Kris and Kell got to the airport at Fairbanks, Alaska and found the airplane that they were supposed to take. As the airplane took off, Kris said, “I wonder how long it will take to fly from Alaska to Maine? On the map it looks like it is a long way!” Kell agreed that it would be a long flight, and she reclined her seat and fell asleep.
A few hours later an announcement came over the intercom, and the pilot told the flight attendants to begin preparing for landing. Kris woke up Kell and said excitedly, “This flight went faster than I thought it would, we are going to land in a few minutes, I can hardly believe that we are in Maine already!”
As the plane landed, the pilot welcomed them to Seattle, Washington and wished them a good day and happy travels. Kris and Kell were confused! Why were they landing in Seattle? How were they supposed to get to Maine? The flight attendant was coming up the aisle, so Kell asked her, “We are supposed to be going to Maine, why are we landing in Seattle?” The flight attendant explained that there were no flights directly from Fairbanks, Alaska to Maine. They were on a connected flight, which means that they were going to change airplanes in Seattle to continue their trip. The flight attendant showed Kell where the new flight number was listed on her ticket.
Kris and Kell ran through the Seattle airport to make sure that they did not miss their connecting flight. They caught their plane with no problems and soon they were in the air again headed east across the country. This time Kris took a nap and Kell stayed awake. A few hours later the plane once again prepared to land. Kell looked out the window and saw a city below them, and a lot of water just beyond the city. Kell thought that it was a city in Maine with the Atlantic Ocean beyond it! She woke up Kris and told him that they were there! Just then the pilot said over the intercom, “Welcome to Chicago!” That big city below them was Chicago, and the water was Lake Michigan! They were only halfway across the country! Kell looked at her ticket again and saw that they had to catch another connecting flight in Chicago!
Once again, they changed planes with no problem. This time they both fell asleep on the plane. The next thing they remembered was the flight attendant waking them up and telling them that they were about to land in Bangor, Maine! They had arrived!
When Kris and Kell got off the plane, the flight attendant handed them an envelope. There were instructions to get the rental car that was reserved for them, and there was also a note that said, “Drive to Camden, Maine and find Appledore II.” Kell found Camden, Maine on her tablet and soon they were on their way. They wanted to follow the instructions exactly, because they remembered all the troubles they had in Alaska when they did not follow the instructions, but they were a little confused. Who was Appledore II? Kell used her tablet and looked up famous people in Maine but could not find anyone named Appledore II.
When they got to Camden, they stopped to get something to eat and could not believe what they saw! It was an advertisement about Appledore II, it was not a person, it was a wooden schooner that was built almost 50 years ago! This ship has sailed around the world, and now gives tours in Camden, Maine (in the summer) and in Key West, Florida (in the winter).
Kris and Kell drove to the docks and found that they had a reservation to sail on the Appledore II the next day! They had a hard time falling asleep that night because they were so excited about going sailing on the Appledore II!
The next day had perfect weather, it was warm, sunny, and there was a nice breeze for sailing! Kris and Kell were the first ones in line to get on the Appledore II. They had fun exploring the ship before it was time to leave, but the real fun began when the crew cast off the ropes that were holding them to the dock and hoisted the sails! Sailing on a schooner is so much fun, and it is quiet! There is no noise from a motor, the only sounds are the water swishing against the hull of the ship, the wind, and the captain giving orders to the crew.
They were taking a 2-hour sail around the Penobscot Bay. There was so much to see! They saw porpoises, sea birds, and even eagles! They also sailed past an old lighthouse that was built 190 years ago!
The best part of the trip was when the captain asked Kris and Kell if they would like to help sail the Appledore II! The captain and the crew put Kris to work helping to raise a sail. It was hard work, but Kris listened carefully to the instructions that the crew gave to him, and together they got that sail raised! Meanwhile, the captain took Kell to the big, spoked wheel that steered the schooner. The captain show Kell how to hold the wheel and how to use the compass to help the ship go straight. Kell was doing very well, but then suddenly she started turning the wheel to the right as fast as she could! The captain grabbed the wheel and stopped her from turning it. He said, “Never turn the wheel that fast unless there is an emergency! Turning the ship fast could cause passengers to fall and get hurt!”
Kell said, “But there was an emergency! I saw a seagull floating on the water right in front of us! We were about to run him over!”
