We were delayed again.

 After all the chaos from our 24-hour trip just weeks ago, I thought surely the return would be smooth.

We had paid our dues in travel tribulation.

We arrived early.
Cleared TSA without a hitch.
Hugged family goodbye.
Boarded the flight to Houston.
Buckled up and exhaled.

This was supposed to be a smooth 2-hour flight.

 But the pilot’s voice over the intercom jolted us back into travel trauma:

“All planes in Houston are grounded due to thunderstorm & weather advisory. We are going to have to stay here for an hour, until we get clearance to take off.”

I looked over at Jason.
His brow raised.
My gut sank.

“Not again,” I thought.

There we sat, on the tarmac.
The kids were calm at first.
Thank God for the donuts and sandwiches.
We got comfortable, watched movies, and tried to ignore the déjà vu.

But inside, I wrestled with the creeping question:
Why the wait?

Eventually, we took off and landed in Houston.
We grabbed lunch and started to relax… until we reached the gate for our connecting flight.

The gate was boarding. The flight was full.
We rushed, got to our seats.
Buckled in.

And then… the announcement:

““Ladies and gentlemen, if you want to stretch your legs or come off the plane, please remember to secure all of your belongings and we would have to check you in again when you come back in, but let’s give our pilots time to stretch their legs.” 

“What did she just say?” Jason quizzically asked. “I have no idea what is going on,” I replied.

 Delay.
AGAIN. Another hour stuck in position, waiting. 

Not because of anything we did wrong.
Not because of poor planning.
Not because of disobedience.

But because of elements out of our control.

You can plan perfectly and still face divine delays.
You can be right on time and still be forced to wait.

And in the waiting, the testing begins.

Do you remain hopeful?
Do you trust the journey?
Do you believe the promise is still waiting at the other end of your obedience?

Because just like that flight…
Once we were cleared, we endured the 5-hour stretch, landed safely, and cleared immigration in 15 minutes flat.

 Some delays are divine detours, giving you a seat in the lesson of patience, endurance, and perspective.

God is not just interested in your destination.
He’s shaping who you are in transit.

Let endurance grow.
Let your faith deepen.
Because once the pilot shows up, the journey resumes.

Delayed again?
Maybe.
But never denied.

Bloom in Solitude 🌸