November 15, 2006

  • My Exodus out of America...

    The Beginning of My Adventure to Israel...

     

    This story starts off with a phone call to my friend Aaron, a former travel agent who still works in the industry.  I called him to tell him about Curt & I's upcoming trip to Israel.  And all about the stuff in my blog, "This Good Work".  When he heard that my passport was to expire on the 26th of November, his ears must of perked.  "When did you say your passport expired??" he asked.  I repeated the date.  "Umm, hon I hate to tell you this, but you need a 6 month cushion on your passport in order to fly out of the country."  This began an immediate panic...oh no, now what do I do!  I quickly figured out that the U.S. State Department (the place that issues passports) was closed for Veteran's day!!  GREAT!

     

    I found this wonderful bit of news out at 12:30 noon Friday the 10th - 3 days before we left!  After stopping by the Post Office to pick up a renewal form, I drove to Word of Life and spent the next 6 hours in our church secretary's office trying to figure out what to do.  After about 5 hours we figured out that if I had an appointment at an U.S. Passport Agency I could get a passport that day.  Okay...which agency??  We start making calls...Curt, my husband, makes me an appointment for 10:30 am Monday the 13th in Norwalk, CT.  (We're to leave that afternoon on a 3:50 pm flight in Newark, NJ approx. 1 hr 20 minutes away from Norwalk, CT).  This was a HUGE risk....I had no idea how things would work out...but in my heart I had peace and I KNEW God had a way!  (Jere 32:17-27 NOTHING is too hard for God!) 

     

    I then called my brother, Andy, who lives in Longmeadow, Mass (2 hrs 40 mins from Newark, NJ) to see if by chance I were to fly in Saturday afternoon if it would be okay for me to stay with him and his family.  Yep, not a problem.  I just need to rent a car to get there.  This would help me save a little money and then give me an 1 1/2 hour drive Monday morning to Norwalk, CT to go to my appointment.  So I change my flights...instead of leaving on Monday morning, I now have 16 hours to pack and be on a plane to NJ.

     

    Before boarding the plane in KC, I had received a Word from Dia (my step-mum) basically saying trust the Lord...nothing is too hard for Him!  She had gotten this from Jeremiah 32:17-27 and felt is was for me...although she didn't call me.  Instead I called her just to check in as I was starting to get anxious again.  Her word of encouragement melted my fears and brought peace to my soul.  NOTHING is too hard for my God!  Ahhh!
     
    I got to the airport and checked in and as I sat waiting to board the plan, I  read my daily devotional, Day 2 of Holly Wagner's new "Daily Steps for God Chicks."  It started out in Philippians 4:10-12 from the Message
    “Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.  Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.” 
    I felt a supernatural peace come over me at that time...I knew God was in control.  
     
    I put my devo away and just then the phone ran.  It was my mom's best friend Lauryn (my sister-in-law's aunt and a VERY good friend of mine)...she told me 1. not to worry - they had gone through the exact same thing with their daughter and went to the US passport agency as was able to get a passport the same day!  (3rd comfirmation of that fact!! PTL!) and 2.  She reminded me that although she lives in northern Mass, she commutes to Norwalk, CT and has an apartment there (that's where the US Passport agency is).  Turns out she's driving down on Sunday and HIGHLY encouraged me to drive down and stay with her.  She stated that Monday morning commuter traffic would be AWFUL and that I would have to plan 3 hrs for what should be an 1 1/2 hour drive to get to Norwalk for my appointment.  (This would of put me in a MAJOR time crunch!!)  Of course, I said YES!!!  What a miracle!
     
    I cried for the first time at this point, not tears of fear...but tears of joy!!!  So now instead of having to fight commuter traffic Monday morning, I will would be right where I need to be!!  I would be at the Passport agency the moment it opens...praying to get in early.  I'd have all my documents (birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport, etc.) and then I'm only an hour and 20 minutes away from the airport in Newark, NJ! 

     

    I completed the above as planned and was able to spend a lovely evening with my brother and his family and then drove to Norwalk on Sunday to be with Lauryn.

     

    Lauryn treated me to dinner and then she and I drove around to fine the passport agency and figured out how to get me onto the right highways so that I could get on to the airport when I finished getting my passport.  We then went home and chit-chatted and then slept...or at least I tried. 

     

    I couldn't sleep...so I wrote a letter to the Lord telling him VERY specifically EVERYTHING I needed for the next day...to get to the passport agency at 9 AM (when it opened) and to hopefully be the 1st in line; to process and get my passport and be able to leave there no later than 10:30ish (the time of my appt - why not ask for the moon!!!); and finally, then to get to NJ airport in time to meet my husband at his gate.   (He flew our original itinerary and left early Monday morning.)

     

    This all happened just as I asked!!!  I made it to Israel without difficulty...but I still call this journey "My Exodus out of America!"  After I boarded the plane in KC, talked to Lauryn and knew that God had a plan that 24 hours earlier I couldn't of even fathomed,  I sat and gave Him thanks.  

     

    That's when I felt Him say, "Libby, you've been looking at this issue as a storm.  I see it as an adventure.  Once you are able to change your mindset from storm to an adventure, the fear from the storm will leave you and you will be left with the excitement of going on an adventure with Me!"  At that very moment I was sooooo excited to see what He had planned for me. 

     

    My little exodus allowed me SEVERAL blessings...a nice warm dinner with my brother, wife and her parents, an opportunity to get my little 3 yr old nephew, Jacob, ready for bed INCLUDING reading 2 bedtime stories (he picked the longest book!! Smile!) AND I was blessed with seeing a friend I treasure like a sister...all of these were unexpected surprises!!!  Blessings amidst what looked to be complete chaos and craziness!!  And on top of that, I loved every moment of it! 

     

    How cool is that??!!  My God shall supply every need according to His riches in glory!!

     

    And that's how I made it to Israel!!

     

    Israel Day 1 & 2 006

    Meeting up with my honey in Newark, NJ!!