A 7-Hour Drive, A Wedding, Three Songs... and a Midnight Wake-Up Call

Preparing the Altar Before the Assignment

"Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful." — 1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV)

Some days are marked by mountaintop moments.

Other days are marked by quiet preparation.

Day 11 reminded me that before God often uses us publicly, He first prepares us privately.

This was a day of worship, stewardship, family, celebration, and preparation.

Preparing in New Orleans

Before leaving New Orleans around noon, I spent the morning getting everything ready for the ministry weekend in Florida.

I finished packing and organizing everything for the trip. Cianna's outfits were packed and ready to go. My wardrobe was prepared. The merchandise was counted, packed, and loaded into the vehicle. I double-checked that we had everything we needed so we could leave with peace instead of rushing at the last minute.

I also continued creating new merchandise for the WHO IS GOD?! Tour, including a few more Who Is God?! shirts, "May I Pray?" second-line handkerchiefs, and Proverbs 31 second-line handkerchiefs.

There is something satisfying about preparation.

Being organized doesn't replace faith, but it reflects good stewardship. I wanted to arrive in Florida ready to focus on people instead of worrying about what I'd forgotten.

Worship on the Road

Once everything was packed, my amazing husband got us on the road for Florida.

He drove the entire seven-hour trip, allowing me to continue preparing for Sunday's assignment while enjoying precious family time together.

As we traveled, I spent time reading the Gospel of Matthew and meditating on Isaiah 54 while worship music filled the car. There's something beautiful about turning a highway into a sanctuary. The miles seemed shorter because my heart was fixed on Jesus.

Then God gave us the sweetest reminder.

His Promises Still Stand 🌈

Before the wedding.

Before the hosting.

Before the worship.

Before the lessons God would teach me later that night...

He reminded me of one simple truth:

His promises still stand.

As we traveled from New Orleans to Florida, we looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow stretching across the highway.

What made the moment even more special was that I had just been reading and meditating on Isaiah 54.

Then we looked up.

There it was.

Not just for a fleeting second either.

As we continued driving, the rainbow became clearer and brighter.

I couldn't help but smile.

"For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee." — Isaiah 54:9 (KJV)

Then came the next verse...

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee." — Isaiah 54:10 (KJV)

Whew.

Right there on the highway, we were literally driving beneath the sign of the very covenant I had just been reading about.

My mind immediately went to Genesis.

"I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth." — Genesis 9:13 (KJV)

I don't have to make every beautiful moment mean something beyond what Scripture already says.

But I can absolutely stop and thank God when creation reminds me of what His Word has already promised.

His kindness shall not depart.

His covenant of peace shall not be removed.

His mercy remains.

His promises still stand.

Day 11 of SEEK GOD 40 is teaching me to pay attention.

To Scripture.

To the quiet moments.

To the people God places in my path.

To the lessons hidden in ordinary days.

And even to the beauty outside the car window.

Sometimes you just have to keep traveling...

Keep trusting...

Keep seeking...

And keep your eyes open.

Because God has a way of reminding us that He's with us every mile of the journey.

TRAVELING. TRUSTING. TESTIFYING.

HE IS FAITHFUL.

Thank You, Lord, for the reminder on the road. ❤️🌈

As we continued down the highway, I kept preparing for Sunday's assignment. I downloaded Square POS to my phone and entered new merchandise into the system so transactions would be simple and organized after worship. I also created my Apple Music performance playlist with my ministry tracks and mentally rehearsed my 25-minute worship flow, thinking through every transition, testimony, and song.

Preparation is worship too.

If God is opening doors, I want to honor Him by being ready when I walk through them.

The drive also gave us precious family time together. Those conversations, the worship music, and simply being together reminded me that ministry begins at home.

We even stopped at Burger King for a quick meal.

Simple moments.

Sweet memories.

Celebrating Hope & Everett

After our seven-hour drive, I checked into the hotel, got dressed, and headed straight to Hope and Everett's wedding reception.

There wasn't much time to get ready.

No lashes.

No extra touch-ups.

Just enough time to change clothes and get there ready to serve.

For the first 30 minutes before the bride and groom arrived, I had the privilege of hosting the reception and helping set the tone for the evening.

