God had an itinerary for me with a journey all planned out. I had no idea it would take me to Hilo, Hawaii but it did. I went to the Christian writer’s conference in Overland Park, Kansas—a suburb of Kansas City, Kansas. While I was there and even days before I left, we began corresponding with my son, Eric, who had a journey all his own planned. He embarked on an adventure to Pahoa, Hawaii to work on an organic fruit farm in exchange for room and board and a chance to see the beauty of God’s creation called Hawaii. (to read about his first 10 days or so, please check out Eric’s blog at Eric-livethedream.blogspot. com)
In the days preceding my trip, Eric had gone to the ER for flu-like symptoms which he spoke of on his blog. He was given antibiotics and sent back to the farm. When he awoke the next morning far worse than the day before, he returned to the ER and was admitted to Hilo Medical Center. This was the Wednesday before the weekend conference. I left Minnesota for Kansas with my good friend, Kim, who agreed that she could use a get-away and that she did not know why she felt she should go, but that God would reveal that answer to her when she got there. Boy was that prophetic, as you will discover as you read.
During the opening Thursday night session of the conference (WC) I received a text message that Eric was hospitalized and tests were being run for an unknown cause of his symptoms, which included excruciating pain upon being touched, even brushed by a piece of cloth or having to push a text button on his phone. During that opening session, they introduced various editors and publishers and the hosts which included a core group of women who had on name tags with a large note below saying, “Can I pray with you?” I noticed that Jan was sitting two seats away from me with one of those name tags. I asked her if she would pray with me and together she prayed for answers and healing and direction and guidance and peace. When she finished she had tears and she said she never cries when she prays unless the Holy Spirit is especially strong and she sensed a strong Spirit within the room as prayed. I was left with an amazing comfort and peace, despite no additional news or any changes in the status of the situation. From the outside nothing had changed, but from the Godside everything had changed.
I returned to the WC in the morning and took in an amazingly full day of good, useful information, but the most valuable thing I received all day, was the power that comes from prayer. I was weak and 3000 miles away. I had nothing in my possession that could help Eric or settle my mind and heart—but with prayer I had everything. Wouldn’t it be like God to have the very first person I see on Friday morning be “Sally with the hat” (minus the hat) I asked her to pray with me and she provided through her petitions and thanksgiving such comfort for me. Later in the day I would run into Sally who would ask for updates. It was a message from my husband that sent me into a bit of a panic. He had wondered with his text if I should get on a plane to Hawaii. I was shaken by the seriousness of that idea. In my overwhelming state, there was Sally again—to pray! And not far away was another stranger who prayed with me. I was able to cope and breathe!
The workshops themselves were about writing and bottom line, how to get published. But under the bottom line was the real reason for my being there…these people were strong believers in the power of prayer through the name of Jesus to our God. The workshop leaders were teaching about writing and the inside view of agents, editors, and publishing. But between the lines of these important messages were messages of hope. I found great comfort because these people know in Whom they believe—and they were everywhere I turned!
As the day progressed, I grew very weary and uncertain of what to do. And at each fork in the road, there seemed to be someone to help me know which way to go. Eric had undergone a CT scan, a spinal tap, blood tests and yet nothing showed as a reason for his pain. It is always hard in life to live in the “I don’t know” stage of a journey. Any journey that includes stops at “Nothing New” and “Inconclusive” and “Wait-and-see” are extremely tough journeys to continue on in peace. But prayer was always right around the corner when the journey seemed too hard to face. Friends back home were praying and spreading the word on email and Facebook. God had ordained that Kim would be there with me—to drive me when I would no have been in any state of mind to be navigating alone. God provided a place for me at the WC where He knew I would meet people who would pray and trust that they would be answered.
On Saturday morning, I arrived to Sally and her moment of prayer with me. That prayer was specific. I needed to figure out a way to get someone to be with Eric in Hawaii. He was all alone. Though we know and we trusted that God was with him in spirit, I honestly needed to know that Eric had “God with skin on” at his bedside. And God heard Sally. And God moved. Someone at the conference knew someone who was a member of the local writer’s guild who lived—you guessed it—in Hawaii. I was given her number and told to call her; she would be able to help me somehow and she would pray with me.
I had to wait til noon because of the time difference. And this wonderful soul knew another wonderful soul from Hawaii whose son had endured something very similar to Eric. God had that woman calling me within an hour of that first phone call to Hawaii. This woman prayed a most powerful prayer of healing for Eric and a prayer of clarity and wisdom for the doctors and nurses and technicians and a prayer of peace for those of us helpless back home.
The decision was made on Saturday afternoon that I would try to fly out of KC International—a mere 40 miles north of the conference. And there was Kim to safely and swiftly drive me. We trusted God on the selection of the airline terminal (KCI has three). And we trusted God to lead me to the next step—the lamp unto my feet to see what to do. Not ten steps ahead, but just the next step. And there was God with skin on—in the name of Anthony at American Airlines. He worked on my behalf for nearly an hour…and stayed after his shift to ensure I was able to get the best price for a one-way ticket to Hilo, Hawaii. Marla from American took over with grace to get me to a flight that would take off within the next 30 minutes. Marla said as I walked away, “I will say a prayer for you and your son.” Ah….
I was on my way and I will blog again when I have some time and some computer battery. Watch for more “God with skin on”.
