Life Stories

What I Miss About Being A Flight Attendant

If you have been on this journey with me for a while, you probably know that I am a former Delta Airlines Flight Attendant.

The other day I was sitting on my deck watching the big jets I used to fly enter into landing and flying patterns near my home. You would have to understand the altitudes of aircraft to relate to that. Anyway, I found myself becoming a bit nostalgic just seeing landing lights and the roar of the engines as the sleek airliner so ever gracefully glided through the air.

Things really have changed since I started my career in 1974. When I hear about things happening in flight these days, I tend to focus on how it was “back in the day.”

I always looked forward to going to the airport. This was the most exciting place I’d ever been. Many times I would get to work way ahead of time just to watch people as they moved about through the terminals. It was so wonderful to see people from all walks of life and different countries scurrying around with fierce determination to get to their flights or try to figure out where to find their luggage. This was hilarious at times and heart wrenching at other times to observe lost passengers who really didn’t have a clue. Either way, I never saw the same person when I took time to pause for this experience.

Most of the time the same flight crews would fly together so we really became like family for the entire trip. Some assignments were one, two or three day trips. There were a lot of layovers scheduled that allowed us to become temporary residents in a designated hotel overnight. And, if the layovers were long, which typically exceeded twenty four hours, dinner and sightseeing was par for the course- which was packed with a tremendous amount of adventure and fun!

Oh, did I forget being on board with passengers? That was an incredible joy for me because I really love people. There was more time to chat after the service was completed depending on where we we going. I learned quite a bit from investments to grandma’s favorite recipes and heard over 200 life stories! It was a pleasure helping a young mother quiet her fussy infant and to pray with the soldiers who were experiencing their first deployment overseas. The proper handling of a disgruntled passenger simply fine tuned my people skills, especially when I was awarded a commendation for excellent service.

When I began to fly international routes I was so excited! I had the opportunity to travel to: Paris. Rome, Milan, Munich, Frankfurt, São Paulo, Nigeria, Japan, Hawaii, Montreal, Toronto, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Zurich, Copenhagen, Seoul, Punta Cana, London, and some other extraordinary places that would take more time but I’ve got to finish this story! Whew!

Right at this moment, my best memories are the cultural differences and the FOOD! Good thing that I’m not still a Flight Attendant, because the food was so hard to resist. What was amazing is that I was not designated as a language qualified Flight Attendant, but I could communicate with any person even if I didn’t speak his/her language. That’s because speech is not the only way we communicate. We communicate by word, gesture and spirit.

Someone asked if I would be a Flight Attendant all over again? Yes, I would without hesitation. I believe that Flight Attendants are the most unique group of folks in existence; not perfect but perfect for what they do.

This job matured me greatly and instilled in me a great love not only to travel, but to embrace people from all over the world. It helped me to “connect yet respect” differences and be grateful that God chose me to be a FLIGHT ATTENDANT ❤️

Captain Greer commanded my last flight to Rome!!

Personal Development

Visibility

Commercial airline pilots are, in my opinion, an extraordinary group of professionals. Even before I began my flying career, I was mesmerized by their skillful maneuvering of the jet aircraft during some of the most unfavorable conditions. The present generation of highly sophisticated jetliners can practically land themselves, but a VISUAL PERCEPTION is required for every phase of flight. This is defined by the Flight Safety Foundation as, “The greatest distance under given weather conditions to which it is possible to see without instrumental assistance.” Different surroundings can affect a pilot’s ability to PERCEIVE the position of the aircraft during taxi out, take off, ascent, descent, approach, landing and taxi in. Instruments certainly were designed to assist in pinpointing an exact location, but VISBILITY (the pilot’s ability to SEE where he/she is and where he/she is not), is key to a successful flight. Some specific influences that decrease visibility are forest fires, dust storms, fog, heavy rain, haze and snow storms. Even on a clear night, the environment can simulate an entirely different position.

