Sometimes we go alone...

I love my Trotter tribe.   Love being all together and rolling life in step with each other.  Glean encouragement, affirmation, affection, friendship, tenderness, inspiration, appreciation, laughter, safety…and well the list could go on and on.Love my tribe something fierce.With that said I don’t love the part of my calling that takes me away from them sometimes.  Really try at all costs not travel without at least one of them in tow.  Or I take my favorite road show buddy, my momma.  There is strength in numbers and when I need some strength I have the best tribe to give a holla’ to!However, there are a few times that I have traveled alone.  This past weekend was such a time and I flew all by my lonesome.  The last time I flew alone I got engaged.  Toby Trotter, my smoking hot Coach Man, threw the biggest surprise party aboard a Southwest Airline flight 12 and ½ years ago to sweep me off my feet.  I, of course, said yes and 11 years later we are more in love than we were that solitary day I hopped on a flight by myself.This past weekend my destination was Arkansas to speak to a gathering of 21 churches, and I dare say some of the most gloriously gorgeous daughters of God I have ever seen.  The mantle of the event was entitled “The Walk of a Woman”.  Micah 6:8 launched us into the event.“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”Like I shared yesterday with you darling daughters {via Xander’s story} most of the time that walk is more like a haphazard stumble, clawing tooth and nail most days to grab ahold of that corner of Jesus’ robe and hold on for dear loving life.  I had them join me on the road with the Samaritan woman that I have been walking with since this summer {BGCO Retreat Ladies along with FBC Hobart Ladies should be tracking real close to where I’m about to walk right here}.“…so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well.  It was about the sixth hour.  A woman from Samaria came to draw water.” John 4:6-7I shared with them that when that woman got her pretty little self to that well the earth was heavy as stink all over her.  She was alone and I’m willing to bet she felt abandoned by anything “good” or “favorable” in regards to her life.  However, we serve the ultimate Servant and Jesus was waiting on her at that well.  Jesus had drawn her there….and He had drawn her there alone.  On purpose.My life as a woman is crazy town, ya’ll.  I wear so many hats sometimes I end up looking more like the mad hatter than a dignified wife, mother and minister.  Life is fast and furious and every day seems to get faster and faster.  I hear my high pitched voice say more times than I can count, “If I could just grab a few quiet minutes I could maybe think for a second!”  But you know what is so sick and wildly deranged?  If I get those quiet minutes I become paralyzed and nervous.  I do not do “still, chill out or quiet moments” very good.  Getting me alone, quiet and listening without waiting to talk is a rare occasion.  Jesus has to draw me away.  He has to take me by the hand and draw me to an alone spot when He wants to have a serious talk with me.Flying and traveling by myself was just His drawing this past weekend.  He had an intrinsic work to do on Cari Trotter. I love having “my people, my Trotter Tribe” all together.  Life is more fun with people.  But sometimes God calls us to walk alone, to walk towards where He is and with all our problems and zero answers in tow….because intrinsic work; deep heart work happens in the quiet places, in the drawn away places.That was what happened to the Samaritan woman.  When she got to the well she wanted everything with no idea who to get it from.  When she left she owned Everything and it was given to her as a free gift.  Every place that life had taken from her was replaced with the ultimate Gift that did just that; give to her.  Jesus drew her away from reality, but didn’t draw her away from her problems.  He drew her away so she had no choice but to deal with her problems.But He had to draw her away down a lonely road.  She thought she was in control by going to that well when no one would be there and she wouldn’t have to deal with a thing……..but she was wrong.  The Darling of Heaven was waiting on her and He was ready to set her free.It is easier for my life to stay cluttered and chaotic.  It is.  Yours is too.  That doesn’t make it free or liberated though.  That doesn’t heal all the hurts that hide beneath the over scheduling and program machine.  Drawing away to the well where Jesus is, bringing all your problems and being okay with a smidge of uncomfortable is what fills our soul so full of Living Water we leave our water jar behind.“So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did…….Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony…” John 4:28-29; 39Let life get quiet.  Let your voice get quiet.  Don’t try to distract Jesus from drawing you to a lonely place.  He will only be patiently persistent; HE will be found waiting on you.  Be willing to fly alone to Jesus….you might just find yourself caught up in the greatest Love story you could have ever imagined.