A week ago I was traveling home from Blog Sugar via airplane, from Los Angeles to Minneapolis, and during my flight I took these photos. There I was, in row 34, CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!, snapping pictures and reminding myself that I was a brave girl.
I was feeling so proud of myself for letting go of my fear of flying, for being so open about it with you all, for presenting it to God {like He wants us to}. A couple of weeks before my big trip, before one of my longest flights in a long time, I shared on my blog how I felt like it was time to get over my fear. I was ready to not feel captive anymore. I know I’ve talked about this fear for a few weeks now, but it’s just that so many great things have happened since, and I want to share them with you :]
Blogging has been such an incredible gift, it’s amazing how strong the power of encouragement really is…
Shortly after I blogged about my fear of flying I received an email from Annie:
As Christians we are told to carry one another’s burdens. A few weeks back my son was having surgery and I was SICK. Literally, it consumed my mind. I couldn’t eat. couldn’t function. I thought of every what if in the book. This was a MINOR surgery but I still had the ‘what if he doesn’t wake up’ in my mind. So a friend of mine told me she was going to carry my burden for me for the day…that I was to do nothing but PRAISE THE LORD for Easton all day…and that she was going to PRAY for him and she was going to trust that the Lord had him…that day and every day of his life. Let me tell you what a release that was to know that someone else was carrying my burden. It was truly something
I will never forget.So, for you sweet Maggie, I’m committing to carry your burden of that flight. I want you to know that i”m going to pray for you, the trip, those you will bless while you are away, zack’s safety, everything. I want YOU to spend that time PRAISING the Lord for Gussy Sews and the MANY BLESSINGS it has brought you and those involved in your blog/business. Put on the helmet of salvation to protect your mind. DO NOT let Satan win this battle. I promise, he does NOT run out of firey darts to throw at us, but with the breastplate of righteousness to guard our heart, the Lord will WIN! HE already has the victory, we just have to believe….
I’m praying for you girl! Thank you for your blog and for all the ways
you bless so many.
Annie’s email is one I’ll remember forever. It’s seriously incredible what her prayers did for me. As soon as I read it I forwarded it on to Zack. He replied, moments later…
I seriously just choked up. That is so so wonderful.
“I’m committing to carry your burden of that flight.”
What an amazing God we have to put people like this in our lives.
Almost immediately after Zack & I decided to pursue Gussy Sews full time {about 2 years ago}, this fear of flying settled on my shoulder and has been there since. It felt so random and totally unnecessary, but as the months went on {and the fear hadn’t left}, the thought of this fear coming from the devil seemed more & more true.
And then I decided it *was* from the devil and I spent a long time writing that blog post, and I prayed that the fear would leave me, and almost immediately after publishing the post the weight of this fear was lifted from me. And then I “met” Annie…
It’s not that we should pray and then everything will go our way, but more like we need to reject what is NOT from God.
It’s OK to put you-know-who in his place and say, Nope! You’re wrong. I’m right.
{neener, neener!}
The morning of my flight to Blog Sugar I cried 3 times… I hadn’t worried over my flight at all up until that morning, but suddenly so many feelings since sharing my fear surfaced and I was feeling oh-so nervous. I remember telling Zack before we left for the airport, I don’t even know why I’m crying!!! Because I really had been feeling at peace over my flight. Up until it was time to leave ;] And then at the airport I cried, before Zack dropped me off. And then before boarding my flight, I cried by myself at the gate. It sounds so sad, but really it’s OK :]
But God is good, and I made sure to remind myself of that. My flight was uneventful {yes, answered prayer!}, and I had an amazing time speaking at Blog Sugar, celebrating friendships and blogging funness :]
Do you want to see the most amazing part about this entire experience? Maybe just a teensy bit more amazing than receiving that email from Annie?
Look at this photo one more time…
I took this picture while on my flight home. Once the airplane landed I tweeted this ~
Can you see the Eagle? When I tweeted that it was supposed to be a symbolic question — it was a reference to how I said I was going to let God be the pilot, that I’d be “flying on the wings of an Eagle.” Later that day, when I went back and looked at that last picture on my computer at full size, I noticed the little cloud in the shape of an Eagle in the upper right-hand corner.
And then I cried, AGAIN!
We are all so loved; I am so thankful for my God… for prayer… for answered prayer.