Have you been dreaming lately and have you visualized yourself doing something or being somewhere you never thought possible? Do you have a CLEAR VISION of how to accomplish your intended goals? I know things can get a little blurry and at times we can be blinded and miscalculate where we are and where we need to be. Then sometimes, we have no idea! Helen Kelle, acclaimed author, disability rights advocate and lecturer, lost her sight at a very young age. One of her thought provoking statements alludes to the the ability to see from a different perspective. She said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”

When visibility is low during a landing approach, pilots must rely on all resources available to them to hit their target, the runway, to successfully touch down without any mishap. However, being able to see with their eyes, confirms their position. What if there is zero visibility? Well that produces another set of challenges. I’ve been on a flight when the pilot was on initial descent and the CONTROL tower suddenly routed the captain to land at another airport, or DIVERT as it is referred to, because visual contact was not possible. In other words, there was no clear vision that permitted him to land on the assigned runway.

Perhaps you and I lose sight because we have not connected our DREAM(S) with our VISION. Dreams precede vision in that they motivate us to get a clear picture of our life’s purpose. Keep in mind that If all we do is dream, nothing really happens! Consider that dreams provide the PATH to position us at a precise moment in time intended by God. Even if we are suddenly diverted to another place , we will still ARRIVE.

In addition to what we see with our physical eyes, we have been granted intrinsic values of love, compassion, determination, persistence, mercy, faith, and many more instruments that lead and guide us to vision.

Habakkuk 2:2 declares, “Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming— it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” MSG

Take the first step by writing the vision so that you can SEE and absorb it everyday. Wherever you are, whatever POSITION you are in, know that your vision will come to pass and deliver you to where you are destined to be.

Overcoming Challenges

Weight and Balance

How often have you observed an airport baggage handler load luggage/cargo into the cargo hold of a commercial jetliner? Maybe you were in possession of a boarding pass that gave you the distinct honor of a window seat assignment. If so, watching this important phase of preparation for flight departure, is quite intriguing . Each item is strategically placed inside the compartment according to WEIGHT and BALANCE which must be secured properly, to prevent its movement inflight. The correct POSITION of each item is instrumental in determining the influence it may have on the operational efficiency of the aircraft.

According to the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), there are specific effects of weight on a jetliner. Excessive weight reduces the flight performance in almost every aspect. For example, the most important PERFORMANCE deficiencies of an overloaded aircraft are: Reduced maneuverability, excessive weight on the nose wheel or tail wheel, and higher/slower takeoff speed, just to name a few. There have several fatal crashes in recent years because of weight distribution errors. The pilot in COMMAND of the aircraft has the responsibility of knowing the maximum allowed weight and its CG (Center of Gravity) limits. The CG is not a fixed point ; its LOCATION depends on the distribution of weight. In other words, the CENTER OF GRAVITY determines the correct BALANCE.

As a new flight attendant, I was very inquisitive about cockpit instruments more than I was about serving coffee, tea or milk. I can remember on one of my flights the captain explained to me that the ATTITUDE gauge displayed the position of the aircraft relative to the horizon. The jetliner’s position determined the ALTITUDE, or how high or low it would fly, taking into consideration weight, balance, traffic or weather conditions.

How does this relate to LIFE’S JOURNEY? So many times we are weighed down with challenges that interfere with the balance we need to continue on our ordained path. The center of our focus is shaken or even destroyed all because we don’t take the right attitude (position) of WHO IS IN CONTROL! We dwell on past hurts and disappointments which can be heavy burdens that will suppress our altitude.

