The Stolen Backpack, Atlanta, Georgia, Airport

I was all packed, suitcases and backpack in the car, gas tank full, cup of coffee securely placed ... ready to tackle the morning traffice through Chicago to Midway Airport. Listening to good music as you maneuver through all the road construction helps in keeping you calm and unflustered.

We had landed at Atlanta where I had to change planes. I waited my turn to get out of my seat, retrieve my backpack in the overhead storage, and race to the next gate. I reached up to get my backpack, and it was not there. I waited until everyone had gotten off the plane, and I told the flight attendant that my backpack was missing. At first she said, "Well, whoever took it will realize he had the wrong case and will come back to the plane." I said, "But there are not other suitcases here. The plane is empty." She looked up and down the plane, under the seats, and in the overhead. NOTHING! I said, "You know, mine was a backpack, nothing like a suitcase. It was stolen. Whoever has it is not coming back."

To have something stolen from you is such a horrific offense. I was shaken. We called security, lost and found, plus the flight attendant looked one more time on the plane.

"What about my ticket for my flight to Charlotte? It was in my backpack." "It's in the system. No problem!" she said. I paced up and down the airport. I called my coordinator, Evelyn Murrian, a great friend and prayer warrior, and told her the grim news of my loss.

As I boarded the next plane for Charlotte, I started to think about all that I had in that backpack .. my car keys! Oh, my gosh! My car was parked at Chicago, Midway Airport. Now how am I going to get home? My passport, my prescription sunglasses, my camera, my phonebook with all my addresses and phone numbers, my small Bible, $200 and some dollars in a bank pouch, and some other very small insignificant items were in that backpack. I'm trying to tell myself, "It's just stuff. Put it behind you."

Barbara Cash was there to meet me at the airport. I told her of my situation. She wanted to do something immediately. I said, "Barbara, it's gone! Whoever has it is walking around Atlanta somewhere. It wasn't lost; it was stolen. There's nothing we can do. It isn't going to be turned in. It's gone!" It is such a helpless feeling knowing that you have no recourse by to surrender and trust God for whatever. I called my friend, Lisa Wilkison, and asked her to go to the house, get my other set of keys, and mail them to me in Charlotte.

We arrived at Barbara's house, and I went through the whole backpack scenario once again. We went to get the information I needed to report a stolen passport to the embassy. Dealing with all these things is taking so much time.

There's this group of women that I've mentioned to you before in my letters, consisting of about ten women who meet together often to pray for each other's problems and worries. They've adopted me. They are the beautiful, elite, charming, genteel women of Charlotte. They look like they've stepped out of Vogue magazine all the time, morning, noon, or night, and they are my praying friends. I love these women. They are such great prayer warriors, and they are so much fun. I am blessed.

Well, Pam is considered the little evangelist of the group. So, when Pam heard about my stolen backpack, she burst into action. I was on the phone with her, and she said, "Marilyn, that's it. I've really had it with Satan stealing from us, and we are no longer going to stand for this. We are going to pray, put this into the Lord's hands, and ask that this backpack be returned." War had beed declared.

I mean she was vigorously pursuing the task of taking on Satan and all his angels. Barbara called some of the women who were around to set a time to meet and pray. We met, and each one prayed. However, I did say before we prayed that I had really given it to God and that it was okay. I had peace and I was not going to let this upset me and rob me of my joy. Pam said, "No! We are not going to allow Satan to continue to get away with this. We are going to pray that God will bring this backpack back to you. He knows where it is." Everyone was in agreement. We prayed. The battle was on! God was pleased, I'm sure.

Twenty days later on Tuesday, May 2, I received a phone call from a woman from Atlanta. She said, "I have been trying to get a hold of you for over an hour. I have your backpack here in the warehouse in Atlanta." I said, "You are kidding!" I could hardly contain myself. "Where did you find it?" She said, "I don't know where they found it, but we have it here." I asked out of curiosity, "Can you tell me what is in it, if anything?" She started naming what was in the backpack ... phonebook, camera, passport, car keys, sunglasses, and some other little stuff. The money and my little Bible were gone. (Actually, I was not really sure if I had my small Bible in the backpack or not, but I think I did. I don't remember ever taking it out.)

I asked her if she needed my address to mail it back to me. She said, "No. I just need to know the nearest airport ot you." I said, "Midway, Chicago." She said, "We will send it out on the next plane to Chicago." WOW! I just couldn't believe such a miracle. I thanked her, ran, and grabbed the phone.

I called Barbara to tell her the news and ask her to call the other women, Pam, Gail, Linda, Sara, and Leslie. I called Evelyn. Barbara was so excited. We were all celebrating. I went dancing through the house praising the Lord. "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus." God cares about every part of our lives ... even an old backpack. We knocked Satan out in the first round.

Friends, this was no little miracle from God. This was huge!

A little after midnight the phone rang. I wondered, "Who on earth is calling me at this hour?" I got up to get the phone and said, "Hello." He said, "Are you Marilyn Laszlo?" "Yes!" I said. "I am almost to your house with your backpack," he said. I said, "That's really great. I'll have the lights on."

At 1:15am on Wednesday morning, the phone rang again. I got up again and answered with a hello. He said, "I'm driving into your driveway right now with your backpack." I see the lights of the car, and I open the front door. Standing in my pajamas. An African American man with a big smile came to the door holding my backpack. I thanked him.

I immediately went through the contents of the backpack. Everything was there except the money and my little Bible. WOW! What an exciting adventure that was with God. That group of women may be elite and beautiful, but they manifest a great and mighty force ... believing God equips us with all we need to fight the enemy. Thank you, Pam, Barbara, Evelyn, Sara, Gail, Linda, and Leslie.

Learning to trust in all the promises of God makes the journey a whole lot easier. Trusting God's Word versus man's ideas and the rationale in dealing with the major issues in life will sustain us through the worst of experiences. These kidns of events draw us closer to Him. He's always there...even for the littlest of things. There are several lessons we can learn from this one.

--Marilyn Laszlo