Wow, what a sweet sweet testament to the Lord and His faithfulness to us. He loves us so so much_ if we could only grasp that to it’s fullest. Reading this was comforting to me and i just wanted to thank you for your transparency.
That email from Annie was awesome and such a God-thing…love. :)
Wow. You don’t know how much I needed this post and the phrase, “Committing to carrying the burden for you.” Knowing I have people praying for me and what I have to face next week is so comforting. Reading this is more validation that He has me in the palm of His mighty hand and is with me. Beautiful post . Thank you so very much.
Thank you for sharing this today. It’s something I needed to read as I’m facing some fear and discouragement of my own today. I know where it’s coming from – and it’s not from God! Your words are giving me the encouragement to reject the lies and embrace the Truth. Thank you!
Wow!! That is so awesome! Our God is SO AWESOME!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!
wow, this is amazing!!! what a sweet email, and what an awesome picture. thanks for sharing! (and so glad you have overcome your fear of flying!)
Maggie…I love this! I left you a comment a while back about how I was getting ready to go and visit my best friend who I met through blogging and was going to be flying from L.A. to Houston all by myself to meet her. My trip was over this past weekend and I cannot tell you enough what an amazing time it was for me! I was nervous about several things previous to the trip but the Lord totally took care of every detail. I hadn’t flown in years and I was nervous about that but the Lord just blessed me so much with praying friends and I was totally at peace. My dad, who drove me the 3 hrs to the airport to L.A. also shared with me something that blessed me so much. He said that I should pray specifically that I would be “invisible” to harm or danger and that “my path would not intersect with harm/danger.” I prayed that prayer before boarding my plane and just felt the Lord’s peace.
My trip was amazing and I’m so thankful that I didn’t allow the devil to hold me down by fear. I’m still amazed at how much the Lord loves me that He’d put everything exactly in place so that I could go meet my best friend in person. My heart is still so full!
P.S. My friend Kristin, who I went to visit in TX is about 5 weeks away from having a baby and ordered one of your diaper bags/wristlets! I got to see them in person when I was there and love them! It’s the one with the turquoise/orange and white polka dots! So cute! :)
Oh geez, oh geez… Annie’s words… how sweet, beautiful, touching, friendly! That really is carrying on another’s burdens and how often do we do that? I think she took it to a whole new level…maybe the level its actually its supposed to be at! What a blessing!
I thought that cloud looked like an eagle!
Wow! This post is incredible. I can’t get over that cloud, and the significance of it all. It takes my breath away.
I like to think that sometimes I’m a good speaker. Or writer, for that matter. But when it comes to my faith, I’m like Moses. Stuttering and stumbling over my words. So, I’ll just say simply that we do indeed have an amazing God. One that loves us and wants us to succeed and grow and face our fears. I’m glad that He has helped you with yours. :)
amazing. He’s so faithful!
This just gave me cold chills~
What a sweet story!
And to think I was advising you to pop a valium! ;)
Yeah for Sweet Annie! What a comfort to know such a sweet soul is carrying a burden for you.
Thanks for all that you give Maggie.
You are a gift~
xo
This post is so beautiful and just what I needed today. I love the idea of carrying someone else’s burden so that they may find a moment of peace. Thank you for the reminder to help others and to ask for help myself.
I love the eagle cloud–He was flying with you the whole time!
What a WONDERFUL reminder that God is good and faithful! I started to cry reading this post and seeing Annie’s email to you Gussy. How amazing to know there are special people out there that are ready to help us take on the day and our worries, just like God does for us. God reminds us not to fear because He is with us and will never leave us. We forget that the more time spent worrying, the less time is spent praising God for all He has given us! We all have our list of worries/fears/burdens and we need to leave them with our Lord, who is good and keeps His promises. We need to walk away knowing that He will take those burdens and give us peace so that we can go about our days praising and giving thanks! Thank you for sharing this!!!
xoxox
Elizabeth
Praise God! Thank you for sharing this – and for Annie’s words! God definitely used her words to you in my life today as well, that girl has it going on :) Isn’t that what this crazy online community is really about? Finding friends you might never know in real life who will step up and carry your burdens for you. What an awesome God we have who will use even blogging & tweeting & facebook for His glory {grin}. This just made my day!
I just got chills! God is so, so good. Not only because of who He is alone, but because He chose to make us creatures of community who can experience Him through others. Love that.
This is so awesome!!! Thanks for sharing your wonderful testimony and the tangible evidence of God in this!!! Love it!