To correct insufficient weight and balance data, the cargo on a jetliner has to be REPOSITIONED for flight safety. As mentioned earlier, too much weight will effect performance. WE must reposition our mindset to allow the One who is in total command to refocus and recenter.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: The preceding chapter 11 gives us a history of all the confrontations that God’s people experienced who possessed great faith. Chapter 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every WEIGHT that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us”. NLT

Overcoming Challenges

Jet Lag

I remember my first Transpacific Flight from Atlanta to Narita, Japan which was over 14 hours. It makes me tired just thinking about it. Are we there yet??!! The aircraft flew through approximately five “TIME ZONES”. Merriam Webster defines time zone as , “a geographic region within which the same standard time is used”. Traveling from one time zone to another has distinct affects on the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, these affects are due to exposure to sunlight and fluctuations of our body clock’s rhythm, called the circadian RHYTHM, that can produce symptoms of tiredness, fatigue, irritability, headache, insomnia and lack of concentration. The result of this disruption causes JET LAG. Airspace Magazine puts it this way, “jet lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast through time zones, they leave your body rhythms behind.”

I was a victim of JET LAG for my entire career with Delta. If you’ve never experienced it, I want you to know that it is no picnic! For some crew members that chose to fly internationally, this condition was extremely severe and the recovery process was a matter of TIME. The amount of time for readjusting to normal sleep patterns was different for each individual.

Has it ever seemed as if you were out of RHYTHM or your TIMING was just a little bit misaligned for whatever reason? In your pursuit of PURPOSE, are you are traveling so fast that you get ahead of time or lag behind which causes you to become irritable, out of focus, unable to sleep, and extremely fatigued? Is it difficult for you to distinguish exactly where you are in life? Even after I left my flying career, I recall waking up every night trying to figure out where I was!

Consider this, each TIME ZONE of the earth has different characteristics relative to SEASONS. It’s summer in Georgia where I live, but winter in Rio de Janeiro. In different seasons of our existence, the experiences we encounter should help us locate exactly where we are. On our LIFE’S JOURNEY, we sometimes lose a grip on timing which is key in reaching our true DESTINY. We conclude that we are in the correct time zone or season by gauging external circumstances which often distorts our true perspective of SUCCESS. It becomes incumbent upon us to hurriedly get ahead of God’s TIMING when really we unknowingly LAG behind. This can result in feelings of despair and defeat.

In the RHYTHM of life, SEASONS speak to TIMES. As we constantly pursue PURPOSE without recognizing and embracing the necessary changes of the specific times we encounter, challenges orchestrated by the enemy will pursue us and cause distractions.

We tend to ignore the segmented (zones) assigned to destiny’s pathway. King Solomon explains it this way in Ecclesiastes 3:

For everything there is a season, and a time for every ^[a]purpose under heaven: ²a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; ³a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; ⁴a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; ⁵a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; ⁶a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; ⁷a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; ⁸a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Remember that your TIME ZONES are in His hands, as encouraged in Psalms 31:15.

Bracing Position

Life’s Adversities

Even though I’ve been silent for a while, rest assured, I am still navigating through my LIFE’S JOURNEY, and staying focused to continue with you.

I’ve begun to seriously recognize that God uses my Flight Attendant training to speak to every situation I’ve encountered to deliver CLARITY and PURPOSE at my doorstep disguised as ADVERSITY.

The training that Flight Attendants receive consists of more than just “coffee, tea, and milk.” It involves a broad spectrum of RULES AND REGULATIONS, mandated by the FAA, COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS, CONFLICT RESOLUTION, EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP and rendering FIRST AID, just to name a few.

These are all needed for successful flight operations and there are instances when that training is put to the TEST with the development of any of the aforementioned adverse situations.

I want to focus on BRACING POSITION and its relevance to our LIFE’S JOURNEY.

When faced with not so favorable landings, such as a main gear collapse which produces a belly landing, or a water landing, crew members must make certain that the correct bracing position is assumed to prevent the body from being tossed about on impact. This avoids any type of bodily injury to all passengers on board.

