My wife, Donna and I were living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  I worked for a large travel corporation that had travel agencies located in Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa.  As one of the vice- presidents, I was responsible for the offices in Iowa and Illinois. 

One night around 2:00 a.m. our home telephone rang.  It was my boss from Omaha.  He told me that the charter flight for Iowa State fans traveling to the Peach Bowl football game in Atlanta was snowed in and still on the ground in Des Moines.  It had been scheduled to depart at 11:00 p.m.  This was a very special event for Iowa State, and there would be many irate fans if they didn’t make it to Atlanta in time for the start of the game.  The weather reports for Des Moines were not good. 

My boss said that he didn’t think that the flight would be able to take off and get to Atlanta in time for the kick off.  He thought it would be best to have an officer of the company at the airport in Des Moines to break the news.  So, he needed me there.

I dressed quickly and started driving the one hundred plus miles to Des Moines.  When I first started out the weather was not too bad, and I was able to drive about seventy miles per hour on Interstate 80 that goes from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines.  

Then snow began to fall.  Ice followed and began to accumulate on the highway.  I was getting nervous and my palms began to sweat.  I slowed down to about thirty miles per hour.  Big semi-trucks were passing me, throwing ice and snow on my windshield.

I drove slower and slower and soon was just creeping along at fifteen to twenty miles per hour.  By this time I was tightly gripping the steering-wheel and had to lean forward in the seat to be able to see.  The windshield wipers were going as fast as they could go.  Then I realized that at my current speed, I would never make it.  By the time I would get to the airport, it would be too late. The charter flight would not make it to Atlanta in time for the kickoff.  I was worrying and fretting, praying and pleading with the Lord for help. 

Then suddenly, a strong sense of peace captured my being.  It wasn’t like I heard a voice, but more like a thought that came to me that God put in my mind.  I just pulled off the road, telephoned my boss and told him, “Everything will be fine.  The charter will take off in time.” 

Philippians 4:6-7 says “ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

I experienced that peace.  It was a peace I had never felt before.  It was the peace of God!  As it turned out, the flight did take off at the very last minute that it could and still  make it to the game on time.  When the plane landed in Atlanta, buses met the group and were escorted by motorcycles directly to the stadium. The Iowa State fans took their seats just seconds before the kickoff.  The Lord was in control.  He had let me know the future.

As I look back over the years, I know that God has always been there working in my life.  I do not know what He may have in store for my future, but I am content knowing He is in charge.

“ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not rely on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).