WOW! Thank-you so much for sharing that with your blog world…..GOD is Awesome!
maggie, such a great post. i am crying like a baby. the email annie sent you is so wonderful and so true. we need to remember to praise God for all of his blessings and trust in him. i find myself scared and doubtful in many situations lately, i know this is the devil working. I need to leave everything to God and know that he will never give me something i can’t handle. i am beyond scared and fear that my first handmade market, the threadery, will be a failure. i fear no one will see the love in my creations and buy them. i need to let go of this fear and praise God for giving me the courage and strength to puruse my passion and dream. thank you for being so open. xoxo
Goosebumps.
That is so incredible… I didn’t even notice it until you pointed it out!
I really like the idea of carrying around someone’s burden for them. I’m going to remember that when I have a friend in need of some relief.
maggie, it’s been a LONG time since i’ve read a post and gotten goosebumps. so, thank you for sharing this story and annie’s precious email. what a tremendous amount of faith she has. praise Jesus.
Oh, this was really beautiful and very touching. What a great email and story. Keep on fighting! :)
thanks for sharing this.
i have never been a fearful soul, but a few years ago my son (who was 3 weeks old!) got sick and was hospitalized. for days. right then a huge fear of sickness planted itself in me. it took me a little while to realize what had happened…many instances of *why am i paralyzed by this fear?* to realize that this was an unnatural fear NOT FROM THE LORD. i started to fight it right away, and it took me a while to see some progress, but now i am in a whole different place! praise Jesus.
amazing. THIS is what the blogging community is about, amen?! amen.
I think this is my most favorite post that you’ve ever written. xo
Great post sistah! Isn’t He so stinkin’ good?! He even knows the intimate details and fears and meets us right there. Love this!
Muwah!
~Kristin
Thank you for sharing Annie’s words- I totally teared up reading them! What a blessing she is!
Thanks for sharing!
Last week was one of the hardest weeks of my life! And just when I thought things were going to get worse, God, in an instant, just turned everything around. It was amazing! I had so many people praying for me and my family and it that very instant everyone’s prayers were answered. It was amazing! God is good!
this made me cry. it truly is so beautiful. loving others is beautiful. being apart of the body of Christ id beautiful. Stepping out in obedience (even over the internet) is beautiful. Thank you for sharing this. so awesome!
I love when God does these things for us. It’s so precious! Things he doesn’t have to do but does to lavish us with his love and remind us that we are his children and he is ALWAYS thinking of us. So glad you shared this Maggie, so sweet!
Goosebumps at the sheer awesomeness of it all. Xo
Wow, wow, wow!!! What a beautiful post!! Thank you for your boldness in sharing your faith through your blog. You are an amazing woman Miss Gussy!!
Maggie,
This post has made my day!!! I am so thankful for your blog and for the community you have created. It was my honor and pleasure to carry your burden to Jesus on that day for you. Even though we have never met (yet), you are my sister. And as Christians, that’s what we’re called to do. Whether I live next door to you or across the country from you, you are my sister and if I see a need, or you see a need, we are to reach out. How many times do we let the fear of rejection get in the way of reaching out? There is a reason that we crossed paths and maybe it was just for this moment. We may never know. Either way, I’m SO glad we did!
Thank you for this post! You are such an inspiration to so many!
lovely sister. i shed some tears. this was beautiful and thank you for sharing.
what an amazing story & story of the power of our LORD, and it sure sounds like you have an amazing support system.
ps: i love reading your blog b/c i am from st.paul & now am living in southern california & miss it so much. i can’t wait to be home for christmas!!!
blessings sweet sister.
Gussy, I love your sweet heart!
LOVE this! A beautiful post from a beautiful person :) xoxo
What a beautiful post…and such wise and beautiful words from Annie. I have never considered offering to carry someone’s burdens or having someone carry mine in this way. What a beautiful and loving way to support someone. I am encouraged. xo
Love this post. Thank you for sharing. It’s wonderful to hear how God is working in the lives of others through fellow believers.
Wow, Gussy. So, so amazing.
God is so good to His children. I’m all a mess over here….just sobbing away. I’m so glad you found comfort in facing your fears.
[…] week Thursday I flew out to Pennsylvania for Relevant, and just like last time I flew I felt a lot of peace, until it was time to say goodbye to Zack. I think the more I process this fear the more I learn […]