Safe
- Dericka Canada Cunningham
- Jul 20
- 7 min read
Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
July 21, 2025
This Week's Anchor
“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of
His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
Psalm 27:5 (NKJV)
Every now and then, as I listen to God and consider what to share with our GBW community, I look back at previous devotions to inspire me on my journey. As I approached this devotional week, I found myself moved to tears recalling a moment that occurred a couple of years ago. I feel compelled to re-share it, because if it moved me this way, it’s certainly a message worth sharing again (for those who’ve been around for a while) and spreading further (for those new to our community).
Many of us have had moments in our lives when we wondered if we were gonna make it (and we might collectively feel this way now)…Times where we’ve weathered storms that left us battered, baffled, and questioning if we, our family, our marriage/relationship, our child, our friendship, our loved one, or our career would ever recover. You see, when we signed up to journey this life with Jesus, we couldn’t quite imagine the challenging and sometimes frightening seasons that God would see us through. I, at least, know 9-year-old Dericka who bolted to the front of the church during the invitation to Christ, to pronounce my belief, sure didn’t. While we each have our unique testimonies, we have all been shaken up by life at some point. Nevertheless, despite the toils of the storms, with God, we overcome.
A couple of years ago, I found myself on a flight that served as a great reminder of this. So, pause, breathe, and come on in as I (re)share this story…
Those who are closest to me know about my experience with flight anxiety. When I was a young girl, the thought of plane crashes haunted me to the extent that I vowed to never get on a plane if my life depended on it. Well, as life went on, it ultimately prevailed and did eventually depend on it. As I grew older and realized I wanted to explore the world beyond Kentucky and the US, I was forced to face my fears of flying, not just a few times, but over and over again. I am proud to say that many strong prayers and dozens of flights later, I have successfully navigated my flight anxiety and dwindled it from complete avoidance to brief moments of an increased heart rate that I effortlessly breathe through at takeoff. For those of you who, in solidarity, understand my experience, you know that flight anxiety is less about a fear of a plane crash and more about the discomfort of not having control. Regardless of my efforts and progress in managing my flight anxiety, when things feel more out of control (i.e., insert bad weather and turbulence), that’s when the anxiety creeps in.
Of course, God decided to test me on this during a particular flight I took after visiting my parents in Myrtle Beach. In the days before, I checked the weather forecast (because one way of coping with anxiety is attempting to prepare yourself for the unexpected), and sure enough, intense storms were planned to move through Boston around the time of my return flight. As the day arrived for me to fly back, I tried my best to enjoy my travels, but my apprehension regarding the potential turbulence we might encounter stayed in the background of my mind. Our flight ended up being delayed briefly due to the storms in Boston, which wasn’t a good indication of what rumbled in the clouds ahead. After boarding the flight and getting as comfortable as possible, the pilot came on the intercom to warn us about the impending storms in Boston and the inevitable turbulence we would experience. I thought to myself, “Great…you know it ain’t good when they warn you about the landing before you even take off.” A couple of hours later, we began our descent into Boston, and the bumps arrived. As I relaxed my body and began to engage my deep breathing, one of the flight attendants, who must have sensed the concern of the passengers, got on the intercom and did the most beautiful thing.
First, she acknowledged that first-time flyers, kids, or those with anxiety might be fearful of turbulence, and she reassured us that turbulence was incredibly normal. She clarified that turbulence is “just surface tension like waves or a pothole, and when things get bumpy, we are simply traveling over that surface tension.” She went on to share, “This plane can shake, this plane can bump, this plane can dip, and we are perfectly safe as long as you are in your seats with your seat belts fastened and secured.” She highlighted all the things the plane was built to withstand, and in that instance, I felt incredibly grateful for her willingness to care for us in this way. Of course, being the churched girl that I am, I couldn’t help but feel like God was speaking directly to me in this moment. So, I did what Dericka does—I listened and reflected, pulled out my phone, and started journaling everything that was coming to me in my notes app.
As the flight attendant's words permeated my heart, my soul leaped out of my body as I thought about how, like a well-made plane, God has creatively and intentionally built us to weather this beautifully messy and unpredictable thing called life. Our anchor scripture, once a song that we sang in our children’s choir, immediately rang in my mind. We will experience trouble, but God will hide us in His fortress (v. 5). Life will have its storms, and we will travel through turbulent times. Yet, dwelling in His house (v.4), remaining fastened, and holding tight to the Holy Trinity will keep us safe. Even when our physical bodies perish, our soul is anchored and secure. In fact, anchoring our soul and fastening it to the Holy Trinity is how we preserve and persevere in our faith. It’s also how we save ourselves, others, and our communities.
So, how do we remain anchored and safe as we weather life’s storms? Here are some inspirations from my in-flight experience:
First, we should know where our seatbelt is located [Know where to find our strength]—Just like on a flight, sometimes we have to do a little searching to see where things are located to make sure we have the right fully operating components. In the spiritual world, it’s God who searches us, and we who search God for the meaning and purpose that anchors our lives. Each of us is on our own soul journey. This is one of the great beauties of our faith—it’s uniquely ours and God’s. We often find ourselves on paths of wandering closer and closer to God. Even when we feel lost and in despair, we can recall in our hearts what grounds us. Like a deer panting for water, we can desperately seek God and everything we need to sustain ourselves.
Next, we need to buckle our seat belts [Connect to the Word]—Many of us are familiar with the sentiment that “prayer without works is dead.” This concept emphasizes the importance of intentional behavioral movement that aligns with our hearts, values, and desires. There are actions that we can take to ensure we are firmly anchored in the Holy Trinity. Linking with the Word is a vehicle for hastening to God. When we read and hear the Word, whether directly through the Bible, through music, or in conversation with others, connections are made. We have those ah-ha moments that make things meaningful.
But buckling isn’t enough, because a seatbelt that isn’t fastened tightly is minimally better in turbulent times than no seatbelt at all. So, lastly, we have to fasten our seat belts and remain in our seats [Apply the Word to our lives and harness our relationship]—We do this by walking closely with the Holy Trinity. By talking to God and giving Him space to speak to us. Sometimes it’s as simple as being a willing vessel on a flight from one location to the next. There is nowhere that God cannot speak to and through us. Our conversations with God are how we maintain our connection. So, have them freely and often—even brief moments with God matter. We can also remain fastened by finding community in other Believers who hold us accountable, give us hope, and help us grow.
By the time we prepared for landing, the weather had improved, and despite the turbulence, the flight attendant remained true to her words, and we were all safe. God speaking this word to me during an unsuspecting flight was just the reassurance that I needed, not only on that plane but in life overall. I pray that, as it has re-encouraged me, it may also inspire you.
As we prepare for another week of unexpected weather, I want to share with you the exact words spoken by that flight attendant on a spiritual level. Whatever turbulent times you are currently enduring or will come to endure, know that turbulence is indicative of you successfully and purposefully traveling across surface tension on your journey to exactly where God has called you to be. You, beautiful you, were built to withstand the wind, the rain, and the pain. Your soul can shake, your life can bump, and your heart can dip, and even still, you are perfectly safe, as long as you remain anchored and secured to God.
Reflection
What resonates for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you connect with Divine safety?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through This Week
Tuesday: Psalm 27
Wednesday: Isaiah 43:2
Thursday: Jeremiah 29:11
Friday: Matthew 7:24-25
Saturday: 2 Corinthians 4:1-9
Sunday: 1 Peter 4:12-14
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“As a Black Woman, I define self-care as the ability to safely and comfortably exhale.”
Bethanee Epifani
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