I depart for my San Francisco conference a day early to get ahead of the coming storm. At the advice of the airline, I change my flights immediately. While relaxing in the airport today after a safe trip out of Pennsylvania (no snow) and a safe arrival to Chicago (no snow), I realize that I indeed got out ahead of the storm.
I find I love the expression. I love also how my getting out ahead of the storm came about. I fretted over my travel plans until I finally decided to pray with a friend. No sooner had she uttered the words, “Amen!” after seeking wisdom from God than the airline alert came through. I was so thankful for God’s immediate direction.
But getting ahead of the storm seems like a theme in my life this month. I’m learning so much about anticipating what’s coming and making decisions ahead of the storm. It’s a way of minimizing stress, preempting spiritual attack, and ensuring the smooth operation of whatever I need to do.
I look ahead. I learn to get ahead of the storm.
Maybe God’s teaching me this because of my particular season of life with a teen headed to college and one headed to high school. Maybe it’s about all that’s coming ahead of me with new books to write and new speaking events. Maybe it’s about living in such a way that I’m OK when things don’t go as planned (simply acknowledging this seems like a way of getting ahead of the storm). Maybe it’s about managing my health now to avoid the storm of middle age. All my dietary changes position me to be at my best ahead of the storm.
At any rate, I continue to learn.