up in the air, take the ups and downs and twists and turns…..and enjoy the ride!”

That’s my healthy and strong husband in the photo. He was demonstrating this concept to our precious friend who was battling cancer at the time. I took that photo of them with their hands raised in the air, and I superimposed it into this roller coaster ride. Little did we realize that his ride would take him to heaven before our friend’s did. And, we sure didn’t expect that when we were encouraging others, that we’d be getting on the “Big Kahuna” Roller Coaster, ourselves. In fact, it was in our own season of enormous challenges, that those precious people encouraged us. We knew it was harvest time for the seeds we had planted in their lives. This scripture says it well: 2 Corinthians 1:4 “He comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God”.

We’ve all had those times of climb, climb, climbing to the top of the track — not knowing what was up ahead. But, then we take a deep breath, and hang in there for the twists and turns, and ups and downs. Yes, we get sweaty palms and white knuckles while holding on so tight, but then we remind ourselves, God is in charge of the start and finish of this ride, so we can throw our hands up in the air and enjoy the trip! Let’s trust this ride’s Conductor — we’re sure to get the adventure of a lifetime! And it will be exactly…..as He planned it!