Death, The thought of your own death send chills up your spine and fear to your heart. “I’m not ready to die.” You mind screams. What if you saw death looking you in the face, would you be ready, would you have peace or would fear grip your totally body? Take a minute and just think about your own death,……………………What if it was today? Let me share a story about my own life and thinking I was dying yet God delivering me and the peace I experienced.

First let me give you a quick back ground on my life. I was born in Feb. 1979, to a very strong Christian Family.

In May of 1997, at the age of 18 I was getting ready for my first missions trip to Guatemala. The whole trip seemed to just fall into my lap and I had to do nothing hard to prepare for it. My mother had agreed to go along as the only Adult leader and she had taken care of all the little details, raising money, writing support letters, Even making sure I did the mentor program before I left to help me prepare for going. I was getting very excited about my trip. On my last night of work before I left I was driven home by one of my co-workers Lary Jordan. As I stepped out of the car he said, “ I will be praying for your trip.” “Please do,” I expressed. “This whole trip has been easy so far I just know the devil will want to do something to keep us from doing God’s work.” The thought of the devil wanting to ruin the trip haunted me. I was waiting for something bad to happen.

We went to Boston and spent the night in a hotel the night before we flew out. The hotel gave a free shuttle to the airport. We all loaded onto the shuttle and loaded off as we got to our terminal. We hadn’t been there 5 minutes and my mother realized she had left her suitcase in the shuttle. “This is it!” I thought, “This is the thing the devil was going to do to try and ruin our trip!” After a phone call to the hotel the shuttle returned with my mothers bag safe and sound. Everything went smoothly, we checked into our flight, got our seats and headed to Miami Florida. The flight was about 3 hours long, When we started nearing Miami the Pilot came on and said we would have to delay landing because of major Thunderstorms over Miami. We were held up for a few hours this way when finally the Pilot came on and said that we were cleared to descend for landing. As we slowly descending all the sudden the plan was thrown down, to the left then to the right, People were being thrown from their seats like rag dolls, As the plane was descending rapidly, we all knew we were headed for a crash. I heard screams of people calling out to God or anything they could think of save their life. Fear gripped everyone on the plane including the normally calm flight attendant’s. As I felt the plane toss back and forth like a feather I can not express, the peace I felt. I remember thinking, “Wow, I am going to die!” Yet I wasn’t begging God to save my life, I was thinking, “I am going to meet Jesus.” I was filled with so much peace that is was beyond anything I had ever felt. I held my friends hand as we both recited,

The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.

NKJV

As I said Verse 4 I was experiencing no fear, and comfort that only can come from God.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me

The people on the plane who thought they were dying had no peace, no comfort, because they did not know the truth about life. Jesus is the truth and

Suddenly the plane stopped nose diving and we leveled out. The Flight attendant came on the intercom with total fear screaming for everyone to remain calm and in their seats. Finally the pilot came on and said that we had hit a very bad batch of turbulence. Moments later we landing safely and smoothly at the Miami Airport. I looked out the window and saw emergency crews swarming the runways. I thought, “Oh no, was there an accident.” Not even thinking it was for our plane. We had many people in the plane who had broken bones, including one woman who broke her neck, whiplash and many other injury’s. Thankfully no one I was flying with was hurt. Almost all the injury’s came from people not obeying the seatbelt sign.

As we got off the plane we rushed to reach our next flight. Once on there I was able to process what we had just gone through. Rumor came to us that our flight had not been through turbulence but that we had gotten caught up in a tornado.

(Picture of the Tornado in Miami May 12 1997.)

You may be reading and wondering what does this story about me have to do with you. Let me ask you a question. Do you have peace with God? “Sure I do!” So you say, but do you really? Do you know what life is really all about, do you look forward to your own death believing there is a heavenly home awaiting those who follow Jesus. The Bible says that all who believe Jesus will have ever lasting life

You say sure I believe in God but the bible says you have to have Faith in God’s son Jesus to save you form your sin. You can never be good enough to reach God or Heaven.

You might be thinking this all sounds to easy. But the bible simply puts it this way in,

You can know Jesus in a personal way, you can experience peace and comfort all you have to do is believed and you can be saved from your sin. Sin separates us from God but because Jesus died on the cross for your sin you can be bridge the gap through Faith in Jesus Christ. Accept this great free gift today. Pray to God and ask Him to help you know him more, read your bible, The bible is God’s word and through it he speaks to us and shows all we know need to know. I look at the bible like a big puzzle, it has all the answer in it you I have to read to find what I am looking for. 2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this short story about my life. My faith in Jesus Christ means more to then life it self. I pray you believe the same.