Making Course Corrections

Learning to fly was an amazing experience and flying solo was the part that sure got my blood pumping. When flying alone, there is no one else to depend upon except yourself. It was empowering, but it was also one of the most terrifying things I ever did. I made that first solo flight just fine, but then came the time, still as a student pilot but with the required skills, to make a cross-country solo flight (within 25-miles away). I learned early on about course corrections. I had put in an initial heading, but when I had flown the 25-miles, I didn’t see my destination airport in sight. I assure you that my heart was palpitating a mile a minute. I hadn’t anticipated the strong winds that pushed me off course. The scripture “Lo, I am with you always….” (Matthew 28:20) came to me and it offered me no solace because I was flying at about 3,000 feet up in the air. “Help, Lord, please be HIGH with me always!”

Logic said the airport is right in front of me, but I had not played close enough attention to making course corrections along the way. Wind changes in directions and intensity changed my course, but fortunately, only a few degrees. I wasn’t that far off course because, eventually, the airport I was to land at, was in sight. If it had been a longer and further flight, a few degrees could have put me in Timbuktu!

This scenario applies to our lives as well. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart devises his way, but the Lord directs his steps." In other words, we make plans, but the Lord makes course corrections along the way. Sometimes, we aren’t so thrilled with those course corrections. When Jesus left this Earth, our Father gave us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us make right decisions. He guides us in right living and right thinking.

Our heavenly Father wants us to succeed. He wants us to live in joy and in peace. He desires for our path to be straight. He wants us to reach our destination. The Holy Spirit is the One who continuously guides us. He softly whispers, "Turn this way. Go that way." He helps us make course corrections.

As we start out on our “solo” ride each day, it’s important that we pay close attention to our journey. The enemy of our souls wants to take us off course. He uses the slyest tactics to maneuver us in the wrong direction. But when we “eagle eye” and listen for the promptings of the Holy Spirit Who cautions us that we’re getting off course, He will help us make the course corrections to get us back on track. Simple course corrections now instead of waiting until our lives are in a mess and things are out of control will certainly save us time AND distance. Quite often a very small course correction will avert and prevent a tragedy.

God is for us. He lovingly desires to help us adjust our direction and get us back on course. May our sensitivity to His leading be fine-tuned so that we stay on the right path. Maybe you haven't been "flying" in a straight line and you can't even see to tomorrow. Stop and listen for His voice. He is speaking. Heed His course corrections and you will reach your destination on time, every time!

Round' and Round' She Goes, Where She Stops, Nobody Knows

"Round' and round' she goes, and where she stops nobody knows!" I heard someone say that about me. These days many of my friends and family ask me "Where are you now, Donna?" Yesterday, I showed up in frigid cold Tulsa, but I sure got to hug a lot of "warm hearted friends" last night.

Here's a little trivia for you. Long before "American Idol", "The Voice" and "America's Got Talent" became mega-hits, there was a radio and television series that started the talent competition craze. It was called: "The Original Amateur Hour" and on that show, the "gong" was made famous (those who didn't make the cut got the gong) as well as "the wheel of fortune" (identified who would be up next to perform) along with the phrase: "round' and 'round she goes, and where she stops, nobody knows." Some of those first-time struggling amateurs that performed included Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Gladys Knight, Ann-Margret, Connie Francis, Jim Stafford and many others. It's amazing what can be remembered and learned from the internet!

Back to me and this season of my life where I really am on the go. And, though I'm going from here to there and back again, you can count on one thing....I'm endeavoring to follow God's lead -- where He goes, I want to go.

When I was my daughter's travel companion and road manager back in the late 80's, we'd load up our van and head out for her next ministry/singing gig, and inevitably we'd sing Willie Nelson's song "On the road again -- just can't wait to get on the road again." But the song I love and sing often in my travels is Chris Tomlin's song "I Will Follow!"

"Where you go, I'll go; Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move; I will follow you
Who you love, I'll love; How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you.

Those are pretty bold claims, aren't they?: "Who you love, I'll love. How you serve, I'll serve. Where you go, I'll go. Even if I lose my life, I'll follow you." When I hear those words coming out of my mouth, it's a little sobering. Do I really consider the implications of what I'm singing? Or am I just speaking with bravado the way the Apostle Peter did in his early days of following Jesus? After all, he was the impulsive one who was always making those sorts of big, bold statements. He told Jesus things like "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." But when Jesus was arrested, those claims fell apart. Peter ran and hid and even renounced Jesus. Thankfully, that failure wasn't the end of Peter's story. In time, God's grace and power would transform him into a man whose boldness was based on God's strength rather than his own. In time Peter did respond in the only way a disciple can, by laying down his own ambitions and embracing what it meant to truly follow. At the end he even willingly gave his life for Christ.

But, sincerely, as a follower of Jesus Christ, isn't that the desire of our hearts -- to follow Him to the nth degree -- laying down our own agendas and faithfully show up to go or stay, move, love and serve as He did. The last quote reference I'll use in this post today is "Follow the Leader", a game we played as kids where the leader moved around and we had to mimic the leader's actions. What if we made that our mode of operation -- FOLLOW THE LEADER because I know where He goes....I sure want to go, be and do as He does! Stay tuned -- soon, I'll be back to Texas because I'm following my LEADER -- here, there AND everywhere!