Overbooked and Overwhelmed

Let me set the stage so you can catch my dilemma:

Road trip adventures with B & C, version 5.0.

We left home, traveling to a big city on our way to another big city, for a few days of relaxation.  (Bonus points if you can guess the city.)  We hoped to spend the night and experience church with fellow believers before continuing on our way.

After hitting traffic multiple times, we arrived later that Saturday night than we expected.  We arrived to find out that hotel #1 was overbooked.  Even though we had a reservation, no room was available.

Here we go, trying to find another place.  Multiple attempted places with the same = SOLD OUT/NO VACANCY.  Another last-minute booking ended up being overbooked and refunded.

Side note - it’s getting later and later in the night.  We end up south of the city and eventually in a REAL, non-overbooked room for what little was left of the night.

Second side note - Ben and I live in a small town.  A one-stoplight town.  Traffic isn’t a thing.  I’m pretty sure we saw the same BIG buildings from every angle and encountered traffic, and lots of it, in THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.  And when I’m tired, patience is on the negative.

We arrived at this hotel overwhelmed and beyond exhausted.  I hope you’ve chuckled a little, because it’s funny even to me now looking back.  I’m thankful we found a place to lay our heads.  It might not have been what we planned that evening, but it worked out.  Truly, God provided.

Isn’t that life sometimes?  Even most of the time?  We have a plan for how we feel something should work out or how an event should go, and then it seems like multiple wrenches are thrown in to derail our hopes and dreams.  Maybe that’s a bit extreme, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets frazzled when plans change at the last minute.  Some people are good with spontaneity, others not so much.

It’s interesting, though, in our big city adventure...we had one thing on our list to do - to go to church.  It was clear the enemy wasn't feeling it.

We (both Ben and I) had so many opportunities in that 12hr rush of overwhelming madness to say “forget it.”  We could have just kept driving and watched online.  We couldn't do much about not having a hotel room unless we chose to sleep in the car at a rest stop.  And I have read too many books to know that wasn’t a good idea.

Once we found a room, neither of us knew if we could get up (in just a few hours) and head back the way we had come to go to church.

But we did.  Little sleep.  Multiple trips in and around town.  We rolled into church with excitement, and boy, did we meet God there!

All of this to say - don’t count yourself out.  Don’t count God out.  We battled in those moments and felt God’s presence in large ways.  Studying Scripture and singing worship with other brothers and sisters gave us glimpses of Heaven through 24/7 worship.  It touches the soul, y’all.  And it was just what my overwhelmed soul needed at that moment.

Every day the enemy will try to drag you down.  Busy days.  Full schedules.  Hectic meetings.  Dreaded appointments.  Missed opportunities.  In the end, you get to make the choice.  How do you respond?

I challenge you - Don’t let the enemy win.  Today is NOT his day.  Embrace the opportunities in front of you and trust that God’s got this.  God’s got YOU.

Lamentations 3:25-26

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.