In any one of these scenarios, the CAPTAIN would have already briefed the cabin crew and passengers on what to expect and when to assume the bracing position. The Flight Attendant’s job is to instruct passengers on how to carry out these bracing positions and to secure any objects that could become projectiles upon impact. At the critical moment the CAPTAIN will give the command over the PA system, “BRACE, BRACE!” or “BRACE FOR IMPACT!”. Everything and everyone must be SECURED to minimize loss of life and serious injuries. In other words the crew members must prepare in advance to deal with the issue.

As you and I carry on with LIFE’S JOURNEY, there will always be adversities that we must contend with. God has given us RULES AND REGULATIONS and instructions to live by. It is called the Bible, or Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. By EMBRACING His holy word, we can learn to BRACE ourselves when the enemy hurls those “fiery darts,” Ephesians 6:16, into our lives that are meant to distract us from destiny.

As flight crews prepare for emergency landings, we must also BRACE ourselves by communicating with God (praying daily) , resolving conflicts with others and ourselves by studying His word, doing His commands and receiving first aid for the healing of our souls by applying His word to our lives . So to put it plainly we BRACE OURSELVES BY EMBRACING HIM. This prepares us for the challenges ahead, seen and unseen.

Jesus tell us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you that you might have peace. In the world you have have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Emergencies (trails and tribulations), are common in this life but our security comes from knowing that even though we encounter many adversities, they too have encased within themselves learning more about God, an opportunity for growth as well as a testimony of how our testing times are not in vain.

When it comes to LEADERSHIP, always know and believe that God is the Captain of Our Souls. He is SOVERIEGN RULER and in any crisis, He is always with us.

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Purpose Stimulus Part 2

Persist Determinedly

In Part 1 of “Purpose Stimulus”, we examined the concepts of TAILWINDS, HEADWINDS, and CROSSWINDS. We concluded that all of these WINDS would eventually land us in our destiny to an on time arrival, delayed arrival or canceled arrival. Our final thought was, “WE NEED THE WINDS OF LIFE TO HELP US GROW.” WIND(s) is a formative concept that when encountered, we are shaped for our DIVINE ASSIGNMENT!

Contemplate on this thought, if winds were nonexistent, there are consequences that would ensue. The earth would not rotate, aircraft could not take to the skies, rivers would cease to flow, and temperature extremes would increase all over the world. When wind is evolving (DEVELOPING) and moving (IN MOTION), things change.

During a summer vacation to Aruba, I was extremely fascinated by a tree that grew all over the island. It is called the “Divi Divi” tree. This beautiful specimen’s shape is most unusual in that it only grows in one direction due to the persistent trade winds. These constant winds force it to assume a southeast position that acts as a natural compass. The root system is so deeply GROUNDED that it allows the tree to bend without breaking and prevents it from being tossed to and fro.

As we continue on Life’s Journey, I want you to seriously think about all the WINDS blustering in your presence. No matter what the direction, they were created for a PURPOSE to point us to God’s purpose here on earth.

At times WIND(s) seem to be slowing us down, or accelerating us faster than we intend to go. We may even appear to be defeated or knocked off course! These are the moments when we must be DETERMINED TO PERSIST and allow the CREATOR to MOLD us to be more like him.

Calm WINDS (the absence of wind), can trick us. We think that because there is no movement in our lives, everything is smooth sailing. This is the occasion to take stock and strengthen our foundation. It’s an opportunity to become grounded in our faith.

The Divi Divi tree takes years to develop a strong root system. It grows strong and stays attached to its source for strength and nourishment. When the winds come, it stands and is sculpted undeniably by an unseen force of nature.

My friends, embrace the winds of life and know that WIND(s) of life will always be here now, tomorrow and forever, BUT GOD is a NEVER CHANGING, CONSTANT, and PERSISTENT force in our lives that guarantees our direction to DESTINY.

I leave you with these words of life to meditate on:

Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. v-17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

Malachi 3:6 For I am the Lord, I change not.

