July 2022 Newsletter
Thoughts on red-eye flights.
What comes to mind when you think of a red-eye flight? Do you think of something glamorous – A trip so fabulous it requires flying overnight? Or something important, maybe? Something so important that you must sacrifice a decent night’s sleep in order to wake up in another city.
Do you think of that episode in The Hills when Lauren Conrad had to hop on the red-eye from LA to New York to deliver the dress to Teen Vogue Editor, Lisa Love, for fashion week? Only to have her fashion week dreams dashed as she was instructed to turn around and get back on a plane. I thought she was both glamorous and important as she boarded that first flight, but don’t be deceived, friends.
Here’s what a red-eye flight really is…
It’s efficient. Why waste time in the air during the day, when you could fly through the night? My red-eye in June was the only way to get from one conference to the next without missing any of the action.
It’s affordable. In the midst of current fuel prices and summer travel demand, the red eye happened to be the most cost-effective way to get from Anaheim, California to Indianapolis, Indiana.
It’s for people that can sleep on planes. A category in which I do not belong.
My first red-eye experience lived up to its name. It was not glamorous. I’m not that important and neither was this flight. But I most certainly got red eyes out of the deal. Red eyes as I sat on the plane watching everyone around me fall asleep within *minutes* of the cabin door closing. Red eyes as I scrolled through the inflight movie options at 3 am in hopes of passing the time. It turns out not one thing sounds worth watching when you’d rather be asleep. Red eyes as I sat outside the door of my hotel room at 6:30 am waiting for my friends (who had already arrived) to begin to stir and unlock the DEADBOLT on our door, that even a hotel security officer with an “all-access” key could not find his way around. Yes, hotel security was involved after three rounds of sleepily dragging my luggage to the front desk for a new key, back to my room, only to see a red light on the room door each time I attempted to get in.
You know that scene in Serendipity, when Sara returns to the Waldorf Astoria to find Lars wadded up and laying on the floor outside her hotel room? That’s essentially live footage of me outside that door until one of the gals finally woke up and let me in. If the plane ride itself hadn’t inspired this realization, it was there – as I laid on the ground in a hotel hallway, desperately tired, using a suitcase as a pillow – that it became quite clear that I am not a red-eye girl.
I can’t hang. Now I know.
While I wouldn’t choose to do it again, my red eyes were worth it. That flight allowed me to get from the SBC Annual Meeting (a gathering of 11,000 believers) to The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference (a gathering of 8,000 believers) for five consecutive days of worshiping God together, sitting under the teaching of God’s Word, and thinking wisely about the people and kingdom of God.
As I stood amongst the thousands of voices, voices from different backgrounds, different ethnicities, voices with different stories and struggles, all singing praise to one Lord, I’d close my eyes and inevitably end up in tears.
Heaven will sound even better than this, I kept thinking.
A day is coming where the voices will be more abundant, the praise more genuine, the object of our worship both living and present. We will see our King face to face.
What we know now in part, we will then know and understand in full.
I walked away from that week with some kind of adult version of a “camp high.” I’m not talking about the fleeting, temporary feeling from adolescence, but instead an understanding that I pray endures for days and weeks and years to come. That week in June gave me a clearer picture of what eternity will be like and a more distinct longing for that day.
I’ve never been more eager to gather with God’s people. I’ve never been more thankful to play a role in setting the table for the gathering of God’s people. The beautiful truth is that each time we gather, whether on Sunday or any day, each time we sing, each time we remind each other of what is true, we are participating in a foretaste of eternity. We are practicing for a future day, depositing hope into a future reality, and trying our best to live our days on earth as it is in heaven.
Hebrews 10:23-25 calls us to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
This is the work I want to give my life to. Like the red-eye flight, the gathering of God’s people is rarely glamorous or impressive. But it is always worth it. The Day is drawing nearer every minute. And we can stand on the truth that he who promised is faithful.
Featured This Month
Things I’m loving right this very minute!
Kindle Pouch
As you can tell from my current obsessions, I have been reading a lot this summer and I just ordered this cutie pouch to protect my Kindle. This will be no surprise to anyone, but I ordered the tan one.
This Song
This new Shane and Shane song has been an anthem on repeat this summer! It’s not Apple Music or Spotify yet, so I’ve been sticking to the YouTube version. But Laura Wifler linked this version in her newsletter, which makes it easy to listen on repeat.
Dr. Elissa Weichbrodt
I heard Dr. Elissa Weichbrodt speak on a panel at TGCW about balancing life and work and as soon as she said that her and her husband’s life mission was for people to say, “they threw a good party” – I was sold! I started following her on Instagram and her content centered around how beholding art can help us know and love God more has been a source of light and encouragement. She has a book coming out next year and I can’t wait to read it!
Linen Sheets
After housesitting at a house with linen sheets, these sheets were my summer splurge (during a Memorial Day sale) and they have ruined me! I’m officially team linen sheets forever and always. I can’t wait to get another set.
This Podcast
I really enjoyed this podcast about how to think biblically about clothing and getting dressed, more than anything I enjoyed how Caroline Saunders traced the theme of clothing in Scripture.
Tarte Lipstick
I love the Tarte Juicy Lip line (though the name ‘juicy lip’ kinda makes me cringe) and their lipstick is 50% off today! I’m excited to try Rosy Brown. Pro tip for Tarte, if you make an account your order always ships free!
Stanley IceFlow
I recently got the Stanley IceFlow which has a lid and flip top straw after almost knocking over my Stanley cup in a yoga class and it’s been a game changer. The cup is still my tried and true, but the IceFlow is perfect for throwing in your bag, taking to a workout class, or bringing along to any place where is it socially unacceptable to spill your drink!
Happy Friday, friends! This is one of my favorite ways to create and I’m so thankful you keep reading!
Thanks for being here!
Marissa
