Baggage Claim

Since all of the recent joys and trials with our oldest daughter it has really caused me to think about choice. Every day we are faced with choices.

Some easy such as what will satisfy our hunger in the middle of the day and others that will change the course of our life.

As I have been forced to relive my past from watching my daughter repeat my behavior it has made me really think about the choices I have made over the years. Some good and some I hope God never asks me to share here.

Recently I attended the She Speaks conference and it was amazing as I have shared. Here is a picture of my traveling partner and friend, Kelley after we arrived at the North Carolina airport on Friday June 20th. We had found a Starbucks moments after getting off the plane so we thought the conference was in Heaven.

We were so clumsy as we walked through the airport with our luggage, a carry on bag, a lap top plus the hot beverages we added. If there were any people watchers observing us I'm sure we entertained them. We looked highly challenged as we struggled to pull around our 50 outfits for 3 days and not burn ourselves with our overpriced White Chocolate Mocha's.




It was so nice to get to the hotel and not have to carry that luggage around any more. I can't imagine if when we got to the hotel we were informed that we had to carry our luggage with us throughout the whole weekend. We would have really had a difficult time trying to go from session to session pulling our stuff behind us.

Sunday after the conference ended we had many hours before our flight left so Missy, Kelley and I went to the mall for some sales and lunch. We were blessed to be able to leave our luggage at the hotel and pick it up on the way to the airport. If we had been required to take it with us to the mall we wouldn't have been able to go because the car we rode in was already packed. We were dropped off at the mall by Amy and Carol who had already been mega shopping that weekend and barely had room for us with the trunk full of their luggage and bags from Children's Place.

Later that night when Kelley and I arrived in Chicago for our connecting flight we literally had to run through the airport to our gate. I think I even broke a sweat we were moving so fast. Luckily we're able to check our bags in and let someone else worry about getting them to our destination because if we would have had to carry our luggage through O'Hara airport I probably would've just sat down and cried.

When we make regretful choices we have a choice. We can either carry the regret around with us or give it to Jesus. When we choose to carry the bad baggage around we miss out on what God has in store for us. Shame kept me from being involved in ministry for years. Kept me from getting close to God and other believers.When the choice is made to give our past to Jesus, once we are forgiven, we no longer have to carry the negative around with us. The shame and the tears, Jesus takes it all and turns it around for good.

Just like we were able to leave our luggage at the hotel, we are able to leave our burdens at the foot of the cross. We don't need to be weighed down with the bad choices of our past. No matter how ugly your past is, give it to Him and unlike at the hotel, you don't have to go back for it. Just walk away and see what God does with it. It may be years before He uses it, but when He does, the glory will shine bright upon Him.

Kelley and I arrived into Kansas City to our eagerly awaiting husbands shortly after midnight and then we stood at the baggage claim with many other tired and weary passengers waiting to pick up our luggage. When we give up the baggage of our past to Jesus, the line at the baggage claim holds only One as Jesus waits for the tired and weary to drop off their past.

His Name is the One that is on the claim ticket tied to the handle of your baggage.

He patiently waits and when He sees your junk come around the corner He steps up to the moving belt, grabs it and changes the look of your past forever.

~Many Blessings~