The captain laughed and said, “The seagull would have flown away just before we got to him, we would not have run him over.”
The two hours were over so quickly! Kris and Kell would have liked to keep sailing on the Appledore II for a long time! When they got back to the dock, they thanked the captain and the crew for such a good adventure! The crew thanked Kris for his help raising the sail, and the captain was still laughing about Kell’s attempt to avoid a seagull! It was a great day and a great sail!
Lesson Learned about God
That night before they went to bed, Kris and Kell talked about their adventure sailing on the Appledore II. Kris said, “When I was helping the crew to raise that sail, I was amazed at how strong the wind was. We hear and feel the wind every day, but we do not ever see it or realize how strong it really is. That reminds me of God’s Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives in each believer and is very powerful. God’s Holy Spirit is always at work in each of our lives. We can feel the Holy Spirit at work sometimes, and we can see the results of Holy Spirit working in our life, but we cannot see the Holy Spirit. The Bible compares the wind to the Holy Spirit.
In the Bible in John 3:8 Jesus says:
“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
In the Bible in Acts 1:8 Jesus says this about the Holy Spirit:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In the Bible in John 14:26 Jesus says this about the Holy Spirit:
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as My representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
In the Bible in Romans 8:26-27 it says:
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
These verses describe just a few of the things that God’s Holy Spirit does for each believer. We are not alone in this world! Each believer in Jesus has God’s Holy Spirit living inside of them. Each day and every minute!
Like the wind, God’s Holy Spirit cannot be seen, but the Spirit is powerful and always working in a believer’s life!
Report to the grandmother:
- At the travel agency – God has a good plan for us. Jeremiah 29:11
- Florida – God is watching over us, we do not need to be fearful. Psalms 23
- Wisconsin – Temptations. I Corinthians 10:13, Proverbs 14:12, I John 1:9
- Minnesota – Never take your eyes off Jesus. Matthew 14:22-33
- Kentucky – God’s Word (the Bible) is the truth! John 17:17
- Louisianna – Choose Heaven and the Tree of Life. Revelation 20:11-15, Revelation 21:27 thru 22:5
- Illinois – God is in control. Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28-30, Proverbs 16:9
- New Mexico – God is our place of safety. Psalms 46:1-3, Psalms 91:1-2, Psalms 18:1-2, John 14:1-3
- Alabama – Training for heaven. I Peter 1:18-21, I John 3:2-3, Ephesians 5:1-2, I Peter 2:21, II Timothy 4:6-8
- Georgia – Sin erodes a person’s life and brings death. Galatians 5:19-21, Romans 3:22-25a
- Texas – Jesus offers abundant life. John 10:10, Mark 12:29-31.
- Kansas – Humans are filled with hatred and evil. Genesis 8:21-22, Romans 3:21-25a.
- South Carolina – Reminder of the Crucifixion. Isaiah 53:3-9
- Arkansas – Jesus is Crowned with Glory and Honor. Hebrews 2:9-10, Revelation 19:16, John 11:25-26
- Idaho – Times of Refreshing. Acts 3:19-20a, Matthew 11:28-30, Isaiah 40:28-31
- Washington State – Obeying God is Important! James 1:22-25, James 4:17
- Oregon – Do not let your first love for Jesus erode. Revelation 2:4-5a, Psalms 51:10-12
- Ohio – We are secure in God’s hands. Isaiah 41:13, Psalms 139:9-10, Psalms 73:23-28.
- Iowa – God is in control: Past, Present, & Future. Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 4:8.
- South Dakota – Believers are the family of God. Ephesians 2:19-21, John 1:12-13, Ephesians 1:5, I Thessalonians 5:15-18.
- Indiana – Win the Race! I Corinthians 9:24-27, Matthew 25:21
- Michigan – Cost of following Jesus. Luke 14:27-33.
- Missouri – The Book of Life. Revelation 20:11-15.
- New Jersey – The Light of the World. Philippians 2:14-15, Matthew 5:14-16.
- New York – God will meet our needs. Philippians 4:19-20.
- Pennsylvania – A special place and rest in heaven. John 14:1-3, Hebrews 4:9-10
- Montana – Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. John 15:5
- Maine – God’s Holy Spirit is like the wind: invisible, powerful and always working! John 3:8, Acts 1:8, John 14:26, Romans 8:26-27