Purpose Stimulus

Tailwinds/Headwinds/Crosswinds

I am certain most of us have been passengers on a commercial airline flight and have heard the pilot announce, “Due to TAILWINDS we will arrive at our destination 30 minutes early”, or “Due to HEADWINDS we will arrive 30 minutes late.”

Just for clarification, I’ll take a minute to define TAILWINDS and HEADWINDS.

A TAILWIND is a wind that blows in the direction of a travel of an object, while a HEADWIND blows against the direction of travel. They both have varying degrees of intensity.

Airline pilots do not turn the aircraft around and go back to the original takeoff city because it is too difficult to navigate when these atmospheric conditions exist. They simply make the necessary adjustments in order to attain the intended destination. On the other hand, they take advantage of the substantial TAILWINDS pushing the jet at a greater speed, which guarantees an EXCEPTIONAL, GREATER THAN EXPECTED, on time arrival! We can also label it as AHEAD OF SCHEDULE!

As we pursue purpose there are many opposing forces designed to hinder us and nonresistant forces that propel us. Surprisingly, both of these influences allow perfect timing to achieve destiny. Some flights do arrive AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, but in our LIFE’S JOURNEY, the PROCESS OF TIME, delivers us to our DIVINE APPOINTMENT according to the timetable which has already been prearranged or PREDESTINED. Woven within each situation there is a stimulation to PERSIST DETERMINEDLY.

Did I forget to mention CROSSWINDS? Let’s address these as well. Crosswinds are winds that blow across ones direction of travel. These winds are very dangerous in aviation because they have the capability of disrupting landings and takeoffs altogether. Mind you I said DISRUPT! Airline pilots must have total control of the aircraft to handle this type of interception.

When we encounter these winds in life, all of our plans can come a halt! We can get knocked off course for sure, but rest assured (God) the Captain of Our Souls, takes command!

When all of these winds present themselves as doubt, discouragement, unforgiveness, fear and temptation, we must be inspired (stimulated) to persist amid the opposing forces, and focus on those things that propel us to arrive to our preordained destiny at the appointed time, regardless of the circumstances.

We need the winds to help us grow and take us on our JOURNEY!

Equipping For Success

Refueling

I usually don’t make any kind of New Year’s resolutions going into the New Year, and 2021 won’t be any exception. However, what I do attend to is, REASSESING, RECCOMMITTING, REFOCUSING, REINVENTING, REPOSITIONING, and most of all REFUELING 365 days a year.

Pay close attention to words with the prefix, “RE”. Webster’s dictionary defines “RE” as, again:anew. Another definition is again and again, to indicate repetition.

I’ve discovered that in each month of years past, it benefits me most to give constant attention to situations and circumstances, which require additional adjustments necessary to enhance the DISTANCE to DESTINY. The equipment crucial to ensure that I can go the distance changes from day to day. Why? , because I am ever evolving and my needs, and your needs have to adapt to each encounter in life. Some of our most valuable articles are, FAITH, PRAYER, RESILENCE, UNDERSTANDING, PATIENCE, PEACE, ENDURANCE AND LOVE. These tools function best at the times when we need them most.

I’ve always been amazed at how long a jumbo jet can travel nonstop to Europe. Most long haul flights are equipped with enough fuel to fly thousands of miles without ever having to REFUEL depending on the charted course. Once it has reached its destination, refueling is vital for the return trip to the original departure city. One single aircraft can acquire many miles as it DEPARTS and ARRIVES repetitiously. Commercial aircraft can develop “aircraft fatigue” by this constant repetition and must undergo REEVALUATION for airworthiness. If any type of issue is located, it must be taken out of service for repairs. Guess what, these evaluations are not done every year, but each day! It is incumbent upon the aircraft mechanics to determine that all jets in the fleet are maintained for peak performance.