We laughed.

We celebrated.

We played games.

One of my favorite moments was recognizing the married couples in the room.

The longest-married couple had been together for 64 years and would celebrate another anniversary at the end of August.

Second place?

63 years!

What a testimony.

Seeing decades of covenant faithfulness reminded everyone in the room that lasting love is still possible.

We also had some fun with the single ladies, inviting them to do a runway walk.

Then the single gentlemen got their turn.

Everyone laughed, cheered, and encouraged one another.

It was wholesome.

It was joyful.

It was refreshing.

There was no alcohol.

Just desserts.

Good energy.

Lots of laughter.

And a room full of people celebrating love.

Before Hope and Everett took the dance floor, we surrounded them with encouragement, wisdom, prayers, and blessings for their marriage.

I shared my heart with them, encouraging them to keep God at the center of their marriage, worship together, pray together, and continue choosing each other through every season.

As soon as I finished speaking, one of the gentlemen in the room smiled and said,

"I need to hear you sing."

Apparently, he had heard me humming throughout the evening while I was hosting.

I laughed and said,

"I got you!"

So I blessed Hope with "Who Is God?!"

Then I sang "BUKU LOVE."

Just when I thought I was finished, the DJ surprised me by playing "I Just Wanna Do What I Wanna Do."

Well...

I couldn't just stand there!

So I grabbed the microphone one more time and performed that one too.

The room came alive.

People smiled.

People danced.

People sang along.

The joy in the room was contagious.

Later, I found out the gentleman who had encouraged me to sing was actually the mayor.

Only God.

What started as simply hosting a wedding reception became another opportunity to worship, encourage people, and introduce them to the music God has placed in my heart.

I have a feeling I made some new friends—and maybe even some new supporters of the ministry.

Hope and Everett danced the night away until midnight.

I slipped out a little earlier because another assignment was waiting the next morning.

A Midnight Stewardship Lesson

When I got back to the hotel, I realized Cianna had left her favorite blanket and her beloved Poppie Snuggle Bear in the car.

I stepped outside to grab them.

The moment I opened the vehicle, I saw what several days of traveling had created.

Luggage.

Merchandise.

Ministry supplies.

Family items.

Without even thinking, I slipped into detailer mode.

For about fifteen minutes, I quickly organized, decluttered, vacuumed, and rearranged everything. I stayed right in the well-lit front area of the hotel, worked quickly, and remained aware of my surroundings.

While I was cleaning, my husband tried calling me.

Between the vacuum running and my phone still being on silent from the reception, I never heard the first two calls.

When I finally noticed my phone, it was on the third call.

I answered immediately.

By then, he was upset.

After driving our family seven hours to Florida, he was simply trying to make sure I was safe.

To be honest, it changed the mood for the rest of the night.

I had been focused on organizing the vehicle and preparing for ministry.

He had been focused on making sure his wife was okay.

Looking back, I can understand both perspectives.

While I was trying to steward the ministry supplies, merchandise, and vehicle, my husband was trying to steward me.

God Is Preparing More Than My Schedule

As I organized the car, I realized God has been doing the same thing in my own life during these forty days.

Removing clutter.

Reordering priorities.

Making room for what matters most.

Preparing me for what's next.

Stewardship isn't just about money.

It's about faithfully caring for everything God entrusts to us.

Our marriage.

Our daughter.

Our home.

Our ministry.

Our business.

Our gifts.

Our time.

Faithfulness is usually built in the ordinary moments.

Packing.

Preparing.

Driving.

Hosting.

Praying.

Serving.

Cleaning.

Encouraging.

Worshipping.

Those quiet acts of obedience become the foundation for everything God builds next.

Day 11 Prayer

Father,

Thank You for safe travels.

Thank You for my family.

Thank You for allowing me to celebrate Hope and Everett's beautiful covenant.

Thank You for every opportunity You gave me today to serve, encourage, host, worship, and minister.

Continue preparing my heart just as You are preparing every other area of my life.

Teach me to be faithful with the little things so that I may honor You with the greater things.

May every stage become an altar.

May every conversation point someone to Jesus.

May every mile traveled be for Your glory.

And may I always be found faithful with everything You've entrusted to me.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.