It happens every time I fly.

Without exception, my husband will track me.  He pulls up a website where you can see all the airline flights of the day, punches in my flight number, and watches me from wheels-up to wheels-down.

Endearing, isn’t it?

It is to me now, but during the first several years of our marriage, It used to irritate me to no end.

Having taken care of myself for so long before Anthony and I got married, my immediate thought was he didn’t trust me.

Why else would he have reason to stalk…I mean, track my every move?

The idea that he was watching over me because he cared for me didn’t even enter my mind.

It was a blind spot God knew I had from years of being on my own. A hard, self-protective layer over my heart that I didn’t even know existed.

And, over the years, God has used this small, consistent act of Anthony’s to soften and reshape my heart (and mind) to better understand His constant care for me.

Maybe you can relate.

It may not be an airplane-tracking husband. It might be a prayer warrior of a parent or a kind-hearted co-worker, a generous neighbor or a friend who’s quick to forgive.

God will often use other people in our lives to reveal and demonstrate pieces of His divine heart and character that we need to see most.

The process happens over time.

Their steadfast example helps shine a light on Christlike traits (mercy, care, kindness, love, forgiveness, etc.) that God is using to mold us into His image even further.

“Imitate me, as I imitate Christ,” Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1.

Who can you credit today for imitating Christlike behavior to you?

For me, I never take to the skies now without thinking about how much God cares for me.

Because of Anthony.

Until next time, Grace and Glory!