Episode 34: Only God Connections while Traveling | Listening to the Voice of the Holy Spirit

Stephanie shares a recent story of making an only God connection while traveling when she obeyed the Holy Spirit. She emphasizes both the importance of taking time to rest and also listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Because of her obedience, she and her husband were able to connect with an amazing woman and comfort her in a difficult time. God is good, and we can listen to His still, small voice.

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Transcript

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Hey friends, welcome to the Only God podcast, where we share stories only God can write. I'm your host, Stephanie L. Jones. In each episode, we'll dive into powerful testimonies, have great conversations, and encouragement that remind us when the impossible happens, it's only God. Let's get started. Hey friends, it's Stephanie here with the Only God Podcast, sharing stories only God could write. Thank you for joining me today. Um, I am sharing a personal story. So uh I just got back from vacation. My husband and I, first of all, can I just say if you have not been on a vacation for a while, it doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be fancy, but just make sure that you are taking time to give to yourself and rest. Uh my husband and I had not been on a vacation like this since 2020. Um, and we went to the Dominican Republic, and we we always just love it down there. Honestly, it's the people that we love. So, what the only God's story for today on this was I um before that week, I was flying to Florida and I was doing a girls' retreat, writing retreat with one of my best friends, Kelsey. So I was gonna be in the Orlando area. We actually went to St. Augustine, if you've never been. Fabulous, great place to go in Florida. Uh, but we flew in and out of Orlando. And so I had a flight that I was gonna come back uh from Orlando to Chicago on Friday, and then turn around on Saturday and go from Chicago to Punta Cana. And I had booked all those flights, everything was ready to go. And it was probably a week or two before I was like standing at the bathroom sink, and I really felt like God gave me the idea of like, why are you flying back and forth? Why don't you just fly from Orlando to Punta Cana, meet your husband down there? I was like, yeah, that's kind of a good idea. And I prayed about it. Um, because I gotta be honest, like sometimes I hate changing like travel plans, but I really prayed about it. And the first thing I prayed about it is like, okay, let my husband be okay with this. Because if he doesn't want to travel, like if he wants us to travel together, um, then I will, I'll do that. I'll come back home. Um, so I talked to him, and you know, he's like like the best, but yeah, that does make sense. Like I'm fine with it. So I was like, okay, cool. So I called. Anyways, there were some issues, and I was like, it's not gonna work out with the airline. And so I was like, okay, maybe I wasn't meant to do this. And this is really where I have just learned about like, if we get ideas, if we think it's from God, is taking that step, being obedient, praying, praying, take the step. And then, like, okay, Lord, if this isn't for you, if this isn't what I'm supposed to be doing, like just shut this down. So things didn't work out with the airline. Well, the reason was is because they were gonna ask me to cancel my entire round trip ticket and then rebook. Well, that whole thing was double the price. I was like, I'm not paying double for now one way. Well, then, like a couple days later, the idea popped in my mind of what if you just cancel that trip once you take the first leg? So when you get to Orlando and you've taken the trip, then you cancel your flight from Orlando to Chicago and then you book to Punacana. So it's like, okay, that is the new plan. I'm gonna pray about it. If I can't do that, or if the flight now from Orlando to Punacana is booked or it was gonna be too expensive, I'm not gonna do that. So, anyways, all these details. I'm getting to the only God part. So it worked out where I was able to cancel, rebook. I was gonna stay an extra day in Orlando, and my husband, you know, goes to Chicago, does the flight by himself, and then I waited for him at the airport. He lands. He's like, I have the wildest story. You are never gonna believe what happened. And this is where I'm like, okay, this is like the only God thing. I immediately was thinking it was something bad, something related to him being a law enforcement officer, whatever. Like, why do we always think the worst is happening? Well, he said, the lady sitting next to me on the flight is a widow of a fallen officer, Chicago police officer. And I got to share the story of the film that you're working on, and we just got to like, and then her sister was there, and they just developed this friendship and they had all these things in common and people in common. And I think she even had one of my husband does woodworking, and she had something that he had made. And anyways, they were gonna be on the flight, the same flight back, and so I got to meet them, and then just God is so cool in sad times and in tragic times. So, first of all, is think about it is if I would have been on that flight, they wouldn't have sat next to us because they needed two seats. So if I would have been there, there would have only been one seat. We probably would have never met them, started talking to them. So when we get into uh back into Chicago and we're standing in customs and we're in front of them in the like zigzag line. And when we landed, my husband had said two Chicago officers have been shot. Um, we knew that one had been killed. And I my heart just broke for her because I thought like her husband had been shot and killed, a Chicago police officer 2018. Like, I know how it is, you know, in having a friend shot and killed. And that's I don't want to say just a friend, but a friend wasn't my husband, wasn't my spouse. And the reaction that I still get, and I've I talked about that on previous podcasts, is it's just like heavy on my prayer journaling podcast, you know, when officers killed. So she happened to get in line and she's like, Hey, did you did you guys hear, you know, what happened in Chicago? And we were like, Yeah. And at that moment, I just said, Can I give you a hug? And we were like separated from, you know, with like the chain, and she said, Yeah. And I just got to stand there in customs, embrace her, give her a hug. And I just thought, like, how cool is God of orchestrating this? And listen, the power of obedience and listening to that small whisper as I'm standing, you know, there at the sink of like changing the flights around. And I don't know what God's gonna do with that with that relationship, if anything, but I just I just wanted to share that because it's only God that can orchestrate and make those connections, but we have to be willing to be obedient and take action and step out too of our comfort zone. Um, I will still say uh going back and my giving journey is like giving hugs to people, especially people you don't know very well, um, is just offering. Um, that is a gift, is just offering. People don't have to accept what we're willing to give to them. Um, but offering is we don't have to walk away and go, you know what? Man, I wish I would have really given her a hug and just let her know that I like I see her in this moment also. So that's my short episode today of Only God and sharing stories that only God could write if this encouraged you. Or if you have a friend that needs a little encouragement, feel free to share this episode. And as always, subscribe. That helps me out greatly. Have a fabulous day. Hey friends, thank you for joining me today on the Only God podcast. I hope today's story encouraged your faith and reminded you that God is still writing our stories each and every day. If you were inspired by this episode, please share, subscribe, and tell a friend. And to stay connected with me and find out about all my books and resources and events, go to shineforwardcreative.com. Have a fabulous day.