Made It

Well Jessa, Joleesa and I made it into Charlotte at about 9 pm on Saturday. About 24 hours after we left Alaska. Yes, you did hear right, Joleesa too. Circumstances made it that she was able to go (she needs our prayers) so we are thrilled that our whole family will be at the assembly. We left Anchorat at 9:45 pm Friday flying standby on Alaska Airlines. We all 3 sat together on a exit row so it wasn't too bad. Joleesa had shed a lot of tears and was pretty exhausted so our "baby" took turns laying on Jessa and I and at one time was pretty much stretched out between us. Pulled into Chicago about 6:30 am Chicago time and headed for US Airways. I don''t think we'll do US Airways again. We had purchased standby tickets so we knew we'd have a wait but nothing like we had...and their customer service STINK. When one flight was full they were to rollover all the standbys to the next flight. We found out we always had to check as it turned out twice they never rolled us over, and twice they rolled over Joleesa and Jessa but not be. The last time was the last flight of the day. Things were looking really discouraging as the "overbooked" flights were bumping people to the next, and the next, etc. We originally were told the 3:55 flight looked promising then the announcement comes for voluteers as they're overbooked...didn't make that flight. I didn't have my computer as it was at Best Buy getting worked on (Brother Nowling picked it up Friday night) so I called Jenna to check to see what it may cost me if we had to buy 3 one way tickets as we were told Sunday didn't look good either. It was going to be over $1200 (plus the hotel room that night as nothing left out until the morning). I called Jody and he just kept saying, we don't have the money...bottom line we we're going to wait until the last flight and if we didn't get on, there'd be no other choice. Then Joleesa and Jessa are called; Jessa goes running up telling the guy that there's 3 of us, showing him the 3 tickets that she had gotten for that flight. Some how I wasn't showing up...but he got me on. The last seat available, last flight of the day, AND the last seat in the plane (the very back row). I called Williams and they said they had just gotten off their knees from praying for us as they knew we were exhausted after 12 hours in the airport and flying all night. Called Jenna and she said she too had just got done praying, Jessa says she went off to the restroom, it wasn't for the usual reason, she went off to pray. I was praying but felt the responsibility to find another just in case...that's not faith, I know. Anyway, Williams were waiting for us. I tried to get a car, so they wouldn't have to take their van (which isn't running the best) but it was going to be $163 per day as we were dropping it off in another state. We decided to figure things out Sunday (which no matter how we did it was going to cost us about that). We then headed to Olive Garden as we were all saying soup sounded good to us after the expensive airport junk food. We headed to the Williams and BED. Sunday was a great day. The Kings Mountain ladies are precious, small in number,but BIG in Spirit. We had a good SS and morning service. We then at Gondolas and came back to the house and everyone napped except me. I studied first (as I was preaching Sunday night) and then I couldn't shut my brain off to sleep, but I rested. We had a great service Sunday night. This small group knows how to worship. I felt the annointing when preaching and I was blessed abundantly and I think they were too.

When we got back to the house we worked with Brother Nowling in getting on his flight. We were really nervous as all flights out of Anchorage was looking booked, but due to Jessa's inside allies...and the hand of God, they got him on an overbooked flight. He was in a middle seat, which he dispises and said he was a "clam" after the storms they flew through and being the "big guy" in the middle seat, and his anxiety regarding flying, I'm sure he WAS a clam. BUT he got to American Eagle's gate where he was flying standby and they assigned him his seat right away. So all looks well there (as long as they don't cancel his flight because of it not being full).

So now the Williams and us will leave out in their van (car rental was just to high and his mechanic said he felt they would be alright, and if anything happened, he would come get them) , so if we could have your prayers of safety of their van. Brother Nowling should actually beat us to Cleveland so he'll be able to get some rest and then we'll have the evening to fellowship together. Jenna leaves out this afternoon, flying standby only to Seattle (which shouldn't be a problem) and then has a secure flight to Chattanooga getting in at 8:30 am tomorrow morning, so we'll be picking her up and heading to Fields of the Woods, the Nowling family together again. PTL!!!

I'm so grateful that we're all able to be at the assembly. I need to some how get some rest (I didn't sleep well last night, thinking about Brother Nowling). Has anyone found the on/off switch to their brain, if so enlighten me...because it's keeping me up at night.

Those of you that are travelling, safe travels. To our precious children at our house (Josh and Jackie Grant, take care of house, enjoy yourselves and be ready for great things to happen when we get home).