Am I a jinx?

This month, I asked Superman if I was a jinx.

Not because I actually believe I am, but because I was looking for an explanation for why certain things seem to keep happening when I’m involved. And I don’t mean involved as in simply being present. I mean when I’m leading, when I’m the responsible party, the account holder, the decision-maker, the person whose name is on the reservation, the contract, the registration, or whatever other terminology you can think of that essentially means I’m in charge.

I was looking for an explanation because, honestly, I was concerned about my testimony.

I want to be a good witness. I want my life to reflect the goodness, faithfulness, and provision of God. But I was beginning to wonder how I could effectively use my platform to communicate what it means to have it all by God’s grace when it seems like inconvenience after inconvenience keeps showing up wherever I go.

As many of you know from my last blog, Peace in the Unexpected, Superman and I entered October working with our homeowners insurance company to address the repairs needed as a result of water damage in our home.

We were already navigating the inconvenience of having to coordinate repairs, then came our family reunion in Eufaula, Alabama.

We were excited about this trip because we were doing something our family had never done before. We rented a beautiful four-story home on the lake, and about fifteen of us were staying together. Grandkids, spouses, siblings, parents — everybody under one roof. It was supposed to be a special opportunity to spend time together and make memories.

There was just one thing, Hurricane Esaias was expected to make landfall as a Category 3 about four hours away from where we were staying.

We attended the family meet-and-greet on Friday evening, and when we returned to our beautiful Airbnb, the power was out. What was supposed to be a fun family getaway quickly turned into an impromptu indoor camping experience.

Everybody fell into their respective roles. My sister and my sister-in-law entertained the kids. The men were checking the house and surrounding structures to make sure everything was secure. My mom and I were running around trying to find flashlights, candles, and batteries.

We made it through the night, but when we woke up Saturday morning, the power was still out. After taking cold showers, we headed to our family field day at a local park. And by the time we returned, there was still no power.

I started calling local hotels to see if we could find somewhere else to stay, only to discover that there were no vacancies. The utility company had secured many of the available rooms for utility workers who were coming into the area to help restore electricity. At this point, we were running out of options, but God.

I eventually found availability at a local resort, where we were able to secure a cottage and a cabin. It meant splitting our family between two houses for the remainder of our stay, but we made it work. And more importantly, we enjoyed each other.

In the aftermath of Esaias, however, we did sustain some damage to my vehicle when something broke the back portion of my side mirror, leaving the wiring exposed. Another inconvenience. Another repair to coordinate and we weren’t even home yet.

After the reunion, I returned to Jacksonville for approximately two hours before heading back out for a work trip. I literally woke up in Alabama and was going to sleep in Minnesota.

When I arrived at baggage claim, I discovered that someone else had taken my luggage two hours away. So, there I was, beginning a four-day work trip without my luggage.

Thankfully, my suitcase was recovered and delivered the following afternoon. In the meantime, with the help of my mom and sister, who were traveling with me, I was able to pull together some clothes. And thanks to a Walmart delivery, I was able to get a few necessities.

I made it work.

All of this in one month. Which brings me back to the original question I asked Superman, “Am I a jinx?”

As I reflect on everything that happened, I keep thinking about Isaiah 54:17: “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper…”

I’ve heard this scripture countless times, and I’ve often thought about it in the context of opposition, spiritual warfare, and the plans of the enemy. But this month gave me an opportunity to consider it through a slightly different lens.

What if the evidence that a weapon hasn’t prospered isn’t that nothing happened? Because things definitely happened. And they weren’t imaginary inconveniences, still, none of them stopped me.

None of them prevented me from enjoying our family. None of them stopped me from fulfilling my work commitments. None of them caused me to abandon my responsibilities or lose sight of what mattered. Yes, they required adjustments, additional expenses, unexpected conversations, and a little more patience than I anticipated having to exercise. But they didn’t have the authority to determine how the rest of my month would go.

Sometimes we interpret God’s protection as the absence of disruption. We assume that if God is with us, things should go smoothly. If we’re walking in obedience, operating in grace, and doing what He’s called us to do, surely the circumstances surrounding us should reflect that.

But Scripture doesn’t promise a life without trouble. In John 16:33, Jesus tells His disciples that they will have trouble in this world. Yet He also tells them to take heart because He has overcome the world.

The presence of trouble doesn’t negate the presence of God.

One of the things I don’t want to lose in sharing my testimony is the distinction between God’s ability to prevent something and His ability to sustain me through something.

Sometimes He prevents, sometimes He redirects, sometimes He provides an alternative, and sometimes He allows us to experience the full inconvenience of a situation while giving us the grace, wisdom, resources, and strength to navigate it.

Don’t get me wrong, none of this means I enjoyed the inconveniences I experienced this month. I was frustrated, disappointed, and tired of having to figure things out. Nevertheless, God’s grace was sufficient for what I was experiencing. And that’s my testimony this month.

Not that I was exempt from difficult circumstances, but that difficult circumstances didn’t exempt me from experiencing God’s goodness. If I only recognize God’s goodness when things work out according to my plans, then I’m limiting my ability to recognize Him when they don’t.

October was a reminder that His grace isn’t only evident in the things He prevents. It’s also evident in the things He helps me endure. And that too, is a testimony.