The Story Of How God Tangibly Showed Me His Faithful Love

I should have been walking in the confidence of His love after reflecting on His hesed love all week. But a perfect storm, left me walking off a plane, deeply knowing that if the plane had closed the doors with me on it, I would have been in a full-blown panic attack on the way home from vacation.

I was texting scripture after scripture to one of my dearest friends who was also flying as well that day and feeling a little uneasy about it, about His unfailing and faithful love. I was desperately hoping that these truths i was typing out would overcome my fears. But my final text to her said “I am about to panic.” It was the same friend who called me the second my husband texted her from the plane that I had gotten off, and the same friend who calmed me down enough to begin walking forward, and make plans again to get home.

As you may have read, I got home, and He had paved the way, and was there every step of the way.

But there is significantly more to the story, because of what else happened after I got off the plane, and what has happened since then. There are things that I had read about His covenant love that became very real to me, and I experienced His love and care for me, in ways that I could never have imagined to pray for.

His love is…

When I got to my parents’ apartment, I had to quickly book a flight home. I booked a flight on a trusted airline, and immediately felt more secure than I had before my failed flight home that day. Everything fell into place really fast, I slept great, but when I woke up, I had a thought go through my head as I laid in bed. Where was my license? I knew I had it when I got off the plane, but didn’t remember seeing it after I got to my parent’s.

After doing everything I could to find it, I realized that it just wasn’t going to happen. Luckily, this didn’t throw me into a panic, as I would just have to show TSA a picture of my passport, and go through some extra check in steps (like them scanning my phone and computer for explosives!).

I told my dad that I would figure the license thing out when I got home, after I gave it like a week to see if it would turn up.

But when I got to the airport, me not having my license and also my credit card was a bit of an issue, because I couldn’t pay for the bag my dad wanted me to bring home.

His love is tender and devoted.

The Hebrew word for stork is “hasidah” which comes from the same root word as “hesed”. A stork is considered to be very devoted, kind, and protective of their young, suggesting to the ancient Hebrews the deep, lasting, loyal love of God for His people.

And God placed a kind, tender, and devoted older lady that worked for United to help me through check in. It was a woman who displayed this type of care. She didn’t make me feel like an idiot for not only losing my license, but also not having a credit card. She was calm, she was tender, and when she heard my dad frustrated at me on the phone, she looked me in the eye and said I am here to help you, I am not leaving you until we are done here.

And she stayed true to her word. God provided me with someone who would stay with me, when I needed help. It was a reflection of His love for me. A love that will never leave.

His love is steadfast.

His love doesn’t give up when our faith waivers. He doesn’t check out, if we are checked out. His love is sure. It is solid, and it is unshaken. But sometimes we may fall into the trap of thinking that if we waiver, God may too. And maybe you have wavered so much that you think that maybe God could never fulfill His promises on your life.

Yes, we may think that we have thoroughly screwed everything up… but we forget one thing. He has gone before us. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He isn’t up in heaven on His throne thinking to Himself, Wow, these humans really screwed things up! Now what am I going to do? Because if I am honest, I definitely think that sometimes I really have messed things up, and that nothing will fix things.

Here is the truth. He is way ahead of our failures. His plan was in place, before we were in existence. And I was about to see that He surely had gone before me in a very tangible way.

His love goes before us.

So I have a wonderful trip home. Moving on and getting ready for my next trip (which is in a few days). But one day last week, I just didn’t feel good. I was run down, and tired, and took the day to just rest.

While resting, my husband comes to me and says, Who is Brenda from New Jersey? I had no idea, but he hands me a handwritten envelope that was addressed to me (Jessica Lyn Schneider), and yes, she had included my middle name. Weird. I feel the envelope and felt something hard in it. Now I will be honest, I had completely forgotten that I lost my license. But when I opened the envelope, there was my license. Also included was a note saying that she had found it in the bathroom at the airport, and included her phone number.

I was overwhelmed with thankfulness and bit of disbelief that I had actually gotten my license back. That someone was actually kind enough to send it back to me.

But God’s hesed love and care for me was about to get even more tangible and evident.

His love is extravagant.

I have said this over and over here. But God never does anything ordinary. When He moves, it is noticeable, and notable. So I texted Brenda, a note letting her know I had received my license in the mail. I thanked her for her kindness and told her I asked God to bless her, for her kindness to me.

She responded saying that when she found the license, she felt concerned that I would be worried about how I would get home without it. She was a pastor from NJ, and had prayed for me that “God would get me home”.

Here is the thing. Any person could have found my license, handed it to TSA, and went about their travel.

But God had gone way before me. He had arranged for a pastor named Brenda to be at the airport the same time as me to find it, and pray for me, unbeknownst to her what my experience had been probably moments before she found it.

Only God.

God is faithful to the faithful.

If you have given your life to Christ… this is the type of love, devotion, and care that is available to you. Even when our faith falters, His love is steadfast and firm. You will always look back and see just how extravagant His love is for His chosen, His children. And this love is not just promised, but fulfilled and always there, because our God is faithful.