If we are pursuing DESTINY, then we must be engaged for the long haul, not at the beginning of each year but every waking moment of our existence. Let us realize that bringing God’s intentions for us to the forefront on a daily basis, will REFUEL or spirits, minds and bodies to endure ALL the challenges we have faced, will face and face today. Sometimes we can become fatigued because as in the poem by Langston Hughes ,”Mother to Son,” life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” The theme of the poem is to never give up no matter what obstacles hinder you.

The years will come and go again and again. By constantly REVISITING our direction and seeking all of the attributes God has given us, we are equipped to continue this never ending journey. He is the Master Mechanic who knows the length of our paths and how much we can bear under pressure and fatigue. To maintain peak performance, be REMINDED that He is always present to guide you and guarantee that we operate at PEAK PERFORMANCE.

I leave you with this powerful scripture for DAILY meditation:

Isaiah 40:31 -“But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Life Stories

My Testimony

It was the year of 1995. A muggy summer day wrapped around the city like a heavy blanket. During that time, a great number of women in Atlanta, had been murdered or sexually assaulted. I never feared, but tried to be aware of my surroundings at all times. God was my best friend, even though I had not received Christ in my life as of yet. Even though I had no family near me, I possessed an indescribable faith, which assured me that my son and I would always be taken care of.

After a long work week, I settled into a very deep sleep that night and began to dream, or to see a vision. I have always been terribly afraid of snakes and the dream (vision) was one that showed me a snake crawling between my sheets as I slept. I immediately jumped up and started looking for this serpent who had violated my peace. Then I asked myself, what will I do when I find it? I settled back on my pillow and closed my eyes, that’s when I heard a sweet voice speak to my spirit, “if you don’t give your life to Christ, you will die.” I cried out to God to save me. I shared this with a very close friend, who had been a Christian for quite some time and she prayed with me to receive Christ as my Lord and Savior. This vision was given to me three years before the enemy assaulted my life.

My son Emmett, was 14 years old when we lived in College Park, Georgia, a suburb twenty minutes south of Atlanta. This was a middle-classed area full of hardworking folks, and we knew most of the people on our street. Emmett was quite a sociable young man, and always looked for an opportunity to gather on the street with the neighborhood kids. I was a single Mother and very selective in who I granted access into his impressionable life.

There was a single mother that lived next to us, who had a son named Wayne. She worked three jobs, and needless to say, was never at home. This gave Wayne a lot of time to get into trouble. He often threw parties during the day, when he and about twenty attendees should have been in school. Of course, I reported this to the local high school where they were enrolled and the principal politely told me, “this guy is trouble” and you need to stay as far away from him as you can.

One day a group of teenagers were brandishing guns in the middle of the street in front of our house. I immediately called Emmett inside just seconds before they started discharging those weapons into the air. I called the police and they came to get a report detailing descriptions of the perpetrators and the type of vehicle they were driving. From my understanding, some of them were taken into police headquarters for questioning.

That hot summer day I referred to in the beginning, turned into a hot muggy evening. Emmett and I had just finished watching the news and the first five stories were about the violence against women that resounded all over the state. It was about 11:30 p.m. when I said to Emmett, “we must pray for safety”. After we prayed, he went across the hall to his room and I proceeded downstairs. As I reached the foyer the doorbell rang. I turned toward the door and peered through the peephole but could only see the top of someone’s head. I shouted, “who is it,” A young man answered, Is Wayne here!!?? I responded, “Wayne lives next door.” He answered- “I think you are lying!!!!” Before I could respond, the sound of gunfire rang out and I felt a persistent pressure in my left side. My brain took a while to figure out what had just occurred. I grabbed my side and realized; I’d been shot! There was no pain, for the nerves had been severed. I yelled to Emmett to call 911 and get in the closet because I didn’t know if he was going to try to enter the house and harm my son. Emmett instructed me to pray!!!

