Peace Be Still  

Shining a Light in the Darkness

  
There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. John 1:9
 
 
 
 
 
 

Emergency Landing in NC!

Hector & What Really Matters
 

RANDYESTELLE.com - Article


Hector was the flight attendant's name and he seemed like an affable enough fellow as I and my twenty-or-so fellow passengers boarded our flight to Raliegh-Durham, North Carolina. By the time we were past the halfway point in our flight, as the only attendant, he had already served complimentary drinks and passed out the obligatory snacks with a professional efficiency that indicated that, most likely, he wanted to have a seat himself and read something or just take the load off. Now as he stood before us, I could see the phone, which doubles as a public address system, trembling in his hand. The pilot had just announced-- in far too ominous tones for my taste-- that we were thirty-five minutes from landing at our destination and that on takeoff from Tampa, he and the copilot had detected a potential problem with the front landing gear--the plane had inexplicably veered just as we lifted off from the tarmac. "I am declaring an emergency landing and need you to carefully follow our crew instructions." Back to Hector. As we listened to the instructions and practiced the "position", hands crossed on the seat in front with head cradled against them, I became acutely aware of my surrounding. The parents behind me calmly telling their two children about the "fun practice" we were all going to do; the baby who suddenly began to cry as though sensing the urgent mood of captain and crew; a couple of other passengers who had tears in their eyes; the man right across the aisle who seemed to have a wild-eyed, this-can't-really-be-happening look on his face, all came in to sharp focus to my senses. It was unlike any other crisis-type situation I'd experienced. Other problems that have come my way didn't include the added dimension of plenty of time to mull it over. I was thinking about my beautiful wife Lisa, our kids and their spouses, and my four grand kids and thanked the Lord that I was saved as I sat right there in seat 7A. Not only because the situation might be grave and my eternal destination was sure, but also for the baptism in the Holy Spirit that has been a constant resource in my life for over thirty-five years. As I prayed in the Spirit, I felt God helping me cope. The Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians says, "in the Spirit we speak mysteries," and I assure you what was about to happen was anybody's guess. The Captain held out the real possibility that the plane might crash as he set it down in North Carolina. But somehow, I felt a strong assurance that God knew all about it and would be in control. God has a plan and a purpose for all of us, and He sustains us for those very things by His eternal power. The copilot's voice seemed eerie as it came over the PA system and said we were one minute from touch down, instructing us to assume the position for a crash landing. Immediately, Hector began to shout, as per his training, "BRACE, BRACE, HEAD DOWN, STAY DOWN!" over and over. My friends, a minute is a long time, and I felt a sense of the surreal as I the plane rocked and floated toward that runway. People were sobbing, the baby was crying, and I was praying. Just feet from the ground, the pilot suddenly powered up and banked toward the sky. The fellow seated across from me came very close to becoming unhinged and looked at me in panic and said, "We can't land! He can't land the plane!" I said loud enough for others to hear, "I'm a man of faith. I'm a man of prayer. I just prayed, and I believe everything is going to be OK." I was surprised by the words that erupted from within me, but I don't think it was mere adrenaline. Rather, I believe it was God's Spirit speaking, comforting. We circled for over another thirty minutes and then came in on approach again. Again, the copilot announced, "One minute out." Again, Hector began his nerve-wrenching chant. "BRACE, BRACE, HEAD DOWN, STAY DOWN!" And again I prayed. The planes rear wheels touched down, and then ever so slowly the pilot eased the front, steering wheels to the ground. The plane went straight down the center of the runway with a slight shudder, that seemed to be coming from the front. As the plane began to slow, applause erupted from all aboard, and I gave praise to the Lord. We made our way toward the gate with an honor guard of emergency vehicles--15 or so with lights flashing--proudly standing silently at attention on either side of the taxiway. Real life can sometimes throw us a curve ball. We need to be filled with the Spirit, filled with God's peace and faith. We need to love one another today. We need to walk with the Lord. And remember, He's got the whole world in His hands. Yours truly. Pray: Lord, I thank you that I'm born again today, now, baptism me in your wonderful Holy Spirit, fill me with a passion to serve you. Fill me to over flowing with your power. In Jesus' name, I receive!

Written by Randy Estelle / info@randyestelle.com on Sunday - 01/20/2008

(Used with Permission)

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