Emmett called my best friend who lived about three minutes from us. She later told me that she had plans to get in the shower around that time and every time she headed toward the bathroom, she would think of something else she had to accomplish. If she had been in the shower, she never would have heard the telephone ring. She arrived ten minutes before the EMTs and was holding me in her arms and pleading with God to save my life.

I was taken to the best trauma center in the country (Grady Hospital). The wound was from a twelve-gauge shotgun which was fired at point blank range. You see, I never opened the door, but the young man placed the barrel of the gun on the other side of the door and fired. The miracle was that the bullet was one inch from my femoral artery. It entered just below my pelvic area and exited through my hip. There was very little bleeding and no bone was damaged.

The detective handling the case later told me that Wayne was the target and not me. He had some altercations with some other people who weren’t too fond of him. The plan was to harm Wayne’s mother but the person responsible for carrying out this attack was inebriated and went to the wrong house.

The process of healing was slow, that’s when I experienced the most pain. The nerves started to regenerate by webbing together the next day! Psalm 139:14- “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” I discontinued my pain medications because I could tell I was becoming addicted and could not function. I asked the doctor to just give me some Tylenol and that was all I needed.

I thank God that He has used this ordeal to bless many. After the recovery period, my Pastor sent me to minister at the Youth Detention in South Atlanta, and the young men received Christ by witnessing the power of God in my life. I know now that this experience was for a reason, His plan and purpose.

Rose Gibbs-Miller

Sojourning

Reflections

Every experienced traveler must have a time to rest and reflect on how they have progressed along the way. Each encounter is documented as a stepping stone to achieve destiny. So today, I wish to give you some inside information, that inspired me to begin writing this blog in the first place.

I was born in Belhaven, a VERY tiny fishing town in the state of North Carolina. My childhood memories were about a beautiful place where I encountered magnificent splendor at every twist and turn. We lived near an inlet called “Pamlico Sound,” and when night time fell, everything was so still, the ebbing of the tide could be heard everywhere. The grass was green and lush in summertime, and the ever present smell of the ocean was pure and clean. Stars sparkled with such brilliance, that they extinguished the light of even the largest diamond. Frequent rainstorms replenished the earth with with an array of colorful flowers and provided the best vegetables for our family, that my father harvested in our backyard garden.

There was a bridge that connected Belhaven to the other side of the “Pamlico Sound”, and my family very seldom ventured too far from the outskirts of that bridge. However, there was a burning desire within me to know the world beyond that boundary.

One day my father purchased a volume of Shakespeare from a yard sale and placed them conveniently beside the night table in my bedroom. Maybe he sensed the spirit of adventure in me, when I sat out early one Saturday morning, to find the end of the rainbow. Little did he know that would be the beginning of a journey that has never ceased.

My Paternal Grandmother would read the Bible to me every night and it dawned on me that some of the same places mentioned in Shakespeare, were also mentioned in the bible. Immediately, I developed a love for God and marveled at the teachings of Jesus and how much he loved me. Strangely ,this reinforced my inclination to travel the world.

Fast forward to the year of 1974, when my airline career began. Each interaction with people of ALL NATIONALITIES, presented an opportunity for encouragement and sincere love, even if there was a language barrier.

God used my job as a tool (calling), to be a light for HIS love, mercy and grace, all over the world!

My mentor Dr. Myles Munroe said, “Your job is what you are paid to do, your work is what you are called to do.”

THIS BLOG IS A WORK OF GOD THAT COMPARES ALL THE OCCURENCES OF AIR TRAVEL TO WHAT WE CONFRONT IN LIFE.

It is based on principles of the word of God, so look deeply into each posting, even if a scripture is not written. (Principle is defined as a fundamental truth that serves as a foundation for a belief).

It’s been quite a journey from that tiny town, but remember “journey is the essence of destiny.”

Everyone’s journey is different, but we must ALL allow the process of time, for it is divine preparation to fulfil the Master’s plan.

Remain on this journey with me and share some thoughts about your process, together we are sure to make an impact on the world.